One of opera’s most famous villains takes the stage at the Grand this weekend in a performance of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” presented by OperaDelaware and Opera Baltimore.
The opera is a staple of the repertoire, in part because of its compelling, drama-filled story. Jonathan Bryan, who plays the title character, is a baritone with dozens of roles to his credit.
“It's sort of the original dramedy. If you want to laugh, it's got laughs, if you want something thrilling, it's going to have you at the edge of your seat at times,” he says. “It's also very accessible musically - it's just beautiful music.”
And, adds OperaDelaware’s General Director, Eric Einhorn, the opera is also a good fit for the weeks leading up to Halloween.
“There's ghosts, there's disguises, there's some murder. It's really a wonderful pre-Halloween opera for sure,” he says.
Bryan put a lot of work not only into the music, but how he wanted to portray one of the opera world’s most irredeemable bad guys.
“As an actor, you can't play evil. You have to have a different idea that gets perceived by the audience as evil,” Bryan explains. “And for Giovanni, that idea to me is Giovanni only does what he wants to do. He has no sense of duty. He has no obligation to the social contract. He just does what he wants.”
The opera is a joint effort between OperaDelaware and Opera Baltimore. Eric Einhorn says the partnership with Opera Baltimore has been a fruitful one for several years.
“It really just spreads the musical wealth, in that we get to perform this four times instead of two,” he says. “It gives all of our artists the opportunity to be seen by different audiences and to really cross pollinate in a really positive way.”
For people who have never been to live opera before, Bryan suggests “Don Giovanni” is a good choice for a first-time opera experience.
“It's a visceral show that's accessible and funny and thrilling. To me, I think it's just the perfect opera,” he says.
OperaDelaware presents performances of “Don Giovanni” on Friday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2:00 at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington.
Delaware Public Media's arts coverage is made possible, in part, by support from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
