Don Giovanni K. 527, 540a, 540c

Mozart’s seven great operas, his brilliant contribution to musical theater and world culture, are unequalled in their depth of human characterization and musical expression. Here we have the original score of one of the seven great operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791): Don Giovanni. The opera tells the story of the unscrupulous seducer Don Giovanni, who cares little about moral concepts and mercilessly exploits his servant Leporello – until he has to go to hell in the end. It is based on the legends of Don Juan, a fictional libertine and seducer, which originates from Spain. Mozart’s opera, the libretto of which was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte (1749–1838) elevated the Spanish legend to the fame that it still enjoys today. The opera sheds light on the interplay between the hunger for power and love. Søren Kierkegaard (1813–55) called Don Giovanni "the incarnation of the genius of the sensual". It premiered in Vienna on October 29th, 1787 and has become one of the most popular and oft-performed operas of all time. The well-preserved original manuscript offers a precious glimpse into the creation of one of Mozart’s most famous works.