October 21, 2007
British-born John Pascoe has created a new production of Mozart's "Don Giovanni," which opens at the Washington National Opera on Thursday. The opera director and designer, who next year celebrates his 30th year on the international operatic scene, has created his own sets and costumes for this tale of the legendary womanizer.
What do these costumes -- with their sleek, exaggerated sexuality and, in one case, a sort of catwoman look -- contribute to your concept for the opera?
Don Giovanni is a person who is involved in his personal pleasure. But unlike the rest of us, he's so involved in it that he doesn't care about results. And presenting that in an attractive and exciting way is what the first act is all about.
Of all the more than 2,000 seductions that Don Giovanni has made, the most important is of the public . . . because they have to want to be Don Giovanni, men and women, both, or want to be seduced by him. He should not be a demon figure. He has to be an incredibly seductive figure . . . looking like a magnificent sexually driven animal in the first act. . . . I want the audience to feel as though Don Giovanni and his old lover, Donna Elvira, are a lion and lioness who have been apart from each other for a long time and who are in love with each other in a very deep and passionate manner.
The design for Donna Elvira that you likened to Catwoman -- well, yes, but if you said a "lioness," I'd completely agree!
PHOTO: Washington National Opera; WEB EDITOR: Julia Beizer - washingtonpost.com
