ACT I

Bemoaning his condition, Leporello stands guard while his master Don Giovanni slips into the apartments of Donna Anna, the daughter of the Commendatore. The seducer suddenly appears, pursued by the young woman seeking to confound him. Alerted by the cries, the Commendatore rushes to the scene and challenges Don Giovanni to a duel. The latter mortally wounds the Commendatore and flees. Joined by her fiancé Don Ottavio, Donna Anna swears revenge over the body of her dead father. No sooner has he escaped than Don Giovanni catches “a woman’s scent”. However, it is none other than Donna Elvira – the woman he had promised to marry before abandoning her. Don Giovanni slips away, leaving Donna Elvira alone with Leporello, who recites to her the impressive list of his master’s conquests. Don Giovanni now set his sights on a new victim: modest Zerlina, who is celebrating her future wedding with Masetto. Don Giovanni even proposes marriage to her. But Donna Elvira arrives in time to save the naïve young woman. Don Giovanni runs into Donna Anna and Don Ottavio. He quickly promises to help them exact their revenge. But Elvira returns once more and warns the couple, forcing the womaniser to retreat. In his parting words, Donna Anna recognises the voice of her father’s murderer. She tells her fiancé the details of the assault she suffered. Don Ottavio, for his part, is loath to believe a man he considers a gentleman to be guilty, however he promises either to prove Donna Anna wrong or to assist her in exacting revenge. Don Giovanni organises a grand party. Donna Anna, Donna Elvira and Don Ottavio attend in masks. The womaniser, who has managed to persuade Zerlina to come, tries to seduce her. However, the girl’s cries alert the guests, who all take off their masks. Don Giovanni is forced to flee.

ACT II

Don Giovanni decides to seduce Donna Elvira’s maid. To facilitate matters, he asks Leporello to switch clothes with him and to take his place with Elvira in order to keep her at a distance. The young woman is easily fooled by Leporello, who relishes the chance to further the ruse. Don Giovanni begins a serenade but is soon interrupted by Masetto who has come with a menacing group of companions in search of the debauched womaniser. Passing himself off as Leporello, he pretends to espouse their cause, and then, left alone with Masetto, he gives him a severe beating. Meanwhile, Leporello, still in Donna Elvira’s company, catches sight of Donna Anna and Don Ottavio. As he tries to slip away, he runs into Zerlina and Masetto. With the ruse uncovered, Leporello mumbles a few explanations and manages to flee. Don Ottavio, now convinced of Don Giovanni’s baseness, decides to file charges. Don Giovanni and Leporello meet in front of the Commendatore’s statue. Don Giovanni starts to tell Leporello of his latest exploits when an unearthly voice is heard. Noticing the statue, Don Giovanni orders a terrified Leporello to invite it to dinner. The statue accepts. For his part, Don Ottavio urges his fiancée to marry him but Donna Anna again resists and cites the turmoil afflicting her. Meanwhile, as Don Giovanni sits down to dine, Donna Elvira comes one last time to implore him to change his life. Don Giovanni sends her packing. The Commendatore’s statue enters in answer to Don Giovanni’s invitation and orders him to repent. Don Giovanni refuses, the earth opens up beneath him and he disappears into the fires of Hell. When Donna Elvira, Donna Anna, Don Ottavio, Zerlina and Masetto arrive with the law, they can do no more than note the death of the dissolute womaniser.