Don Giovanni Premieres: Mozart's Masterpiece in Prague
Mozart's Don Giovanni premiered at the Estates Theatre in Prague on October 29, 1787, to an audience that erupted in ovations. Prague had already fallen in love with Mozart after The Marriage of Figaro the previous year, and the commission for Don Giovanni came directly from the city's theater management. The opera tells the story of the legendary seducer Don Juan, combining comedy and tragedy in a way that shattered operatic conventions. The final scene, where a stone statue drags Don Giovanni to hell, combined orchestral terror with moral judgment in a manner no composer had attempted. Mozart reportedly finished the overture the night before the premiere, with ink still wet on the pages handed to musicians. The work is now considered one of the greatest operas ever composed.
October 29, 1787
239 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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