Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte Based On a centuries-old Spanish legend about a libertine as told by playwright Tirso de Molina in his 1630 play El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra Company San Francisco Opera Association Location San Francisco, CA Venue War Memorial Opera House Season 1953 Language Italian Creative/Crew Conductor Tullio Serafin Stage Director(s) Carlo Piccinato Chorus Director Kurt Herbert Adler Choreography by Willam Christensen Cast Don Giovanni, a licentious young nobleman Nicola Rossi-Lemeni Don Pedro, the Commendatore Deszo Ernster Donna Anna, his daughter Ellen Faull Don Ottavio, her fiancé Jan Peerce Leporello, servant of Don Giovanni Italo Tajo Donna Elvira, jilted by Don Giovanni Beverly Sills Masetto, a peasant Lorenzo Alvary Zerlina, his betrothed Barbara Gibson Show Dates Wed, Sep 23 1953, 8pm Time and Place Seventeenth Century; Seville Scenes Act I, Scene 1 -- Courtyard of Palace of the Commandant Scene 2 -- Street in Suburban Seville Scene 3 -- In Don Giovanni's Palace Scene 5 -- Ballroom in Don Giovanni's Palace Act II, Scene 1 -- Same as Scene 2, Act I Scene 2 -- A Dark Hallway Scene 3 -- A Cemetery Scene 4 -- Room in Donna Anna's Palace Scene 5 -- In Don Giovanni's Palace Media Image Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1953. Photographer: Paul Tracey/San Francisco Opera. Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (Giovanni) Credit Paul Tracey Document SFO_PUB_01_SFO_1953_08_compressed.pdf (8.07 MB) Notes To access the full production program, click the PDF link above. --------------------- The Company General Director Gaetano Merola died on August 20th, while conducting Butterfly's "Un bel dì" in San Francisco's Stern Grove. The entire 1953 season was labeled "Gaetano Merola, 1879-1953 -- In Memoriam."
Image Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1953. Photographer: Paul Tracey/San Francisco Opera. Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (Giovanni) Credit Paul Tracey