Opera Omaha: Don Giovanni at Orpheum Theatre

Don Giovanni is Mozart’s exhilarating retelling of the centuries-old Spanish legend of Don Juan in two acts, filled with some of his most famous and much-loved music. Classical music lovers often find themselves indulging in the stunning “Là Ci Darem La Mano”, “Deh, Vieni alla Finestra”, “Madamina, Il Catalogo e Questo”, and the wonderful Overture and Finale.

The opera that found its way into the hearts of opera lovers worldwide is a unique blend of comedy, melodrama, and the supernatural and has been described as one of Mozart’s “trio of masterpieces with librettos by Lorenzo da Ponte”. It follows the story of opera’s doomed playboy, consumed with selfishness and vengeance, leaving lovers, friends, and enemies in his wake with no regard for consequences, and thus poses many moral questions, of which the most prominent is: do we get what we deserve in the end?

Nebraska’s only opera company is breathing new life into the legendary opera under the masterful eye of visionary director Kristine McIntyre and the baton of maestro Judith Yan, and it is portrayed with a creative film-inspired noir set in the 1930s. The stellar cast comprises world-renowned singers Craig Verm as Don Giovanni, Zachary Nelson as Leporello, Teresa Perrotta as Donna Anna, Mary Evelyn Hangley as Donna Elvira, Erika Baikoff as Zerlina, Terence Chin-Lay as Don Ottavio, and Markel Reed as Masetto.

Audiences will be treated to incredible and breath-taking vocal shifts between the dramatic, explosive, intimate, and seductive, highlighting the textures and complexity of Mozart’s wonderful music. The opera is filled with power and drama, juxtaposed with sensitivity and elegance, guaranteed to keep the audience on the edge of their seats from the dramatic overture to the terrifying finale when Don Giovanni is dragged to hell. Don Giovanni is the convergence of the comic and the chilling, of sensuality, retribution, and internal tension – in perfect equilibrium, like only Mozart could.

The historic 2,600-seat Orpheum Theatre is a magnificent proscenium theatre with breath-taking architecture reminiscent of the French Renaissance – exactly what one would desire when looking for a fantastic experience. The seating is spread over an orchestral floor, the grand tier, a balcony, a gallery, and special boxes, designed for the ultimate comfort and a most memorable night at the opera!