Routledge - The Original Portrayal of Mozart's Don Giovanni

Explore a fresh perspective on Mozart and Da Ponte's masterpiece with this scholarly study. This book focuses on the title role as performed by the original creator, baritone Luigi Bassi (1766-1825). While Bassi received coaching from Mozart himself, his specific performance style has remained largely unexamined by historians until now. Through the use of new first-hand and second-hand accounts, this work provides a detailed reconstruction of Bassi's performance on a scene-by-scene basis. Beyond the individual portrayal, the text examines the early German reception and performance history of the opera. This is an essential resource for musicologists, opera historians, and students looking to understand the historical foundations of one of the world's most famous operatic roles.