Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...Don Giovanni has long been one of Kwiecien's signature roles. On Saturday he inhabited Mozart's music with rich baritonal aplomb, and with his trim, wiry build he threw himself into the athletic demands of Falls' staging. As carnal as sweat, this Don oozed enough sinister charm to rivet the audience's attention."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...There was much to admire, however. Wanton sex is an undeniable undercurrent in “Don Giovanni,” and Falls doesn’t hesitate to put it front and center. Poli’s ardent, tender arias shaped Don Ottavio, often a bland cipher, into the opera’s sole voice of reason. With her creamy soprano, Andriana Chuchman was a sexy Zerlina, and bass-baritone Michael Sumuel deftly captured Masetto’s mix of jealous male and vulnerable lover. As Giovanni’s ghostly terminator, Andrea Silvestrelli’s Commendatore was coldly frightening, and Giovanni’s descent into hell was stunningly scary. All in all, a fine launch to Lyric’s next decade."
Chicago Stage Review - Highly Recommended
"...Now is an exciting time to be a fan of opera in Chicago. Lyric Opera is setting new standards and breaking down barriers. We hope and expect that the new season’s offerings will be as visually compelling and musically satisfying as Don Giovanni."
Chicago On the Aisle - Highly Recommended
"...A more appealing cast could hardly have been assembled for Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” than the vocally resplendent, good-looking singers who inhabit the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s new production and season opener."
Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended
"...Why does Chicago love Mozart’s Don Giovanni so much? Well-received as Lyric Opera’s first production back in 1954, and revived many times over the ensuing decades, including the company’s fiftieth anniversary in 2004, Don Giovanni just won’t go away, despite the titular character’s climactic comeuppance and ignominious death. The answer must lie in Mozart’s delightful and accessible score, deftly conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, and the balance provided by Lorenzo da Ponte’s poetic libretto, a true dramma giocoso."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...This production of Don Giovanni is fast paced, sensual, but in good taste and the orchestra was sharp under Sir Andrew Davis’ tight flowing leadership. With a few surprising actions in Act Two, we see how evil acts and deeds get their just due at the women get their revenge on Giovanni. This new production is pure magic as the vocals evoke the proper deep emotions contained within Mozart’s magnificent score. The three and a half hour work quickly engages us and it keeps us involved as we catapult yourself fully into the melodic sounds of pure genius that we experience as pure joy! Don Giovanni is a fine work for newbies to opera to experience. Take a youngster to see this wonderful opera so you can give them a life-altering arts experience. They’ll love you for doing so."
Seen and Heard International - Recommended
"...Musically, this is an amazing production, with master Mozartean and Lyric Opera music director Sir Andrew Davis getting the right balance of drama and charm from the score, even if on opening night, at least, tempos were a bit sluggish in the early part of Act I. Accompanist William C. Billingham keeps the recitative sections moving along at a good clip and Michael Black's chorus manages to convincingly run the gamut from celebratory peasants in the Act I wedding scene to spine-tingling shrieks of damnation in the finale."
The Fourth Walsh - Highly Recommended
"...This was my third time seeing “Don Giovanni.” This current production has a contemporary bent. Director Robert Falls adds a layer of debauchery to the well-known playboy story. This notorious opera bad boy is deliciously wicked. The magnetic Mariusz Kwiecien (Giovanni) snorts coke, uses people and throws money around like a pompous celebrity. Costume Designer Ana Kuzmanic adds to the ostentatious storytelling by dressing Kwiecien in vibrant colors and rose colored sunglasses. His wardrobe is a cross between a swashbuckling Errol Flynn and a smoke jacketed Hugh Hefner. Kwiecien unapologetically flirts his way around town and across the stage. Some of the best comedy moments are Kwiecien seducing his latest conquest while his sidekick Kyle Ketelsen (Leporello) mocks the situation on the sideline."
