20h Opéra Comédie

Opera in two acts
libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte
1st performance: 29 October 1787, Prague

Staged version
Conception et mise en scène, Jean-Paul Scarpitta

Franco Pomponi, baryton : Don Giovanni
Peter Lindroos, basse : Il Commandatore
Rafaella Milanesi, soprano : Donna Anna
Cyril Auvity, ténor : Don Ottavio
Isabelle Cals, soprano : Donna Elvira
Henk Neven, basse : Leporello
Nicolas Courjal, baryton : Masetto
Anna Kasyan, soprano : Zerlina



Le Concert Spirituel
Chœur de l’Opéra National de Montpellier LR
Hervé Niquet, direction

Eclairagiste Urs Schönebaum
Assistant à la mise en scène Jean-Yves Courrègelongue
Assistant aux décors Robin Husband
Collaborateur aux costumes Silver Sentimenti

Chef de chœur Noëlle Geny
Assistant chef d'orchestre Ariane Matiakh
Chef de chant Sébastien d'Hérin

Production of the Montpellier National Opéra

Inspired conductor, harpsichordist and organist, Hervé Niquet is also a mischievous discoverer who commands admiration and respect—even though he inevitably makes some of his colleagues jealous… No matter! Following the rebirths of Callirhoé (Destouches) and the Sémélé of Marin Marais at Montpellier—where he is in residence with his ensemble, Le Concert Spirituel—, here, after Lully’s Proserpine in Versailles and Paris, he switches from the French Baroque to… Mozart! In truth—and this is no secret—, we know that this conductor is open to a very broad repertoire. As proof, he recently conducted Das Lied von der Erde in Japan, Massenet, Saint-Saëns and Offenbach with the Orchestre de Poitou-Charentes, Paul et Virginie (Le Sueur, 1794) at Radio France, and Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 at the head of his Concert Spirituel. We are delighted in advance at the thought of discovering him in this supreme masterpiece, directed by Jean-Paul Scarpitta, a faithful Festival collaborator. This is a first not only for Hervé Niquet, but also for the young American baritone Franco Pomponi, who is tackling the main role for the first time in Europe, after having drawn attention in Strasbourg with Così fan tutte (Guglielmo), in Barcelona in the title-role in Thomas’ Hamlet and Carmen (Escamillo), A Tramway Named Desire, Evgeny Onegin and The Rake’s Progress…

Franck Mallet