The Story
The story of Don Giovanni takes place in an unnamed Spanish city (often taken to be Seville) in the middle of the 17th century. The action occurs within a period of 24 hours - from just before midnight to the same time the following day.
Don Giovanni, a libertine and rogue who has spent his life seducing young women, finally gets his comeuppance. Having previously jilted Donna Elvira (who continues to pursue him), Giovanni kills Donna Anna's father, the Commendatore, while fleeing the scene of an attempted rape. Giovanni then tries to seduce Zerlina on her wedding day. The three wronged women vow vengeance on Don Giovanni and his hapless servant Leporello. Giovanni meets his grizzly end dragged down to hell by the graveyard statue of the Commendatore, to whom Giovanni had extended an ill-judged invitation to dinner.
Act I
Scene 1: Outside Donna Anna's house (night)
A murder is committed and vengeance is sworn
Scene 2: A street (night but nearer dawn)
An old flame recognizes Giovanni and vows to settle the score
Scene 3: The countryside near Don Giovanni's villa (mid-day or early afternoon)
Giovanni sets his sights on a young bride to be
Scene 4: Outside Don Giovanni's villa (afternoon)
Giovanni prepares for his party and a young man doubts his fiancée
Scene 5: The ballroom of Don Giovanni's villa (brightly lit)
The party – Giovanni is denounced
Act II
Scene 1: A street outside Donna Anna's house (evening, not yet dark)
Giovanni and his servant, Leporello, change places to seduce a young maid
Scene 2: The courtyard outside Donna Anna's house (now quite dark)
The conspiracy is unmasked
Scene 3: A cemetery (moonlight)
Leporello gets a fright
Scene 4: A room in Donna Anna's house (night)
A young couple yearn for a resolution
Scene 5: The banqueting hall in Don Giovanni's villa (brightly lit)
An unearthly dinner guest seals Giovanni's fate
Act I Scene 1
Outside Donna Anna's house
Leporello is on watch outside Donna Anna's house. Inside, a disguised Don Giovanni is trying to deceive and flatter his way into the young lady's affections. Leporello complains about his job as Giovanni's servant – the long hours for little pay and the constant need to cover up his master's wrong-doings. He is interrupted by a commotion from within and hides as Don Giovanni and Donna Anna emerge.
Anna calls for help as she struggles with her cloaked assailant, determined to uncover his identity. Hearing his daughter's cries, the Commendatore rushes to her side and challenges Giovanni to a duel. Anna returns to the house to seek help. Giovanni has no wish to fight the old man but the Commendatore persists and is fatally wounded. Giovanni and Leporello leave hastily.
Anna reappears with her fiancé Ottavio and a group of servants. Finding her father dead, she faints from shock and grief. Ottavio calls for smelling salts and instructs the servants to remove the Commendatore's body. On regaining consciousness, Anna is confused, mistaking Ottavio for her father's killer. But as her head clears, she determines to bring the murderer to justice and seeks Ottavio’s support: 'Swear to avenge my father / Swear it by heaven above!' Ottavio swears that he will.
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Act I Scene 2
A Street
Leporello tries to persuade Giovanni to mend his womanizing ways but Giovanni scoffs at the idea and, even as he speaks, catches the scent of a woman nearby. Master and servant move into the shadows as Donna Elvira approaches.
Elvira is a young lady from Burgos who has travelled to Seville in search of the man who betrayed her. When she finds him, she plans to kill him and will 'Laugh to see him die'. Giovanni feels sympathy for the woman and steps forward to comfort her.
Too late Giovanni recognizes Donna Elvira and realizes that he is the unfaithful lover. Giovanni assures Elvira that he had good reasons for leaving and suggests that perhaps she will trust the words of his 'honest' servant, Leporello.
As soon as Elvira's attention is turned, Giovanni slips away. Elvira is furious to have been so easily duped but Leporello begs her not to be upset. She is not the first woman Giovanni has mistreated – and she will certainly not be the last. Leporello produces a book in which he has listed all the women Giovanni has deceived: 640 in Italy, 231 in Germany, 100 in France, 91 in Turkey and 1003 in Spain!
Elvira is left alone. She feels anger and resentment towards Giovanni and vows to take her revenge.
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Act I Scene 3
The countryside near Don Giovanni's villa
Zerlina, Masetto and a group of friends are gathered to celebrate the young couple's wedding. Giovanni and Leporello arrive, and Giovanni is immediately attracted to the young fiancée. He insists on taking the couple under his wing and instructs Leporello to lead Masetto and the others to his villa, promising that he will bring Zerlina along shortly. Masetto fears for Zerlina's safety but there is nothing he can do and so the party leave for Giovanni's villa.
