Don Giovanni

Don Giovanni is one of the great myths of the West, and his legend permeates every realm: literature, poetry, theater, cinema, and philosophy! He is a myth ignited by contrasts, blending the supernatural with the miraculous, laughter with crime, faith with disbelief, and love with pain.

Don Giovanni embodies the irrepressible seducer and serial conqueror, but he is also a wicked atheist and a deceiver who mocks not only women but also the law and even God. He first appeared in Spain with Tirso de Molina’s El Burlador de Sevilla, and later became the protagonist of countless masterpieces. Molière, the Italian commedia dell’arte troupes, Mozart/Da Ponte, Goldoni, Pushkin, Byron, Baudelaire, Zorrilla, Rostand, Flaubert, Pirandello, and Hoffmann have all written about him, to name just a few. From this great literary treasure, with a focus on the most famous plays, will emerge the text we’ll work on this year, which will bring the theater course’s final performance to life.

Our Don Giovanni spans the ages, existing beyond time and history, and can choose any setting for his adventures. That’s why I decided to set him in a modern context that evokes Italy in the early 1960s. It was a time when the country was starting to enjoy a newfound prosperity after many years of reconstruction, as beautifully portrayed in the Commedia all’italiana film genre. However, it was also when the vices that would mark the years to come—such as a disregard for rules, greed, and unscrupulous ambition—began to surface. And aren't these some of the traits—albeit in a more degraded form—that are fundamental to the character of Don Giovanni? This Italy will come to life through some of the era’s most beautiful songs, sung and danced by the actors (from the songs of Rita Pavone to those of Patti Pravo, Gianni Morandi, Adriano Celentano, I Giganti, and Caterina Caselli), which perfectly tie in with the loves and betrayals that our protagonist will leave in his wake.

Don Giovanni is perhaps one of the most theatrical characters in Western literature. He loves the mask, the makeup, the artifice. Staging him allows us to fully harness the inherent potential of theater, its mechanisms, and its tools, which are also used to help students develop their creativity, self-esteem, and critical judgment. Our goal is to create an open, tolerant, and inclusive group where fun merges with theatrical work, allowing us to rediscover, once again, that theater helps us live better and be better with ourselves.

Ferdinando Ceriani

Theater Workshop

The Theater Workshop begins in November and concludes in May with the staging of a final performance. All Luiss students are welcome to participate in the workshop. 

2024/2025 Academic Year Calendar

The workshop takes place on the days indicated in the calendar, from 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM in the Nocco Room on the campus at Via Parenzo, 11.

Final performance

The final show will be staged for three performances at the Teatro Greco (Via Ruggero Leoncavallo 10, Rome) on June 3, 4, and 5, 2025. For more information, download the flyer.

For more information, visit the Luiss Learn page dedicated to Cultural Activities.