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 1978 Language Italian Creative/Crew Conductor Hans Drewanz Stage Director(s) Ghita Hager Designer Toni Businger Chorus Director Richard Bradshaw Lighting Designer Thomas J. Munn Recitative accompaniment Ernest Fredric Knell Musical Preparation Ernest Fredric Knell John Miner Prompter Susan Webb Costumes executed by Hans-Günter Willerscheidt Cast Leporello Walter Berry Donna Anna Olivia Stapp Don Giovanni Justino Díaz The Commendatore Gwynne Howell Don Ottavio David Rendall Donna Elvira Ellen Shade Zerlina Ruth Welting Masetto Joseph McKee Show Dates Wed, Oct 4 1978, 7:30pm Sat, Oct 7 1978, 8pm Tue, Oct 10 1978, 8pm Fri, Oct 13 1978, 8pm Sun, Oct 15 1978, 2pm Sat, Oct 21 1978, 1:30pm Broadcast Fri, Oct 13 1978, 8am 10/13/1978, live broadcast, KKHI and NPR. Time and Place Seville in the middle of the seventeenth century Scenes Act I, Scene 1 -- In front of the commendatore's palace Scene 2 -- A street near Donna Elvira's residence Scene 3 -- A room in Don Giovanni's palace Scene 4 -- The garden of Don Giovanni's palace Scene 5 -- Ballroom in Don Giovanni's palace INTERMISSION Act II, Scene 1 -- A street near Donna Elvira's residence Scene 2 -- Garden of Donna Anna's home Scene 3 -- A cemetery Scene 4 -- In a park near the cemetery Scene 5 -- In Don Giovanni's palace EPILOGUE Media Image Gwynne Howell (Commendatore), Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Gwynne Howell (Commendatore) and Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera Image Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna), David Rendall (Don Ottavio), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna) and David Rendall (Don Ottavio) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera Image Ellen Shade (Donna Elvira), Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna), David Rendall (Don Ottavio), Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Ellen Shade (Donna Elvira), Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna), David Rendall (Don Ottavio), and Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera Image Joseph McKee (Masetto), Ruth Welting (Zerlina), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Joseph McKee (Masetto) and Ruth Welting (Zerlina) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera Image Gwynne Howell (Commendatore), Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Gwynne Howell (Commendatore) and Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera Image Ellen Shade (Donna Elvira), Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni), Joseph McKee (Masetto), David Rendall (Don Ottavio), Ensemble, Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera Image Walter Berry (Leporello), Ellen Shade (Donna Elvira), Ruth Welting (Zerlina), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Walter Berry (Leporello) and Ellen Shade (Donna Elvira) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera Acknowledgements This production of "Don Giovanni" was made possible, in 1974, by a generous and deeply appreciated gift from James D. Robertson Notes 10/13/1978, live broadcast, KKHI and NPR. Intermission interview: Olivia Stapp, Ellen Shade and Ruth Welting (guests)
Image Gwynne Howell (Commendatore), Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Gwynne Howell (Commendatore) and Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera
Image Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna), David Rendall (Don Ottavio), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna) and David Rendall (Don Ottavio) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera
Image Ellen Shade (Donna Elvira), Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna), David Rendall (Don Ottavio), Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Ellen Shade (Donna Elvira), Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna), David Rendall (Don Ottavio), and Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera
Image Joseph McKee (Masetto), Ruth Welting (Zerlina), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Joseph McKee (Masetto) and Ruth Welting (Zerlina) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera
Image Gwynne Howell (Commendatore), Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Gwynne Howell (Commendatore) and Olivia Stapp (Donna Anna) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera
Image Ellen Shade (Donna Elvira), Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni), Joseph McKee (Masetto), David Rendall (Don Ottavio), Ensemble, Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Justino Diaz (Don Giovanni) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera
Image Walter Berry (Leporello), Ellen Shade (Donna Elvira), Ruth Welting (Zerlina), Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. San Francisco Opera, 1978. Photographer: Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera. Walter Berry (Leporello) and Ellen Shade (Donna Elvira) Credit Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera