NY Times Review of Met's Don Giovanni: "Reckless in Seduction, if Not Onstage"

Peter Mattei (L) & Luca Pisaroni (R)

Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera

New York Times critic Anthony Tommasi has written a review of the new Metropolitan Opera production of "Don Giovanni." Readers are well aware that this production was plagued by the last-minute injury of Mariusz Kwiecien, who New Yorkers had eagerly anticipated performing the role for the first time on the Met stage. Tommasini's review focuses a lot on Michael Grandage's production, which appears to suffer from many of the criticisms that beset his "Billy Budd" at Glyndebourne, which is an overly conservative and cautious portrayal of the opera. Much of the criticism's of Grandage's "Billy Budd" was that he stripped the sexual tension from the opera. We'll be curious if this Giovanni is different when Kwiecien, who along with Randal Turner is known as one of the most sexually charged Giovanni's, returns to the cast. [FYI: The Barihunks crew is attending the October 25 performance when Kwiecien returns].

Joélle Harvey as Zerlina and Kelly Markgraf as Masetto; Jason Hardy as Leporello and Daniel Okulitch as Don Giovanni NYCO's Sexy and Vivid Don Giovanni (Photo by © Carol Rosegg)

Tommasini points out that this production paled in comparison to the "vivid" and "sexy" Christopher Alden production that the New York City Opera produced in 2009. We were unabashedly enthusiastic about the City Opera's "Giovanni," which we thought was one of the best ever produced. With City Opera slowly rising from the ashes, it will be nice to see some renewed competition in the Big Apple.

However, he did single out and praise the performances of the singers. Here is what he wrote about the barihunks.

[Mattei] was superb, singing alternately with suave, seductive phrasing and menacing intensity. At 6-foot-4, he was lordly, cagey, heady with desire and glibly reckless.

The bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni was a dynamic Leporello, singing with a muscular voice, rich colorings and agility. Handsome and full of bluster, this youthful Leporello exuded resentment while bowing to his master’s commands. But for the accident of birth, Mr. Pisaroni’s Leporello would be the nobleman and lady-killer. And there was some intriguing sexual tension in Giovanni’s roughhousing with his servant. 

You can read Tommasini's entire review at the New York Times online site.

Contact us at Barihunks@gmail.com

A SEXY Don Giovanni at New York City Opera

If this is the look of the George Steel era at New York City Opera then we at Barihunks heartily approve. There was a lot of controversy and discussion about his hiring, particularly amongst opera aficionados on the East Coast. From what we heard from people who had worked with him, we knew all along that he would make the "People's Opera" interesting and he's lived up to his reputation.


[Jason Hardy as Leporello and Daniel Okulitch as Don Giovanni; Photo by © Carol Rosegg]


[Joélle Harvey as Zerlina and Kelly Markgraf as Masetto; Photo by © Carol Rosegg]

Here is how City Opera described this new production:

Visionary director Christopher Alden reimagines this masterwork in a thrilling new production which explores the intersection of dark eroticism and strict Spanish-Catholic tradition in the early 20th century. Rising star Daniel Okulitch makes his City Opera debut as the notorious antihero.

[Jason Hardy as Leporello, Keri Alkema as Donna Elvira, Kelly Markgraf as Masetto, Joélle Harvey as Zerlina, Gregory Turay as Don Ottavio and Stefania Dovhan as Donna Anna; Photo by © Carol Rosegg]


[Jason Hardy as Leporello; Photo by © Carol Rosegg]


[Daniel Okulitch as Don Giovanni; Photo by © Carol Rosegg]

Don Giovanni provides a lot of material for this site and we're grateful for some wonderful new images from NYCO. For more information visit the New York City Opera website. The production runs through November 22nd.


[Clockwise: Kelly Markgraf as Masetto, Gregory Turay as Don Ottavio, Keri Alkema as Donna Elvira, Stefania Dovhan as Donna Anna, Daniel Okulitch as Don Giovanni (center), Jason Hardy as Leporello and Joélle Harvey as Zerlina; Photo by © Carol Rosegg]

It is important the New York City has two major opera companies and this production shows why. City Opera will put on productions that one will never see at the Met. If you're in the New York, we encourage you to support this new regime which is working its way back to financial viability.

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