Hei-Kyung Hong lends her beautiful voice to Mozart’s opera “Don Giovanni”, as the character Zerlina. She is betrothed to Massetto, and is the object of Don Giovanni’s eye. Zerlina is strong but also has some very conflicted emotions. She has to reconcile her behavior to the standards of her day, and it is this behavior that has her pleading for the forgiveness of her lover, Masetto.
The character of Zerlina is a peasant, but this does not mean that she is by any means weak willed. Don Giovanni must break her down, little by little, until she consents to give into him. She is at first very secure in her love for Masetto, but after some coaxing by Don Giovanni, ad false promises of marriage, she begins to accept. While she has her own thoughts, she can become very submissive (Morrow, 2003). Zerlina becomes submissive to Masetto when he returns. She does not admit her desire and near act of cheating. She professes her innocence. She admits to being manipulated by Don Giovanni, and essentially begs his forgiveness.
The score of this opera buffa was completed in 1787. This was a time when women were viewed as nothing more than the centers of pleasure for the men in their lives. Women were only wanted for their beauty, and the domestic skills that they possessed. When they were not needed, women were expected to retreat quietly Women were expected to be virginal, smart, and pleasant, and no matter what, these qualities had to be ever present (Potobinsky, 2001). Zerlina’s character has to handle all of these expectations, along with her own judgments. She cannot bypass her feelings to fit the expectations that society has of her, and this is what Don Giovanni seizes upon and ultimately uses against her, as well as all of his other female conquests.
Seduction is a central theme of Don Giovanni. In simple terms, he believes it is his duty to seduce and sleep with as many women as possible. He is quoted as saying that he has slept with 2,065 women. While this angers many, he sees it as his duty to women. Giovanni is an arrogant narcissist, believing that he would be cruel to other women if he was only faithful to one woman (Johnson, 2005). It is this attitude that is ultimately a good part of his undoing, as well as the near demolition of Zerlina and Masetto’s marriage.
The score in question starts with Zerlina handing Masetto her shoe, and bending over, telling him to hit her. The mood of the music is not somber, but low and even. No high pitched squeals of joy, but no tone of impending doom, either. The instruments follow the flow of Zerlina’s voice, as if she leads them. Their flow is as even as hers. The music loops a little as Masetto pulls his arm back to hit her with the shoe, but he cannot, and he drops her shoe and sits down. Here, the musical score lightens up and becomes higher in tone, as Zerlina realizes that she is getting through to Masetto. The joy on her face is reflected in the brighter more cheerful tone of the music. She knows she has not yet won, but has started to win over her betrothed.
Zerlina’s pitch rises in response to the fluttering music. It still has a smooth and even flow, but the melody is repetitive as she hugs Masetto, and then playfully steals the hat from his head. This is how she starts to show her innocence. She engages him, and tosses his hat down next to him. She playfully kisses him, and the music flutters with her kisses, but Masetto pulls away again. Not entirely convinced.
When playfulness does not entirely succeed, Zerlina switches her tactics to more seductive ones. The music and her voice both soften as she lays her head on his chest and slowly moves down his body so she is hugging his leg, her face rested on his hip. The tone of the music, still smooth, is very soft. More is heard of the string section than the wind section. Now it is not about fluttering and playfulness, it is about her submissive role as a female. Masetto’s face shows that he is having a hard time staying angry with her.
This continues as she bares her leg and rubs it against the back of his. This would have been an extremely racy and sexual move for a woman in the 18th century. Masetto’s face shows that this attention is steadily breaking down his anger. Seeing this, her tone becomes steady and sweet, and the music follows suit.
Her tone is fluttery now while the music stays smooth and steady. Zerlina’s pitch rises and falls rhythmically and it marries well to the steady and soft string section. She takes Masetto’s face in her hands, expressing to him in her rhythmic way that she loves only him, and belongs to him alone. Masetto smiles and puts her shoe back on her foot.. He has begun to accept that she truly does love him, and that Don Giovanni is completely at fault for trying to corrupt her innocence and steal her from Masetto.
Masetto begins to kiss her leg, and the fluttering string section, and the rising joyful pitch of her voice returns. She gently rebukes him as he tries to advance further. She is still joyful, and her voice and the flutes rhythmically flutter, but Masetto is clearly frustrated by her refusal to let him advance further. She comes behind him, her arms around his neck, and reassures him that she is his and his alone, and that he will have his desires in due time. The segment ends with a passionate kiss between the lovers.
The ideas of romantic and tragic love were more prevalent in society before 1700. Mozart’s opera would have been a change of pace, because it was more about passionate love and seduction. (Hatfield 2007). Mozart’s opera caused a good deal of buzz in its day, because it brought the ideas of lust, sex, and adultery out into the public forum. It was no longer quietly whispered about at home, it was now sung about at the theater.
References
Morrow, Jacob. (2003). Notions of the Male/Female Dynamic in Don Giovanni. The Journal of
the Core Curriculum, XII, 66-71.
Protobinsky, Krystie. (2001) Johnathan Swift: Protofeminist. Symposium, Fall 2001, 34-41.
Johnson, James. (2005). Sincerity and Seduction in Don Giovanni. The Journal of the Core
Curriculum, XIV, 80-86.
Hatfield, E., Rapson, R. L.. & Martel, L.D. (2007). Passionate Love and Sexual Desire. Handbook of Cultural Psychology, 2-55.
