Mozart’s Don Giovanni, with libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, the second of their three famous collaborations, premiered in Prague on October 29, 1787, and then in Vienna in 1788 with additional music written at the request of the performers, not always performed.

The legend of the Don has existed in some form from the late Medieval Ages, modeled on a real figure, but became a popular literary subject in the 1600's. Goldoni, the famous playwright and writer of intermezzi, added to the basic story in a play in 1736, and an opera was produced in February of 1787, with libretto by Bertati and music by Gazzaniga.
 

Composers

Production

ACT  I

Scene i
Leporello is bemoaning his own lot as a servant, while his master Don Giovanni completes another night’s exploit. Tonight’s adventure is Donna Anna, who during the attempted rape manages to struggle free and scream, awakening the household and her father, the Commendatore. Catching up with the disguised Don, the Commendatore challenges him to a duel. Giovanni reluctantly spars and mortally wounds the older man. Giovanni resumes his lightheartedness and departs with Leporello in tow. Donna Anna enters to find her father dead in a pool of blood, and faints. She revives, cries for her father, and has her fiancé Don Ottavio join her in swearing vengeance.

Scene ii
The Don and Leporello come across a scorned Donna Elvira who is determined to find he who betrayed her, none other than Giovanni himself. The Don makes a hasty exit and Leporello is left to catalogue the 2065 conquests of the Don to the hurt and indignant Elvira, who departs avowing vengeance on Giovanni, whom she still adores.

Scene iii
Next the Don and Leporello come upon the village pre-wedding festivities of the young Zerlina and Masetto. Giovanni has spied a tempting conquest-to-be and Zerlina is flattered by the suave attentions of the cavalier, who orders Leporello to invite all to his castle to continue the celebrations there, whilst he celebrates alone with Zerlina, promising to marry her. Who should interrupt the Don’s seduction but Donna Elvira, who dispatches with the confused Zerlina. Donna Anna and Don Ottavio enter, hoping to gain Giovanni’s assistance in tracking down the miscreant who attacked her. Elvira returns to exchange insults with the Don, trying to convince Anna and Ottavio not to trust Don Giovanni. He follows Elvira out, but as he makes his excuses Donna Anna recognizes his as the voice of the guilty party whom they seek. She then tells Ottavio what happened that fated evening in her bedroom, again regaling him with her desire for justice. Ottavio understands, agrees, tries to console her. Giovanni is heard instructing the servants for the festivities in his palazzo.

Scene iv
In the gardens of the Don’s palace, Zerlina attempts to soothe the sulking, neglected Masetto who chides her for walking off with the treacherous Giovanni. He is temporarily placated with some sweet talk, but becomes suspicious again when he sees her notably anxious at the sound of the Don’s voice. Masetto hides in order to confront Giovanni with Zerlina, and does so just as the former is about to walk her off to a private spot. Maintaining control of the situation, Giovanni scolds Masetto for leaving his sweet Zerlina alone, and arm-in-arm leads them both towards the dancing.

Donna Elvira, Donna Anna and Don Ottavio, all masked, are spotted outside by Leporello and graciously invited in. Before entering they sing a prayer to protect them and to help them carry out their plans. Inside the ballroom Leporello is trying to dance with Masetto, thus allowing Giovanni to monopolize Zerlina, with the object of absconding with the bride-to-be to a quiet chamber. Masetto breaks free, Leporello runs ahead to warn Giovanni, and a scream for help is heard from Zerlina. The Don appears, holding on to Leporello, pretending he is the culprit and threatening him with drawn sword. This ruse does not fool anyone, and the now unmasked Anna, Elvira and Ottavio close in on Giovanni. A storm is heard brewing, and the Don manages a swift escape.

Act II

Scene i
Giovanni is forced to placate Leporello with a bribe so the disgruntled servant will remain with him, and then the Don proceeds to involve him in a new plot. The two switch cloaks so Leporello can seduce Elvira in the guise of Giovanni, while the Don is off to serenade and seduce Elvira’s maid. He is interrupted by a loud band of armed and angry peasants, led by Masetto, who reveal they are after the dangerous Don Giovanni. The Don, still disguised as Leporello, divides the group and sends them in various directions, alone accompanying Masetto, whom he proceeds to beat up. Zerlina comes upon the cries of her beloved and once again consoles him, hoping he will promise no longer to mistrust her.

Scene ii
Elvira and Leporello, dressed as the Don and bored with Elvira, have wandered into the courtyard of Donna Anna’s chateau, who is just returning home with Ottavio. As Leporello tries to slip away from Elvira, they are confronted by Zerlina and Masetto, and then Anna and Ottavio. All vent their fury on the poor disguised Leporello whom Elvira attempts to protect, still herself deceived. Leporello reveals who he is and eventually succeeds in escaping, as the five are still intent on expressing their full ire, including now the twice humiliated Elvira. Ottavio suggests they all stay a spell in Donna Anna's house while he goes about the business of retribution upon Don Giovanni, hoping Donna Anna will dry her tears and be consoled. 

Scene iii
Following his little adventure of seduction and violence, Don Giovanni bumps into the escapee Leporello in the cemetery. The Don is about to laugh off his servant’s sorry tale of the evening when a voice is heard advising Giovanni that by dawn such laughing will cease forever. It is the statue of the Commendatore that has spoken. The Don instructs his terrified servant to invite the tombstone figure to dinner. The stammering servant obeys.

Scene iv
Back in Donna Anna’s palace, Ottavio is reproached by Anna for suggesting they marry the next day while her murdered father remains unavenged, and for calling her cruel at her rejection of such proposal. He agrees to wait, and vows yet again to pursue justice.

Scene v
In Don Giovanni’s palace, the Don is seated at a sumptuously laid table and a small ensemble plays tunes from contemporary operas, including Mozart’s own Marriage of Figaro, which Leporello criticizes. He sneaks some food for himself and is chided by Giovanni. Donna Elvira enters, still in love with Don Giovanni, begging him to change his ways, to no avail. She departs but is soon heard screaming. When Leporello is sent to investigate, he too shrieks in terror, gasping that the statue has indeed arrived. Don Giovanni interrupts his supper to see the supposed spectre, with candle and sword in hand, but is forced back by the approaching Commendatore. Giovanni tells Leporello to place another setting for their guest, which the statue declines. He instead asks Don Giovanni to dine with him. Giovanni clasps the statue’s hand in cavalier acceptance, but cannot be released. The Commendatore asks Giovanni if he will repent, and the Don refuses, whereupon Giovanni is sucked down into a fiery abyss, at long last claimed by Hell.

At this point the epilogue is customarily performed in which the remaining characters of Leporello, Donna Anna and Don Ottavio, Zerlina and Masetto, and Donna Elvira all muse upon the demise of Don Giovanni and upon their own futures, in a lively sextet. Debatably more a question of classical style than of dramatic imperative, inclusion of the epilogue can be considered either an unnecessary anti-climax (the general view held up to the turn of the nineteenth century) or a sacrosanct, appropriate and beautiful moment of closure.