1991 Don Giovanni

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Director Christopher Alden gave us a Don Giovanni to shock traditionalists, with the Don (Dale Duesing, who never left the stage) stripping off his shirt and flinging chairs about. At the podium, resident Mozartean Gerard Schwarz gave a fluent, secure account of the score. The cast included Sheri Greenawald as an intriguing Donna Anna, Mari-Anne Häggander as a steely and stylish Donna Aelvira, and Anna Steiger, clear and fluent as Zerlina. The lyrical Gabriel Sadé sang Don Ottavio and Héctor Guedes sang Leporello. The second cast featured Lauren Flanigan, Juliana Gondek, and Desmond Byrne. Gabor Andrasy sang the Commendatore at all performances, flinging a few chairs in his turn. The purists were outraged. But many new opera-goers loved this dramatic production.