To “give of oneself”: definition — To make a personal effort or sacrifice; to invest one’s time, energy, or physical presence in helping or participating in something.

There is no doubt that Andrè Schuen truly gave of himself last night. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen such a demanding and physically intense staging of Don Giovanni in my life! With falls, stunts, kisses, striptease, and blood… the baritone delivered a high-flying performance with a velvety voice that would leave no woman indifferent — whether in Turkey, Italy, or Spain!

Don Giovanni was presented this season at the Théâtre de Provence as part of the Aix-en-Provence Festival, in front of a packed house — as were all the performances of this production. Directed by Robert Icke, this staging raised many questions during its run in Aix. And although I can’t fault the festival itself, this production came at a time when I’ve been seeing several modern, minimalist stagings in a row — and I must admit, I’m a little (okay, very) tired of it. Act 1 is fairly accessible, but Act 2 leaves us hanging, with long stretches that no longer really hold the audience’s attention.

The opposite could be said of… Golda Schultz! My God, what a joy. What a voice, what a presence. It’s honestly strange to be such a fan of someone who doesn’t sing in my preferred repertoire (like Verdi or Bellini), and yet still completely wins me over on stage. With every aria, Miss Schultz swept the audience away — the applause clearly went in her direction!

As you may know, Mozart and I are not exactly in a love affair — or even a “bromance” — but because I’m endlessly curious about all forms of opera, I couldn’t ignore one of the most beloved works in the repertoire. Especially not when it’s sung in my favorite language, and when it gives me the chance to return to the opera like I did 20 years ago — when everything was still new and joyful and full of discovery, without yet knowing what I liked or what I was about to hear!

Thanks to that, I discovered three very talented artists last night:

• Krzysztof Baczyk, who was a revelation in a role I hadn’t realized was so funny and crucial. His acting was sharp — funny, unsettling, at times commanding — without ever becoming just Don Giovanni’s “servant.”
• Madison Nonoa, a brilliant soprano with a pivotal and physically demanding role. She had a strong stage presence, interacted dynamically with multiple characters, and really held together many of the opera’s plot turns.
• Pawel Horodyski, a Polish bass who also impressed me — thank you, Aix! Everything about his performance was compelling: his voice, his acting, his commanding presence. In the deception scene with Zerlina, it almost felt like he would morph into a vengeful monster — and it was thrilling to watch.

And to end on a high note… the greatest living musical legend in the city of Aix last night was in the orchestra pit: Sir Simon Rattle. Yes, dear friends, the great British conductor led the evening with elegance and power, delivering a masterclass in musical leadership on such a demanding score. It was the first time I’d seen him live — and let me tell you, at 70 years old, he’s clearly not putting down the baton any time soon!

CAST

Don Giovanni
Andrè Schuen
Leporello
Krzysztof Bączyk
Donna Anna
Golda Schultz
Donna Elvira
Magdalena Kožená
Don Ottavio
Amitai Pati
Il Commendatore
Clive Bayley
Zerlina
Madison Nonoa
Masetto
Paweł Horodyski