Last Updated on October 12, 2025
Killing Commendatore
A balaclava-clad rapist bursts from the hotel room of his planned victim, propelled out by her screams. Her father charges in to save his daughter but is struck down by the rapist who speeds off into the night. Is this a new Netflix drama? No, It’s Don Giovanni, back at Glyndebourne for the Autumn production.
One of Mozart’s great comic operas, Don Giovanni follows the eponymous serial womaniser. From his villainous start, Giovanni plods along an unsurprising path of purposeful philandering, attempting to get his rocks off with anything that walks before being dragged into his doom by the ghosts of his past, living and dead. If that leaves you wondering where the humour lies, the wit of the libretto and music find it comfortably.
Anyone familiar with a pickup artist will recognise Don Giovanni’s signature style of creeping. The instant intimacy, false promises of future commitment and “why wait” attitude is apparently unchanged in the past 236 odd years. Librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte certainly knew how to paint the portrait of a Lothario. Da Ponte was a personal friend of the original Casanova and former events manager at a Venetian brothel. For his own “accomplishments” he spoke with a pronounced lisp, having lost his teeth as the result of a cuckolded husband getting his own back with nitric acid.
Mariame Clément’s production leant joyfully into the original spirit of humour and sexual licentiousness. The piece was taken from its village setting into a contemporary but fading hotel. Stag and Hen do’s roamed the halls, and Giovanni strutted about like a pomaded 2000s magician in black shirt and man heels. Julia Hansen’s sets worked well, having characters emerge and disappear between their rooms and the lobby made the public and private transitions make sense. The costumes play artfully with the classic piece in a contemporary period with characters dressing in period costumes for a party. Overall it feels vibrant, the small details and bigger picture work well together and it’s a pleasure to watch.
The Glyndebourne Sinfonia, conducted by Stephanie Childress, performed stunningly. They were perfectly balanced with the singers, never threatening to drown the audience in noise but still evoking the tragedy at climactic moments. Mozart’s music is playful with nods towards the libretto, as Giovanni’s servant Leporello talks about his master’s preference for tall stately women it stretches and elongates. When Leporello changes to talking about small women the music jumps to shorter staccato phrases. Mozart references his own work, a tune from Figaro crops up amidst a party in the second act.
Andrei Bondarenko was an ideal Don Giovanni for this production. Swaggering about naturally, his very essence breathed “bad idea.” His voice was rich and colourful, with smooth legato when needed. His Champagne aria had the frenzied joy of an addict salivating over adding 10 new scratches to his bedpost.
Sam Carl was equally excellent as Leporello. Dressed in a bad suit and bland tie he seemed halfway between Basil Fawlty and Ghislaine Maxwell. His clear diction and expansive voice were an instant draw and his comedic acting on stage lent a good foil.
Kseniia Proshina performed Donna Anna with the wounded nobility that suits the role. Donna Anna is the survivor of Giovanni’s unwanted advances and she manages to bear a double tragedy with pride and strength. Proshina found all of that strength with her sharp and refined vocal delivery.
Equally strong performances and characterisations from the rest of the cast. Ivo Stanchev was a booming graveyard Commendatore. Nico Darmanin impressed as Don Ottavio with his sensitive and colourful tone and vibrato. Alexandra Lowe was a commanding Donna Elvira and Charlotte Bowden and Michael Ronan made a capricious and commanding Zerlina and Masetto respectively.
Glyndebourne’s autumn festival is a great chance to see Operas that may have sold out over the summer for a fraction of the cost. The picnic is gone but the quality remains. I was sad not to see their critically acclaimed Dialogue des Carmelites return but overjoyed to see this Don Giovanni.
Don Giovanni runs until the 2nd of December.
Glyndebourne,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN8 5UU
glyndebourne.com
All photos © Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Richard Hubert Smith
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