The Pains and Privileges of Staging Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’

When you sing the music proper, Mozart is like drugs, a balm for the voice. It’s indescribably lovely, and simply so genius. But it may be misleading. It sounds quite simple and easy, however it takes a variety of exhausting work to attain that.

You must have excellent legato, and ideal breath management, to get by a variety of lengthy phrases. Mozart additionally writes runs with loopy coloratura, in addition to some dramatic moments. To do all that requires safe approach. It’s very completely different from verismo, or Verdi. Clarity and purity: When you’re singing Mozart’s music, you must use explicit muscular tissues to be versatile but hold the purity of the tone. This is all a testomony of wholesome, and good, approach.

Mostly within the recitatives, Zerlina will get extra dramatic. In the scene proper earlier than “Batti, batti,” when she goes again to Masetto after virtually being seduced by Don Giovanni, she shows her functionality in coping with Masetto, saying: “What, you don’t consider me? Then kill me. Please, let’s simply make peace.” It’s utterly human, and so relatable. That’s one other factor about these roles; you’ll be able to see your self, and you already know you possibly can be that particular person.

But to interpret this, you must be trustworthy to what Mozart has already written. He is a superb vocal composer; a variety of issues are already written into the rating, confused in how the language is expressed. If you observe that, the feelings converse for themselves. So, the interpretation must be a bit of extra strict, however it ought to appear easy.

The exhausting work to try this is within the preparation. You’ve received to know different individuals’s strains, and bear in mind and take heed to no matter is occurring round you. Once you already know all that, every little thing is obvious, and you may cease pondering an excessive amount of and simply take pleasure in being in your character. Then, the great thing about it’s simply so satisfying. It actually is without doubt one of the biggest joys.