Dom Juan, ou Le Festin de Pierre

Dom Juan, ou Le Festin de Pierre ("Dom Juan or The Feast of Stone") is a comedy in five acts, by Molière[1] (1622–1673).

In later years it was published and became better known as Don Juan, ou Le Festin de Pierre (Also referred to simply as Le Festin de Pierre or Don Juan).

Not to be confused with Don Juan, ou Le Festin de Pierre, the ballet by Gluck and Calzabigi.

The original text

Based on Tirso de Molina's version of the legend of Don Juan, the play was first produced at the Palais Royal, Paris, February 15, 1665, with Molière playing the part of "Sganarelle". First published in a heavily censored version for the first time in 1682.

Translations and adaptation

Used as the basis for a ballet (Don Juan, ou Le Festin de Pierre) by Ranieri de' Calzabigi (libretto) and Christoph Willibald von Gluck (music), and originally choreographed by Gasparo Angiolini

Translated into English as Don Juan, or The Feast with the Statue (or again simply Don Juan).

Translated into Afrikaans as Don Juan by Eben Meiring.

Performance history in South Africa

1968: Performed in Afrikaans as Don Juan by the Universiteitsteater Stellenbosch in September 1968 in the H.B. Thom Theatre. Directed by Ben Dehaeck, who also played the title role, with a cast that included Johan Esterhuizen, Bettina Camerer, Herman Pretorius, Piers Nicholson, Willem Coetzee, Fred Nel, Esther Brandt, Carina Fick, Etienne Pienaar, Frikkie Engels, Mariette Burnett, Thierry Delameilleure and Gerhard Nieuwenhuizen.

Sources

http://www.don-juan.net/english/france/lf17synopsis1.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_Juan

Don Juan theatre programme (UTS 1968).

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