Posts Tagged: Giovanni

Today, a follow-up to Tuesday’s post on Terms of Derision in Don Giovanni. This time, a survey of some of the threats of violence and fight-provoking language in Da Ponte’s libretto. First, self-violence. In a fit of feigned masochism, Zerlina enumerates all of the painful things she invites her fiancé to do to her to

Upon opening my Giovanni score (well-worn, now embarking on its 8th production), I was greeted by an old friend. During a 1995 production, my colleague Laurie Rogers created a wonderful document called “Terms of Derision and Threats of Violence in Don Giovanni” in which she outlined some 83 Italian insults and threats in the libretto.