Heading that cast, and eliciting raves (of more than one sort) from audiences and critics alike, is Uruguayan bass Erwin Schrott, "who gives," according to Tim Ashley in The Guardian, "what is probably the most completely realized performance of the title role you are ever likely to see."
Tommasini described him as "riveting [and] ... seductively handsome ... [with] a strong, dusky voice and chiseled physique. Exuding charisma, he galvanized the audience with his unabashedly narcissistic portrayal."
As it happens, Schrott played Leporello in this very production (opposite Gerald Finley as Giovanni) for his Covent Garden debut in 2003. This time around, his Leporello is bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen — "almost, but not quite, Schrott's Doppelg‹nger," wrote Ashley, "eye[ing] both his master's body and conquests with embittered envy."
The biggest name in the cast is Anna Netrebko as Donna Anna, a role she played opposite Schrott in the Met's 2006 tour of Japan. She missed the first two performances due to a throat infection; filling in, to considerable acclaim, was Marina Poplavskaya, one of the emerging stars of the ROH's Jette Parker Young Artists Program. Netrebko is now back onstage, scheduled for three of the remaining four performances, with Poplavskaya taking closing night.
Soprano Ana Mar‹a Mart‹nez "gave a vocally agile and emotionally fraught portrayal of Donna Elvira" (Tommasini). Tenor Michael Schade's Don Ottavio was "a rationalist prig down to his fingertips ... hopelessly oblivious to the Don's impact on everything around him" (Ashley). Soprano Sarah Fox and bass Matthew Rose also attracted praise as Zerina and Masetto. Robert Murray is alternating as Ottavio in some performances, while basses Robert Lloyd and Reinhard Hagen are sharing the role of the Commendatore.
Conducting the Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House is Ivor Bolton; for the final two dates, David Syrus takes over the baton.
Don Giovanni runs for four more performances — tomorrow night, June 30 and July 4 and 8 — at the Royal Opera House in London. Information and tickets are available at www.royaloperahouse.org.
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All photos by Catherine Ashmore.
