In conversation with Opera Project’s Jonathon Lyness

TFT are proud to be in co-production once again with Opera Project bringing to the stage the third and final installment to the Mozart / Da Ponte Trilogy with Don Giovanni, coming to the factory stage this Autumn.

We caught up with Opera Project’s Musical Director Jonathan Lyness about the upcoming production.

Don Giovanni is the third in Mozart and Da Pontes famous trilogy – in what ways is Don Giovanni similar to The Marriage of Figaro / Cosi Fan Tutte, and where is it different?

Don Giovanni actually comes second in the series of three, but in some ways I always think of it as coming third. It combines elements from both Figaro and Cosi, in particular the use of disguise and the conflict that inevitably arises when love-making and mistaken identities come head-to-head. But what sets Don Giovanni apart is its dramatic intensity, its musical sophistication, and the simply magnificent ‘supernatural’ supper scene that forms the climax of the opera.

What are some of the unique challenges and opportunities presented by directing opera in such an intimate, in-the-round space?

The relationship between singers and audience, and between singers and musicians, is entirely different at Tobacco Factory Theatres than anywhere else. This is not opera as we normally think of it. The orchestra isn’t hidden in a pit – they’re essentially on stage collaborating with the singers. And the singers aren’t ‘facing front’ as they might in a traditional auditorium; they’re facing each other, as we do in life! For singers new to TFT it requires a new mind-set and requires a fair bit of trust between performers. But its hugely liberating.

Which moment of Don Giovanni are you most looking forward to presenting to audiences?

The Finale to Act 1. It’s got everything – unbelievable energy, virtuosity, beauty. It also has one of Mozart’s great musical concepts: it combines three dance-rhythms simultaneously, essentially, a party with three bands in three separate locations whose music intertwines perfectly whilst the drama plays out above.

Opera Project and TFT have been working together for over 20 years – what is it about TFT that means you keep coming back?

Well firstly, I’ve got to say, it’s the Tobacco Factory Audience. They’re just the most brilliant and responsive opera audience imaginable. But the uniqueness of the space and the endless quest to get better and to find new ways of keeping this amazing repertoire alive and fresh for a modern audience is the thing that drives me the most.