Not all operas are created equal. Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” is certainly one of the most recognized operas of all time, partly due to its astonishing combination of tragedy and comedy. When first reading the libretto, I considered the work more tragic – there was death and constant drama stemmed from Don Giovanni’s womanizing ways. Upon leaving the actual performance of the opera at lincoln center, I changed my mind in perceiving Don Giovanni as a comedy. There was exciting music and much sarcasm in how the performers acted. Don Giovanni’s demeaning character towards women was almost condemned by how he spoke about them because it seemed as though he simply had a love for all women rather than a love for betraying women. Leporello also added a great amount to the comedy aspect with his witty and funny character.

The class differences are clearly portrayed in the libretto. Most evidently, upper class had the titles of “Don” or “Donna”. There was also a clear distinction between the upper class and their control over slaves, as Don Giovanni took advantage of Leporello throughout the plot and acted to sacrifice Leporellos life instead of his. When pursuing the peasant Zerlina, Don Giovanni bragged about his wealth and told her she deserved more than what  Masetto could give her. Don Giovanni further flaunted his money at his parties, offering tons of food and wine to his guests in order to impress the women. Yet at the end of the libretto,  the class differences were almost forgotten when the characters joined over Don Giovanni’s death, standing in one line both literally and figuratively.

The music greatly enhanced the story. Compared to the dance performances I have seen, where the dancers body can convey different emotions to the same piece, in opera the music seemed to be a more crucial aspect of conveying the characters emotions. In the many relationships Don Giovanni had with women, their responses differed from more somber music to very upbeat music, conveying resentment towards Don Giovanni for the killing of the commendatorre, or a pure lust and excitement when being enchanted by his charm and wealth. Sometimes, I could close my eyes and still feel what was happening in the scene simply through the powerful music.

Coming in to the opera house, I expected Don Giovanni to be a little less exciting than the more contemporary performances I watched earlier this semester. However, I was truly pleasantly surprised that it was just as powerful, if not more. In dances like Roseanne Spradlin’s piece and the numbers seen in Fall for Dance, the emotions or messages from movements are not as explicit. Sometimes I found myself feeling unsure about what the works meant to me personally. On the other hand, the use of language and scenery in opera made the performance seem more relatable and easier to interpret. The same transfer of emotions was still felt within the audience as it was with dance. Along with Pina Bausch’s work, though it was a little long, the opera was one of the most interesting pieces I watched this semester. Don Giovanni was only my first opera experienced, and certainly opened my curiosity towards watching other operas in the future.