English National Opera in co-production with Royal Danish Theatre
presents
La Clemenza Di Tito
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Edward Gardner – Conductor
David Mc Vicar – Director
8 June – 23 June, 2007
Review by Mary Couzens
A review by Mary Couzens for EXTRA! EXTRA!
Mozart’s final opera, La Celmenza Di Tito, was written in the last year of his life, 1791 in response to a commission to mark the coronation of Leopold II, Holy Roman Emporer as King of Bohemia. Although Mozart had been offered twice the fee as he would have been for an opera in Vienna, history reflects that contracts signed on July 8th were swiftly followed by the opera’s premiere in Prague on Sept 6th. The most favoured composer of Italian operas in Vienna, Antonio Saleiri whose work would have been more to King Leopold’s taste had apparently, been too busy to accept the commision. Given the tight time frame, it was agreed that Mozart would set the opera to a libretto written more than half a century earlier by Pietro Metastasio, which had already been scored by nearly forty composers.
Benevolent Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasianus is as renowned for his calm in the face of adversity as he is for his clement nature. The maintaining of these favourable traits offers challenges he continually struggles to rise to in a climate of social unrest and hidden treachery.
Paul Nilon is warmly noble as Emperor Tito and sings the role with great mastery and depth of feeling. Emma Bell is his feminine match, albeit polar opposite as self-interested Vitellia who longs for his lost love even though she is herself, incapable of loving. A great gasp, quickly followed by a collective sigh of relief swept through the audience at the mention of Alice Coote’s chest infection prior to the performance. However, she did go on in her pivotal role of Tito’s male friend Sesto, and her singing was at times, very moving indeed. Sarah-Jane Davies also gives a memorable performance as Sesto’s sister Servilia, as does Anne Marie Gibbons in the role of her love interest Annio and Andrew Foster-Williams as prefect of the guard, Publio.
Deceptively simplistic, yet versatile set designs by Yannis Thavoris enable shifting moods with changes that were unobtrusive, but highly effective. Along with Paule Constable’s original lighting design, revived for this production by Kevin Sleep, much is made of fleeting opportunities to heighten drama via shadows and, in one rather spectacular case, firelight, which imaginatively simulates a blazing inferno, mirroring perhaps, the great fire of Rome during Tito’s reign.
The choreography of Kai’a Lene allows for realism within the surreal environment of the opera by providing suitably theatrical movements for some of its many guards and soldiers. And Chorus Master Martin Merry and Leader Janice Graham outdo themselves via groups of singers, melodically emoting from the orchestra pit.
La Clemenza Di Tito may be seen as something of a delight for aficionados of Mozart’s operatic canon, but it is, generally not considered amongst his finest works. However, this revival of the Oliver Award nominated production may also enthuse less knowing fans with its visually pleasing staging and winning performances.
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