Don Giovanni

We are studying Mozart this week in Music Lit. and I found one of his operas to be quite interesting. It opens with Leporello, Don Giovanni's servant, keeping guard to his room and grumbling about how he pratically slaves to him all day. The scene then moves to the bedroom where Don Giovanni has the woman Donna Anna in his room with him. The Don hides his face so she doesn't recognize him. Don Giovanni then proceeds to rape Donna Anna. She runs away and her father, the Commandant, appears. They duel and Don Giovanni kills the Commandant. The opera then moves into Act I where it shows Leporello mockingly consoling Donna Elvira about the Don. Donna Elvira was just one of many of the Don's "conquests." Leporello then sings:
"My dear lady, this is a list
Of the beauties my master has loved,
A list which I have compiled.
Observe, read along with me.

In Italy, six hundred and forty;
In Germany, two hundred and thirty-one;
A hundred in France; in Turkey ninety-one.
In Spain already one thousand and three!

Among these are peasant girls
Maidservants, city girls,
Countesses, baronesses,
Marchionesses, princesses,
Women of every rank,
Every shape, every age.

With blonds it is habit
To praise their kindness
In brunettes, their faithfulness;
In the very blond, their sweetness.
In winter he likes the fat ones,
In summer he likes the thin ones,"

He continues talking about all of the Don's conquests. Apparently his standards are a little low. At the end of the opera, it shows Don Giovanni enjoying good food and good music. Then the Commandants statue enters the hall and commands the Don to repent. Don Giovanni remains defiant. Flames and smoke surround the Don. He cries out in agony as a chorus of demons sing of his eternal damnation. With a hideous shriek, Don Giovanni is engulfed by the flames of hell. Maybe its just the fact that I have a dark sense of humor, but I found this opera to be widely entertaining. I hope you did too.