Combining comedy, tragedy, and the supernatural, Don Giovanni stands as a nuanced portrayal of the downfall of a seductive rogue who leaves a string of jilted lovers in his wake. The opera starts in highly dramatic fashion, with Don Giovanni attempting to seduce the noblewoman Donna Anna and being challenged to a duel by her father, the Commendatore.
The death of the disguised father in that duel leads to Donna Anna and her fiance Don Ottavio swearing an oath of vengeance. This is ultimately usurped by the action of a supernatural statue in the form of the Commendatore, which urges Giovanni to repent. When he will not, the statue conjures a sinkhole that takes him straight to hell.