DON GIOVANNI.

“Don Giovanni,” an opera buffa in two acts, words by Da Ponte, was first produced at Prague, Oct. 29, 1787.  The full title of the work is “Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni,” and the subject was taken from a Spanish tale by Tirso de Molina, called “El combidado de piedra.”  The original cast of the opera was as follows:—­

DONNA ANNA               Signora TERESA SAPORITTI. 
DONNA ELVIRA             Signora MICELLI. 
ZERLINA                  Signora BONDINI. 
DON OTTAVIO              Signor BAGLIONI. 
DON GIOVANNI             Signor LUIGI BASSI. 
LEPORELLO                Signor FELICE PONZIANI. 
MASETTO and DON PEDRO    Signor LOLLI.

The success of the “Marriage of Figaro” prepared the way for “Don Giovanni.”  Mozart wrote the opera in Prague, and completed it, except the overture, Oct. 28, 1787, about six weeks after he arrived in the city.  The first performance took place the next evening.  The overture was written during the night, the copyist received the score at seven o’clock in the morning, and it was played at eight in the evening.  He had only a week for stage rehearsals, and yet the opera created a furor.  As an instance of his extraordinary memory, it is said that the drum and trumpet parts to the finale of the second act were written without the score, from memory.  When he brought the parts into the orchestra, he remarked, “Pray, gentlemen, be particularly attentive at this place,” pointing to one, “as I believe that there are four bars either too few or too many.”  His remark was proved true.  It is also said that in the original scores the brass instruments frequently have no place, as he wrote the parts continually on separate bits of paper, trusting to his memory for the score.  The next year (1788) the opera was brought out in Vienna, and for this production he wrote four new numbers,—­a recitative and aria for Donna Elvira ("In quali excessi, o numi"); an aria for Masetto ("Ho capito, Signor, si"); a short aria for Don Ottavio ("Dalla sua pace"); and a duet for Zerlina and Leporello ("Per queste tue manine").

The scene of the opera is laid in Spain.  Don Giovanni, a licentious nobleman, becomes enamoured of Donna Anna, the daughter of the Commandant of Seville, who is betrothed to Don Ottavio.  He gains admission to her apartments at night, and attempts to carry her away; but her cries bring her father to her rescue.  He attacks Don Giovanni, and in the encounter is slain.  The libertine, however, in company with his rascally servant, Leporello, makes good his escape.  While the precious pair are consulting about some new amour, Donna Elvira, one of his victims, appears and taxes him with his cruelty; but he flies from her, leaving her with Leporello, who horrifies her with an appalling list of his master’s conquests in various countries.  Don Giovanni next attempts the ruin of Zerlina, a peasant girl, upon the very eve of her marriage with her lover, Masetto.  Donna Elvira, however, appears and thwarts his purposes, and also discovers him to Donna Anna as the murderer of her father, whereupon she binds her lover, Don Ottavio, to avenge his death.  Don Giovanni does not abandon his purpose, however.  He gives a fete, and once more seeks to accomplish Zerlina’s ruin, but is again thwarted by her three friends.