Left alone with Zerlina, Giovanni promises her the life of a lady if she will leave her fiancé and marry him instead. Zerlina tries to resist but is soon won over by Giovanni's persuasive charm. The pair are about to depart when Donna Elvira reappears. She warns Zerlina of Giovanni's treacherous ways and hurries her away to be reunited with Masetto.
No sooner have Elvira and Zerlina left than Anna and Ottavio appear and ask Giovanni's help in tracking down the Commendatore's murderer. Elvira returns to find Giovanni in conversation with Anna and assumes that he is trying to seduce her too. She warns Anna that she herself has been betrayed by Giovanni – who argues that Elvira is quite mad. Eventually, Elvira leaves followed by Giovanni who insists that he dare not leave her alone in such distress.
Suddenly, Anna recognizes something in Giovanni's voice and realizes that he was the mysterious intruder all along – the man who murdered her father. She recounts the story of that fateful night and orders Ottavio once again to avenge her father's death.
Ottavio cannot believe that Giovanni, a nobleman and friend, could behave so cruelly. But if Anna's suspicions are correct then his duty is clear; Ottavio's happiness depends on her peace of mind.
Leporello and Giovanni meet up once more. Leporello tells his master that Elvira and Zerlina gate-crashed the party at the villa and that Elvira had savaged Giovanni's character before Leporello was able to lock her out. Giovanni doesn't care: he plans to enjoy an even wilder party that evening and promises that Leporello will have more names to add to his list before the night is through...
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Act I Scene 4
Outside Don Giovanni's villa
Zerlina assures her fiancé that Giovanni did not even touch the tips of her fingers but Masetto feels shamed that Zerlina has spent time alone with another man on their wedding day. Zerlina persists, telling Masetto that she loves only him and if he doesn't believe her, he can beat her: 'Like a lamb, I'll bear each blow.' Masetto is persuaded that she is innocent.
Zerlina hears Giovanni coming and tries to hide, reawakening Masetto's suspicions. Masetto tells her to stay put and says that he will hide instead (hoping to overhear any conversation between Giovanni and Zerlina). Giovanni arrives and again tries to persuade Zerlina to elope with him but he soon spies Masetto in his hiding place. Thinking on his feet, Giovanni scolds Masetto for neglecting Zerlina and leads the couple inside to join the party.
Leporello notices three masked figures approaching and Giovanni orders him to invite them in. The masked guests are Elvira, Anna and Ottavio. They have come for revenge.
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Act I Scene 5
The ballroom in Don Giovanni's villa
At the party, Giovanni circulates among the dancers, complimenting Zerlina on her appearance, giving fuel to Masetto's jealousy. Once again, Giovanni tries to tempt Zerlina from her fiancé, offering her happiness and riches beyond her wildest dreams.
The masked guests enter, welcomed by Giovanni. Three groups of musicians provide the music: a minuet for the aristocrats, a contredanse for Giovanni and Zerlina, and a deutscher in which Leporello instructs Masetto in the art of dancing – much to Masetto's irritation. While Masetto is distracted, Giovanni steers Zerlina towards a side room. Realising that they have disappeared, Masetto goes to look for Zerlina while Leporello senses disaster and makes himself scarce.
Zerlina's screams for help bring the dancing to an abrupt end. Giovanni emerges dragging Leporello by the arm, claiming that he is the scoundrel who attacked Zerlina. But Elvira, Anna and Ottavio remove their masks and announce that Giovanni's true nature has been revealed. In face of their threats and accusations, Giovanni and Leporello make their escape.
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Act II Scene 1
A Street outside Donna Elvira's house
Leporello tells Giovanni that he can take no more and is leaving, having nearly lost his life in this latest escapade. But Giovanni knows his servant, and four gold pieces soon change Leporello's mind. Leporello begs his master to give up women, but Giovanni replies that he needs women 'More than food and drink!'
Giovanni's next target is Elvira's maid. Women of the maid's standing do not seem to trust the gentry so Giovanni swaps clothes with his servant.
That evening, Elvira appears on her balcony. As Leporello mimes in his master's hat and cloak, Giovanni supplies the voice and begs Elvira for forgiveness. Elvira believes that he is sincere and descends to greet him. The real Giovanni pretends to be an assailant which allows Leporello to usher Elvira out of the way "to safety".
