Eight individuals from the creative team — the director, the scenic designer, the costume designer, the lighting designer, the projection designer, and the fight directors — explained their various philosophies behind the development of this production of Don Giovanni. As their concepts were developing, at least seven different designs were considered.
The overall theme of the opera is love and death. The time period is before the French Revolution around 1770. The skull, which is a focal point of the opera, was carefully developed from one found in Barcelona. Hundreds of photographs were taken, showing various views. From the photos came a model and then the SFO production staff executed the prop which appears on stage during the overture. Giovanni himself refuses to follow society’s rules and runs afoul of supernatural forces. Moreover, Giovanni is a dreamer and when he dies, the others return to the status quo.
The opera’s two acts can be divided into specific concepts. The first act deals with Giovanni’s adventures, both current and past. The Commendatore, who is the more skilled swordsman, is accidentally killed by Giovanni. The second act deals with punishments. Things go wrong and nothing works out to Giovanni’s advantage. As the act progresses, supernatural powers take over and become successful.
Instead of specific settings, how space is utilized becomes important. The space needs to reflect the environment that the scene requires. The lighting gives fluidity to the show as it reveals things. The projections complement the space and produce images appropriate for the environment. Giovanni’s world is a stylized world where color is significant. This significance can be seen in the costumes where the green dress represents envy; blue, sorrow, and red, a bleeding heart.
After sharing their philosophies and development of the concepts which appear on stage, the group answered questions from the audience. They also recognized the efforts of the technicians who had worked on the show.
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