'He’s often seen as a charmer, but I find him far more emotional and complex,' says China-born Cao, currently based in KL, who plays the titular role in the opera 'Don Giovanni'. – KLCO
What happens when Mozart’s infamous seducer, Don Giovanni, is torn from 17th-century Seville (Spain) and thrust into the glittering towers and shadowy backstreets of modern-day Kuala Lumpur?
That’s the bold vision Kuala Lumpur City Opera (KLCO) brings to life in its upcoming retelling of the timeless masterpiece Don Giovanni, taking the stage at Pentas 1, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) from Oct 23-26.
It’s likely KLCO’s most mischievous production of the year – one that follows a season of celebration with The Golden Age Of Broadway and Young Mozart Voyager lighting up its 10th anniversary. And the festivities continue next month, as KLCO readies Ravel 150, a double-bill performance marking the 150th anniversary of composer Maurice Ravel.
Here comes the Don
All eyes – and rehearsals – are now on Don Giovanni, as KLCO fine-tunes every detail in preparation for its KLPac run. Directed by Singaporean opera director and producer Heather Tan and conducted by Malaysian Bernard Tan, who holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Collaborative Piano from the University of Michigan in the US, this production reinterprets Don Giovanni not as a nobleman, but as a charismatic yet ruthless businessman controlling a fashion empire. His unrelenting conquests unfold across the urbane backdrop of Kuala Lumpur, reflecting power and manipulation in the modern age.
"Don Giovanni is a very popular opera that is considered a staple in many opera practitioners’ repertoire. By transplanting the story into the heart of Kuala Lumpur, we’re able to highlight its timeless themes of ambition, desire, and downfall within a distinctly Malaysian context,” says Heather in a recent interview.
'By transplanting the story into the heart of Kuala Lumpur, we’re able to highlight its timeless themes of ambition, desire, and downfall within a distinctly Malaysian context,' says Heather. – Johanna Oelrich
On the KLPac stage, baritone Cao Yixiao steps into the titular role of Don Giovanni, while seasoned theatre regular and bass-baritone Mak Chi Hoe takes on the part of his ever-resourceful servant, Leporello.
As the conductor, Tan sees himself as the middleman in the production. “While Heather oversees the dramatic side of things, I’m the one in charge of coordinating the music between the musicians and the singers, ensuring that everyone’s on the same page,” he says.
This will be KLCO’s first staging of Don Giovanni in its entirety. Last year, KLCO reimagined Puccini’s classic La Boheme, transporting it to 1960s Malaya – complete with elegant kebaya costumes and a wistful, nostalgic glow. Titled Opera Sí! La Bohemia – La Boheme, the production also drew inspiration from the glamour and romance of Malaya’s golden age of film.
"La Boheme received a really good response from the audience when they saw the characters dressed in local traditional attire, like kain pelikat and baju kebaya, so this year, we wanted to do something similar with Don Giovanni,” says Danny Chen, executive producer and founder of KLCO.
In May, Opera Sì: La Bohemia took home two awards at the 20th Boh Cameronian Arts Awards: Best Musical Direction (Dr Bernard Tan) and Best Group Performance (Seow Chee Chuan, James Long, Heo Yueh Ren and Mak Chi Hoe).
KLCO celebrating their win at the 20th Boh Cameronian Arts Awards earlier this year. – Goh Bong Hiang
"The creative risk paid off – winning both audience acclaim and industry recognition. As KLCO celebrates our 10th anniversary, we’re ready to push boundaries even further.
"Don Giovanni is our latest Mozart production and one of opera’s most complex and challenging works. This staging sets the story in Malaysia’s fashion industry, with characters whose struggles and ambitions feel strikingly real," says Chen.
Under director Heather’s vision, he adds, audiences at KLPac can expect ideas that will provoke, surprise, and ignite the imagination. "Opera in Malaysia is becoming bolder and more dramatic – and KLCO is going to continue making opera more relevant as we step into the new era," says Chen.
A local twist
For the uninitiated, the opera is often described as a “dark comedy with supernatural elements”. It follows Don Giovanni as he gallivants across the city, seducing as many women as he pleases, not caring whether they’re attached or unwilling.
Three women – Donna Anna, Donna Elvira and Zerlina – have unwittingly become entangled in Don Giovanni’s web and witness how the consequences of his actions eventually – and quite horrifically – catch up tohim.
Based on Lorenzo da Ponte’s acclaimed libretto, the three-hour opera will be performed in Italian with English and Chinese surtitles.
For Cao, the main man on stage, this is actually his second time portraying the famous womaniser. “I played Don Giovanni 10 years ago in France, so I already understand the character,” says Cao, 34, who is currently pursuing his PhD in Music Performance at UCSI University in Kuala Lumpur.
“He’s often seen as a charmer, but I find him far more emotional and complex. In this production, I want to express the passion that truly drives him,” he adds.
Born in China, Cao is a classically trained baritone with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance (Bel Canto) from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music in Performance Studies from UCSI University.
For Mak, Leporello is a very interesting character to play due to his multifaceted character and inner conflict.
“As Don Giovanni's sidekick, Leporello is basically the one who does all the dirty work for him, often reluctantly. He’s always torn between his loyalty towards Don Giovanni and his own sense of conviction. He’s kind of Don Giovanni’s voice of reason,” says Mak, 47, an award-winning choral conductor, singer, adjudicator and clinician.
Touching on the localised take on the opera, he adds, “Western operas are, of course, rooted in their own cultural settings. But by reimagining the story in Malaysia and giving it a local flavour, I think it becomes easier for audiences here to connect with it.
“That said, art is the imitation of life – as a social commentary, Don Giovanni carries themes and lessons from everyday life that are relatable no matter where it’s set,” says Mak.
'I want to play Zerlina as a confident and flirtatious young woman, rather than as a naive little girl,' says Cheah. – Glenn Guan/The Star
The rest of the cast includes soprano Victoria Seungri Kim (Donna Anna), tenors Alan Lau and Heo Yueh Ren (Don Ottavio), sopranos Saori Suzuki and Lim Yee Fen (Donna Elvira), sopranos Angie Cheah and Bui Yik Ling (Zerlina), tenors Joseph Ng and James Long (Masetto) and bass Dennis Lau (Il Commendatore).
The cast brings together a mix of prodigious talent and seasoned performers, while also making space for newcomers – a balance KLCO has carefully maintained over the year.
As for Cheah, 29, who plays Zerlina, this will be her first full-fledged opera performance. “I’m a bit nervous, of course, but I’ve prepared a lot for the role. In my version of Zerlina, she’s playing hard to get with Don Giovanni, because she’s curious about trying new things and wants to step out of her comfort zone,” says Cheah.
"I want to play her as a confident and flirtatious young woman, rather than as a naive little girl," she concludes.
Kuala Lumpur City Opera’s Don Giovanni will be staged at Pentas 1, KLPac, Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan, off Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah in KL from Oct 23-26. More info: cloudjoi.com.