When the coast is clear, Giovanni begins a serenade beneath the window but is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Masetto with a gang of heavily armed peasants in search of Giovanni. Posing as Leporello, Giovanni says that he has some old scores to settle with his master and asks if he may join their group, advising them to split up.
Left alone with Masetto, Giovanni wonders if killing is really essential. 'Wouldn't it be enough to break a few bones?' Making his intentions clear, Masetto brandishes his musket and pistol. So Giovanni knocks him out and escapes.
Masetto's groans are heard by Zerlina who comes to his aid.
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Act II Scene 2
The courtyard outside Donna Anna's house
Leporello has not been recognized by Elvira but it is dark and he is unable to find a way to escape. Anna and Ottavio arrive followed by Zerlina and Masetto who mistake Leporello for Giovanni. Elvira asks them to forgive her 'husband' but Ottavio moves in for the kill. In desperation, Leporello reveals his true identity and blames Giovanni for everything.
Having been knocked out by someone calling himself Leporello (actually Giovanni in disguise) Masetto believes he has a score to settle with the servant but in the confusion the real Leporello escapes. Satisfied that Giovanni was the killer after all, Ottavio vows to bring the murderer to justice.
Once the others have left, Elvira reveals that while Giovanni deserves punishment, she still feels great affection for him: 'When I see his mortal danger / Trembling horror fills my heart.'
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Act II Scene 3
A cemetery
Giovanni leaps over a cemetery wall in search of a hiding place and congratulates himself on yet another narrow escape. Leporello arrives too having evaded the angry crowd.
Don Giovanni and his servant exchange stories. Giovanni recounts a recent adventure with a sweetheart of Leporello's. The relationship seemed to be developing nicely when the woman recognized Giovanni and started screaming at which point Giovanni fled. 'And suppose I'd been married to the lady?' asks Leporello. 'So much the better!' laughs Giovanni. At that moment, a mysterious voice rumbles, 'This night shall see an end to all your laughter.' Leporello trembles in fear but Giovanni dismisses the incident as a practical joke.
Just then, Giovanni notices a statue of the murdered Commendatore and orders Leporello to read the inscription. It states that the statue is waiting for vengeance. Pouring scorn on Leporello's fear, Giovanni orders him to invite the statue to supper. Leporello does so – and is sure that the statue nods its head. Giovanni repeats the invitation, 'You’ll come to supper?' and the statue answers, 'Yes.' Giovanni leaves looking forward to it. Leporello is terrified.
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Act II Scene 4
A room in Donna Anna's house
Ottavio assures Anna that the criminal will soon be brought to justice. It is Ottavio's wish that he and Anna should marry without delay but Anna wants to postpone the wedding while she grieves for her father. She rejects her fiancé's suggestion that she is cruel and looks forward to a time when all will be peace and happiness once more.
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Act II Scene 5
The banqueting hall in Don Giovanni's villa
Don Giovanni eats alone, waited on by Leporello, while musicians play to entertain him. Elvira arrives and pleads with Giovanni to renounce his wicked ways but he mocks her and she leaves deeply hurt by his cruelty.
Suddenly, there is a terrible scream and Elvira rushes back in to flee through another door. Leporello is sent to discover the cause. There is an even louder cry and the petrified servant returns saying that the statue of the Commendatore is coming.
Giovanni welcomes the statue and instructs Leporello to lay an extra place at the table. But the statue no longer needs earthly food. It says it has fulfilled its promise by accepting Giovanni's invitation and asks if Giovanni will accept a return invitation. Giovanni insists he knows no fear and grasps the statue's hand... It is as cold as ice and, for the first time, Giovanni is scared. The statue announces that if Giovanni repents, all will be well. Giovanni refuses – and the statue drags him screaming into the flames of hell.
Elvira, Anna, Ottavio, Zerlina and Masetto arrive in search of Giovanni. They ask Leporello to explain what has happened and the stammering servant tells the story of the statue. Elvira confirms that it is true.
Ottavio feels that justice has been served and no longer sees any obstacle to marriage but Anna determines to mourn her father for a year first. Elvira will spend her life in a convent, Zerlina and Masetto return home for a splendid dinner with friends, and Leporello hopes to find a better master! All six come together to underline the moral: those who live a life of sin will come to an unpleasant end.
(In some productions, this 'epilogue' is omitted and the opera ends with Giovanni's descent into hell, without the other characters describing how their normal lives are to be resumed. How do you think this omission affects the tone or overall impact of the opera? Is the balance between serious and comic affected?)
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