Organization

Singer

Soprano

Barbara Bonney

Servilia

Conductor

Christopher Moulds

Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Stage director

Martin Kušej

Set designer

Jens Kilian

Costume designer

Bettina Walte

Chorus master

Andreas Schüller

Lighting designer

Reinhard Traub

Dramaturge

Regula Rapp

Marion Tiedtke

Tenor

Michael Schade

Titus

Dorothea Röschmann

Vitellia

Veronica Cangemi

Countertenor

Vesselina Kasarova

Sesto

Malena Ernman

Annio

Bass

Luca Pisaroni

Publio

Salzburger Festspiele

Wiener Staatsoper

Others

Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor

Orchestra

Wiener Philharmoniker

Ιταλικά

La clemenza di Tito -  (The Clemency of Titus)

Salzburg

Austria

Felsenreitschule

Prague 1791: After Antonio Salieri, due to a lack of time, turned down the offer of the Prague impresario Domenico Guardasoni to write an opera for the coronation of Leopold II as King of Bohemia, the commission was given to his colleague Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Under great time pressure, he wrote the opera seria "La clemenza di Tito" (Titus' clemency): while he was still driving from Vienna to Prague, he was busy working on the opera. The literary template is Pietro Metastasio's libretto from 1734, which has already been set to music more than 40 times.

The content is programmatic: in the midst of malicious intrigues and betrayals, the Roman Emperor Tito Vespasiano insists on the sovereign virtue of generosity. The image of the noble, forgiving emperor is to be kept in mind as a model for the future King of Bohemia. Two years after the abolition of aristocratic privileges and after the declaration of human rights by the French Revolution, Mozart composed an endgame of enlightenment under the guise of an opera of homage.

"No one has ever declared the hero in Mozart's last series to be a virtue terrorist as radically and consistently as Kusej. Understanding, forgiveness, mercy - they are just means that an unpredictable autistic person uses to secure his power" (Opernwelt).

Vitellia, the daughter of the former emperor Vitellius, hates Tito because he did not choose her as his wife. She is able to persuade her lover Sesto to take part in a conspiracy against his friend. Shortly thereafter, Tito Sesto asks for the hand of his sister Servilia, who, however, loves Annio. Tito generously gives Servilia back to her lover, while Sesto doubtfully meets with the conspirators.

Then Vitellia gets the news that the Emperor has decided to marry her after all. She desperately tries to stop the conspiracy, but it's too late: the Capitol is on fire. However, Sesto still hesitates to carry out the murder, is arrested and sentenced to death. Tito can't believe his friend betrayed him. Deeply shaken, he has Sesto brought before him. He confesses his sole guilt and remorse to the emperor, but without naming the real reason, because he wants to spare Vitellia. Vitellia decides to confess to Tito that she planned the crime herself. When the condemned are about to be led to the place of execution, she falls at the Emperor's feet and confesses her guilt. Tito is moved and pardons the conspirators. The people cheer the benevolent ruler.

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