Act I
Leporello is waiting for his master Giovanni, who is trying to seduce Donna Anna in a nearby house. Giovanni, wearing a mask, rushes out pursued by Donna Anna who is determined to discover her assailant’s identity. Her father, the Commendatore, appears and challenges Giovanni who kills him and flees with his servant. Anna returns with Don Ottavio and discovers her dead father. She implores Ottavio to find the murderer and avenge her father’s death.
As Leporello reproaches his master for his way of life, another lady enters desperately seeking the man who has ruined her. Giovanni gallantly steps forward to console her, but recognizes her as Donna Elvira whom he had previously seduced and abandoned. He leaves Leporello to explain to Elvira that she is just one among Giovanni’s thousands of conquests.
A group of peasants is celebrating the wedding of Zerlina and Masetto. Giovanni and Leporello enter and the Don is immediately attracted by Zerlina. He sends the guests away to his nearby villa to be entertained lavishly. Alone, Giovanni promises to marry Zerlina and after an initial resistance, she agrees to follow him. Suddenly Elvira enters, denounces Giovanni as a seducer and leads Zerlina away. Anna and Ottavio enter and greet Giovanni. Elvira returns and warns them that he is the man who has violated so many women. As Giovanni and Elvira leave, Anna realizes with horror that Giovanni is the very person who killed her father and demands Ottavio to revenge his death. Giovanni instructs Leporello to arrange the evening’s merriment.
In the garden of Giovanni’s villa Zerlina is trying to soothe Masetto but succeeds only momentarily. Now Elvira, Anna and Ottavio, wearing masks, enter with the intention of challenging Giovanni. Leporello invites them to join the party. Inside the villa Giovanni continues his attempts to seduce Zerlina. When a scream is heard, everyone is about to go to the rescue of Zerlina when Giovanni enters dragging Leporello and denouncing him as Zerlina’s seducer. No one believes Giovanni yet he manages to slip away.
Act II
Leporello feels that life with Giovanni is too dangerous, but a few coins persuade him not to leave his master. Giovanni is now interested in Elvira’s maid and exchanges hats and cloaks with his servant, believing that in this garb his chances to allure the maid are better. In order to draw Elvira away, Leporello, disguised as Giovanni, pleads his love to her and leads her off. Giovanni now serenades the maid. Masetto and a group of peasants enter seeking Giovanni. The disguised Don promises to help them find him and sends them away in various directions. Masetto lingers a moment and Giovanni beats him, leaving him lying in the street where Zerlina finds him and offers her comforts.
Leporello is trying to free himself of Elvira, but suddenly Anna, Ottavio, Zerlina and Masetto enter, all taking him for Giovanni and are astonished to find Elvira pleading on his behalf. In mortal danger, Leporello throws off his disguise and slips away.
Giovanni and Leporello meet by moonlight in a cemetery. A voice from the Commendatore’s statue responds to the Don’s laughter and Giovanni orders his servant to invite the statue for dinner. The statue accepts.
Anna pleads with Ottavio not to insist on their immediate marriage and asks him to wait a little. In Giovanni’s house, Leporello is arranging a dinner party. Elvira bursts in with a final plea to Giovanni to change his way of life, but he will not listen. As she leaves she screams and the terrified Leporello sees the Commendatore’s statue arriving for the promised dinner. The stone guest demands Giovanni’s immediate repentance, and as the Don refuses, the Commendatore drags him away. As Elvira returns with Anna, Ottavio, Zerlina and Masetto they are astonished to find that Don Giovanni has vanished.
All’s well that ends well: vengeance on Giovanni has been achieved, Anna asks Ottavio for a year to reconsider their relationship, Elvira will retire to a convent, Zerlina and Masetto will go home and Leporello will seek a better master.
