by usia review
Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito: Enlightenment, Mercy, and Sublime Music at São Carlos
La Clemenza di Tito, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), is a serious and heroic opera with a mythological-historical subject, composed in 1791 in honor of the coronation of Emperor Leopold II as King of Bohemia. Rooted in Enlightenment ideals, the opera elevates clemency and moral virtue as supreme qualities of enlightened leadership.
Mozart, born in 1756, was universally recognized as a child prodigy. The Enlightenment period paid particular attention to childhood, and Mozart became its most emblematic figure. Signing his name “Amadé,” he toured Europe extensively between the ages of six and fifteen, accompanied by his father Leopold and his sister Maria Anna Mozart (1751–1829), herself a gifted musician whose compositions, unfortunately, have not survived.
While Mozart composed important opera seria such as Idomeneo and Mitridate, Re di Ponto, he is best known to the wider public for his opera buffa masterpieces—Le Nozze di Figaro, Così fan tutte, and Don Giovanni—works celebrated for their melodic richness, dramatic intelligence, and psychological depth.
The central theme of La Clemenza di Tito is that of a ruler who forgives all, even those who conspire against him. The action takes place in imperial Rome, where Emperor Tito Vespasiano embodies the Enlightenment ideal of a benevolent sovereign. Mozart originally conceived the roles of Sesto, Tito’s friend, and Annio, Sesto’s companion and Servilia’s lover, for castrati. These singers, subjected to castration before puberty, retained high, feminine vocal ranges—an unsettling practice now relegated to history. Today, these roles are traditionally performed by mezzo-sopranos.
The score is rich in musical forms, including arias, recitatives, duets, tercets, quintets, and choruses, demonstrating Mozart’s mastery of dramatic architecture even under the time constraints imposed by the commission.
Sesto’s great arias—“Parto, ma tu ben mio” and “Deh, per questo istante solo”—were interpreted by mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose, a role of exceptional technical and expressive difficulty, requiring agility, breath control, and emotional depth. Vitellia’s formidable aria “Non più di fiori” was performed by soprano Susana Gaspar, who sang with assurance, notable coloratura, and expressive vocalization.
Cecília Rodrigues appeared as Servilia, while Miriam Albano sang Annio with musical sensitivity. In the role of the Roman Emperor Tito Vespasiano, tenor Pablo Bemsch displayed a beautiful vocal timbre and musicality, though further refinement of vocal technique would enhance his interpretation of this demanding role.
Regarding the orchestral performance, it is worth recalling that, from the 1960s through the 1980s—and earlier—a distinct “Mozartian style” prevailed, exemplified by the great Karl Böhm, whose interpretations remain a reference. In this tradition, orchestral balance is essential, ensuring that singers are never overwhelmed by the instrumental texture. Italian conductor Antonio Pirolli, while a good interpreter of the score, could at times have allowed greater transparency to better serve the vocal lines.
Once again, we left Teatro Nacional de São Carlos enchanted by Mozart’s sublime music—music that continues to illuminate the ideals of humanity, reason, and forgiveness. With this production, expectations are rightly high for the 2022 season and beyond.
@TNSC
Thanks to: TNSC