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A brutal murder, a statue coming eerily to life and a descent into the fl ames of hell – interspersed with touches of comedy – combine to make Don Giovanni one of the most compelling of Mozart’s operas. In his famous retelling of the story of the notorious womaniser, we meet the Don on a very unusual day: not only a day of foiled sexual conquests and homicide, but also, as it transpires, his last day on earth. Australian baritone Duncan Rock plays Don Giovanni in the 2016 Glyndebourne Tour. “Because the character of a Don Juan or Casanova is prominent in literature, it is hard to fi ght against people’s preconceptions. I feel the only way to beat this is for me to give my honest, informed interpretation and hope the audience can engage with it,” he says. “We only know that the Don is a successful seducer because we hear of his conquests. But on stage he spends the opera trying and failing with women – or constantly Pictured: Scenes from Jonathan Kent’s production of Don Giovanni, now on the 2016 Glyndebourne TourPrince of darknessDon Giovanni is destined to burn in hell for his misdeeds – is this what makes him so compelling? Mozart’s opera joins Madama Butterfl y and an exclusive behind-the-scenes insight on the 2016 Glyndebourne TourGLYNDEBOURNEbeing interrupted by Elvira. I think the Don’s fi nest moments come in the fi nal scene where, for better or worse, he shows his true character and resolve in denying the Commendatore, choosing death rather than giving up his values.” This refusal to repent has made the libertine one of the most notorious fi ctional characters. Duncan comments: “I think the most interesting characters in literature have some kind of dichotomy or confl ict within them or about the way they are perceived. The Don is a totally solipsistic, narcissistic and in many ways amoral character. However, we can’t help but be attracted to his sense of freedom and total unwillingness to live by the rules of others. I think it is best when the audience are somewhat ashamed to admit that they quite like him. This makes him both interesting and morally dangerous.” The Tour’s Don Giovanni is a revival of Jonathan Kent’s sleek and suspenseful production, last seen to much acclaim during the Glyndebourne Festival in 2014. It features a cast of up-and-coming young singers, a number of whom started their careers in the Glyndebourne Chorus. Duncan Rock is joined by British tenor Anthony Gregory as Don Ottavio, Romanian soprano Ana Maria Labin as his fi ancée Donna Anna, and Polish soprano Magdalena Molendowska as 44 NADFAS REVIEW / AUTUMN 2016 www.nadfas.org.uk