Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Gary Relyea

Alain Coulombe

John Ardoin

Lorenzo da Ponte

Andrew O&apos;Neill

Barbara Willis Sweete

Don Giovanni Unmasked

Cliff Notes Version

If you are not familiar with the Opera &quot;Don Giovanni&quot; by Mozart, this is not for you.  But, if you are familiar, and you love the Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky then you are in for a goldmine.

Ms. Sweete takes a rather unique view of opera&apos;s favorite sexual compulsive and his not very trusty servant, Leporello.  The singing is, over all, excellent.  (Though one could wish that Hvorostovsky had plumbed the depths of his range further)  Especially effective is the &quot;serenade&quot; and Leporello&apos;s opening aria.  The supporting cast is up to the usual excellent standards of the Canadian opera community.

Ms. Sweete has said in numerous interviews that she had originally cast the Welsh baritone Bryn Trefel as the Don and Hvorostovsky as Leporello.  One can spend no small amount of time wondering how marvelous this film could have been with the world&apos;s two greatest baritones!

Just a note on the sets and design, it is rather stylistic and veers between 1930&apos;s Hollywood and a sharp stylistic depiction of 17th Century Spain.  It may not be to everyone&apos;s tastes and you do have to pay close attention, but it pays off to the careful viewer.  The ending is a surprise, but if you think on it, it&apos;s makes sense.

If you are not familiar with the Opera "Don Giovanni" by Mozart, this is not for you.  But, if you are familiar, and you love the Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky then you are in for a goldmine.

Ms. Sweete takes a rather unique view of opera's favorite sexual compulsive and his not very trusty servant, Leporello.  The singing is, over all, excellent.  (Though one could wish that Hvorostovsky had plumbed the depths of his range further)  Especially effective is the "serenade" and Leporello's opening aria.  The supporting cast is up to the usual excellent standards of the Canadian opera community.

Ms. Sweete has said in numerous interviews that she had originally cast the Welsh baritone Bryn Trefel as the Don and Hvorostovsky as Leporello.  One can spend no small amount of time wondering how marvelous this film could have been with the world's two greatest baritones!

Just a note on the sets and design, it is rather stylistic and veers between 1930's Hollywood and a sharp stylistic depiction of 17th Century Spain.  It may not be to everyone's tastes and you do have to pay close attention, but it pays off to the careful viewer.  The ending is a surprise, but if you think on it, it's makes sense.

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Don Giovanni Unmasked

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