Re-gendering the Libertine; or, the Taming of the Rake; Lucy Vestris as Don Giovanni on the Early Nineteenth-Century Stage

Examines the history of William Thomas Moncrieff's opera "Giovanni in London, or The Libertine Reclaimed" written for London's Olympic Theatre and premiered in 1817. Profiles actress Lucy Vestris as Don Giovanni and questions how the casting of a female actress in this role refle...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cambridge opera journal 1998-03, Vol.10 (1), p.45-66
Main Author: Cowgill, Rachel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
19th century
Audiences
Character
Da Ponte, Lorenzo
Gender Theory
Moncrieff, William Thomas
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Opera Singers
Sexuality
Vestris, Lucy
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Summary:Examines the history of William Thomas Moncrieff's opera "Giovanni in London, or The Libertine Reclaimed" written for London's Olympic Theatre and premiered in 1817. Profiles actress Lucy Vestris as Don Giovanni and questions how the casting of a female actress in this role reflects attitudes towards gender and sexuality in London society. Explains how the casting of Vestris reflects the commodification of the female body on the commercial stage. Discusses possible audience reactions to Vestris's persona and considers the relationship of Mozart and Da Ponte's "Don Giovanni" to Moncrieff's opera.
ISSN:0954-5867
1474-0621