xn--vrossignol-b7a: Don Giovanni, Preview for Young People, Teatro alla Scala, Milano 4. Dec 2011

Photo: Giulia Bonelli

The Preview for Young People of the new Robert Carsen's production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, conducted by Daniel Barenboim and featuring a cast of stars, has been performed on 4. Decemebr 2011 at the Teatro alla Scala in Milano. The stellar cast, the same one that will open the Scala's 2011-2012 Season on 7. Dec 2011, included Peter Mattei (Don Giovanni), Anna Netrebko (Donna Anna), Giuseppe Filianoti (Don Ottavio), Barbara Frittoli (Donna Elvira) and Bryn Terfel (Leporello).

Anna Netrebko makes her role debut at la Scala as Donna Anna, one of her signature roles which has previously sung at the Mariinsky Theater, St. Petersburg (2002), Salzburger Festspiele in Salzburg (2002, 2003), Royal Opera House, London (2003), Concertgebouw, Amsterdam (2003), Wiener Staatsoper, Wien (2004), Met Tour to Japan, Kobe and Tokyo (2006), Royal Opera House, London (2007), Mariinsky Theater, St. Petersburg (2007) and Opernhaus Zürich, Zürich (2011).

DON GIOVANNI
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Teatro alla Scala Milano 4. December 2011

New Teatro alla Scala Production
Running Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Sung in Italian with electronic libretto in Italian, English

DIRECTION
Conductor: Daniel Barenboim
Staging: Robert Carsen
Sets: Michael Levine
Costumes: Brigitte Reiffenstuel
Lights: Robert Carsen and Peter Van Praet
Choreography: Philippe Giraudeau

CAST
Don Giovanni: Peter Mattei
Il Commendatore: Kwangchul Youn
Donna Anna: Anna Netrebko
Don Ottavio: Giuseppe Filianoti
Donna Elvira: Barbara Frittoli
Leporello: Bryn Terfel
Zerlina: Anna Prohaska
Masetto: Štefan Kocán

SYNOPSIS
Synopsis in english

BROADCASTS
The Premiere on 7. Dec will be broadcasted live on TV (Rai5) and on the radio (Rai Radio3). Pre-recorded broadcasts will be replayed on Sky Classica (in clear), on Arte-ZDF, and on TV Kultura in Russia (live). The performance will be projected live in Milan on a big screen in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, in 3 theatres (Atir Teatro Ringhiera, Auditorium Cam zona 3 and Teatro della cooperativa), in the prisons of San Vittore and Bollate as well as in more than 500 cinemas in Italy and all over the world.

REVIEWS
The following review has been kindly written for the Blog by the freelance journalist Giulia Bonelli.

Don Giovanni Preview at Teatro alla Scala
By Giulia Bonelli

Watching for ten euros a cast of stars in one of the most famous theatres in the world: once a year, this is possible at La Scala of Milan. Yesterday, three days before the 2011/2012 season opening night, a preview was dedicated to young people under 30.

Robert Carsen directed a new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, conducted by Daniel Barenboim and featuring some of the best opera celebrities. All the tickets were sold out one month ago in a few hours, with people queuing in front of the box office since the night before. A long-awaited event for young opera lovers, who could occupy the same seats costing up to 2000 euros in the occasion of the 7th December premiere

The stalls invaded by young smiley faces were an unusual scenario: someone was smartly dressed up, someone was wearing jeans and t-shirts. But everybody was there for the same reason, enjoying a great opera with a great conductor and great singers.

A few minutes before the beginning of the show the excitement was high. Then, a breathtaking scene: over the first thundering notes of the Overture, Don Giovanni (Peter Mattei) went up to the stage running from the public side and drew the curtain down with a sharp movement. A glittering mirror reflecting the theatre was thus revealed, with a kind of “show into the show” that continued for the whole performance. Don Giovanni was the only real director of this show. He magnetized all the other characters with his seductive power, which in Carsen’s intention was constantly addressed to the public.

His first victim is, of course, Donna Anna, magnificently played by Anna Netrebko. Her hidden passion for Don Giovanni is made explicit since the beginning, and the Non sprear se non m’uccidi duet is actually an erotic exchange.

If Donna Anna lives a suffered interior conflict, Donna Elvira (Barbara Frittoli) is consumed by an angry passion, talking both about revenge and desperation.

All these feelings are made stronger by a scenography full of symbols, where the audience turns out to be part of the show orchestrated by Don Giovanni,“il dissoluto punito”, the punished dissolute that in the end may not be punished at all.

Mozart expert Peter Mattei gave Don Giovanni strength and energy, while his beleaguered servant Leporello became comic in the excellent interpretation of bass-baritone Bryn Terfel.

But the most touching performance was Anna Netrebko’s: she was able to show all the nuances of Donna Anna’s complex character, unifying a great singing with an elegant and moving acting. Her II act aria Non mi dir bell’idol mio got a very long ovation, which exploded in the final curtain calls.

PHOTOS
Check out also the Scala's website to see a collection of backstage photos from the rehearsals.