Ozarks Lyric Opera brings the 70s and female empowerment to Mozart's ‘Don Giovanni’

This opera is much more than a romp through the '70s, with wide lapels and chest hair.

Under Director Jay Jackson, the upcoming production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” by Ozarks Lyric Opera addresses the treatment of women from 1787 and in our neighboring decades.

Performances are March 17 and 18, 7:30 p.m., at the Gillioz Theatre, 317 Park Central East.

About the character, Don Giovanni: “This is a guy that does just whatever the hell he wants,” said Ben Wager, who will perform the role.

Jackson worked through several approaches for “Don Giovanni,” focusing on Springfield audiences, he said.

“In researching the characters in this show, things came up in my mind that would work very strongly with a 1970s aesthetic, because the last time we had a real movement toward female empowerment was definitely in the early 1970s.” He wants these issues to stand out, and he wants a strong Elvira that would be similar to an activist, like Gloria Steinem.

Jennifer Forni plays Elvira, a lady of Burgos, Spain. Forni finds numerous good character traits: integrity, morality, loyalty, faithfulness, determination and strength — all with Don Giovanni deciding to dupe her and leave her, Forni said. Elvira has other traits also, such as a savior complex.

“She goes on her own to find him (in the opera), and she is not going to stop until she does. She’s so angry with him. She truly loves him, and she truly believes that he loves her. She’s going to save him …," Forni said. "Even at the end of the opera, (when he) comes back one more time, she thinks he’s redeemable.”

Wager has an expansive career and is a master of bass and baritone roles in “Don Giovanni.”

“If it has a bass clef, I’ve sung it,” Wager said, noting that he doesn’t have to think about memorizing or remembering. “It’s all in your RAM (brain). Then you can play with it; then you can make it art.”

The costume designer, Sarina Textor, is approaching the opera the same way as Jackson.

“I wanted to have aspects of the costumes reminiscent of Mozart’s time, when the piece was written, but also add elements of modern haute couture as well, as iconic looks from the '70s to make the ambiguity of the timeline come through to the audience,” she said.

“The show portrays women through a powerful technicolor lens, so the designs will lend to the beauty and intrigue of a complex female character.”

Two MSU players, Zoë Meier and Matthew Juhlin, are working on their first professional production. Meier plays Zerlina, a peasant; and Juhlin is Masetto, in love with Zerlina. In real life, they are engaged to marry soon.

Juhlin said he found the first rehearsal for “Don Giovanni” very comfortable. “I feel excited doing something being I could do for the rest of my life,” he said. He looks forward to collaborating with others in the weeks to come.

Meier, discussing their upcoming nuptials, said: “Definitely it wasn’t planned that way. When we first auditioned for the show, we were not engaged. But it enhances the characters. It’s a rare opportunity to be able to be counterparts with your significant other … We are engaged and we are playing engaged people.”

“It’s fun to find ourselves in the characters,” Juhlin said.

The players

Don Giovanni - Ben Wager

Leporello - Jonathan Stinson

Donna Anna - Madison King

Donna Elvira - Jennifer Forni

Don Ottavio - Jake Luellen

Zerlina - Zoë Meier

Masetto - Matthew Juhlin

Commendatore - Shayne Piles

Want to go?

What: Mozart's two-act opera, Don Giovanni

Where: The Gillioz Theatre, 325 Park Central East

When: March 17 and 18, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets:$0 to $47.50

To purchase: Go online to https://gillioztheatre.org or call the box office, 417-863-9491 All tickets are reserved seating.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Ozarks Lyric Opera performs 'Don Giovanni' under Director Jay Jackson