Music by: Wolfgang Mozart (1756–1791) Rendered into Arabic by: Samir Shikhani

An opera in two acts, adapted from the legend of Don Juan; first produced in Prague in 1787.

The Characters: • Don Giovanni • Don Pedro: the Commander of Seville • Donna Anna: his daughter • Don Ottavio: Donna Anna's betrothed • Donna Elvira • Leporello: Don Giovanni's servant • Zerlina: a young peasant girl • Masetto: a peasant, Zerlina's betrothed • Peasants, dancing girls, musicians.

The Time: the eighteenth century. The Place: Seville and its environs.

Act One

Scene One: the garden of the Commander's palace.

The servant Leporello is heard grumbling, because his master Don Giovanni has left him outside, as usual, to wait until he has finished courting one of the ladies inside the palace. This time, however, the famous lover comes out defeated, running, pursued by an angry lady — Donna Anna, daughter of the Commander of the city. She cries out for help, then retraces her steps before discovering the lover's identity. Her father quickly comes at the sound and challenges Don Giovanni to a duel, but meets his death in it. Don Giovanni and his servant make their escape before the return of Donna Anna and her betrothed Don Ottavio with a party of servants bearing torches. And in the middle of the darkened square, by the light of the torches, the grieving girl and her betrothed swear vengeance upon the slayer of her father the Commander.

Scene Two: a street.

Don Giovanni and Leporello meet a lady who seems

the prey of grief and gloom, and Don Giovanni offers her his help — only to discover before long that she is Donna Elvira, once a mistress of his, whom he abandoned years ago; nor did she then conceal her desire for revenge upon him. He offers her his feeble apologies and withdraws in good order, leaving his servant to console her. The servant recites into her ears a list of his master's amorous conquests — no fewer than two thousand and 65 names of ladies: Italians, Germans, Frenchwomen, and Spaniards... some tall of stature, some short; blondes and brunettes. And in the midst of this recital of the "Catalogue Song" he draws from his pocket an enormous register, which he opens upon the stage.

Scene Three: a village.

The curtain rises and we are in the thick of festivities in a village, held on the occasion of the betrothal of the pretty, coquettish girl Zerlina to her fellow villager Masetto. Don Giovanni and his servant soon arrive; he catches sight of Zerlina, and she takes his fancy, so he decides that she shall be his next conquest. On his