Live performance from Cologne Opera. Conlon conducts a skittishly dynamic performance of Don Giovanni. He relies on Thomas Allen’s tough Don to give the work much of its dark menace and on Holle’s terrifying Commendatore to provide the moral outrage – his job is to keep things moving, and he does. The exteriors – blank city spaces reminiscent of the paintings of Giorgio De Chirico – and moodily claustrophobic interiors mirror effectively the anguish of the orphaned Anna and the abandoned Elvira; this is a performance in which the two women victims of the Don function effectively as correctives to his libertine charm. Andrea Rost as Zerlina brings real delicacy to her role, reminding us that “La ci darem la mano” is a duet about her flirtation with Don Giovanni and not just a famous stand-alone moment. This is an admirable presentation of a fine performance.

Rating: 0

Cast:

Ferruccio

Furlanetto

Kjell

Magnus

Andrea

Rost

Reinhard

Dorn

Matthias

Hölle

Thomas

Allen

Carolyn

James

Carol

Vaness

Ferruccio

Furlanetto

Kjell

Magnus

Andrea

Rost

Reinhard

Dorn

Matthias

Hölle

Thomas

Allen

Carolyn

James

Carol

Vaness

Ferruccio

Furlanetto

Kjell

Magnus