Mozart’s opera piece Don Giovanni, in aria form, “tells the tales of a Spanish libertine’s endless pursuit of women”. (Macmillan Ch. 14) I will be examining the final portion of this piece, la ci darem la mano. Here Don Giovanni attempts to suede Zerlina into marriage. The most compelling aspect of the piece is Mozart’s ability to resolve the discord between Don Giovanni and Zerlina through a light and simple melody, which confirms the text.
La ci darem la mano is delivered in recitative form, where the duet of Don Giovanni and Zerlina engage in a dialogue that is sung like a conversation. The melody reflects the emotions of each character respectively. Don Giovanni, a robust and confident womanizer, sings in a baritone that is balanced
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After a period of cadence, Don Giovanni and Zerlina exchange shorter phrases, all the while their entrances begin to come closer and closer to each other until they overlap. (1:30-50 sec) Instead of each character delivering a complete proposal by units of four, they call and respond in units of two. By shortening the units, Mozart builds the anticipation and drama of the climax. Their musical styles diverge monetarily, Don Giovanni remaining strong and Zerlina unstable. Following suit with his exclamation, Zerlina concludes the section with the final “Andiam!”, (2:00-8 sec).
Mozart finally resolves the discord with a mutual “Andiam!” (2:10-12 sec), solidifying the success of the seduction. The second section, using an allegro in 6/8 meter, bring the piece to its original melodic state of tranquility and relaxation (2:15-25 sec). Although the piece comes across as over dramatic, Mozart displays his stroke of genius through the development of the story. The opera guides the audience through Don Giovanni’s seduction of an unsure and timid Zerlina. He uses setting, melody, and text to create two contrasting characters. His ability to show Zerlina’s uncertainty allows the drama to build, even though the undertone of Don Giovanni’s confidence reveals that her surrender is inevitable. Like many great artists, Mozart’s ability to develop and capture a story and its characters through his medium (melody and text) is nothing short of