# What do you make of La Clemenza di Tito?



## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

I recently got myself acquainted with this odd opera recently, and I'm wondering what you all make of it.

Obviously the 20 minutes of simple recitatives are worthless to anybody except for those that are actually seeing the opera for the first time and don't know how the story goes.

And as for Mozart's music.. the ending of the first act is of course incredible, and "Ah Perdona" is perhaps my favorite Mozart duet of all time.

The second act has a fairly generous sprinkling of beautiful arias, but they seem beautiful in an archaic way, not in a heart-wrenchingly beautiful modern-Mozart way (i.e. Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflöte).

Was everything that we hear in the opera completely intentional? Did he write the arias the way they are, not due to being rushed, but because he specifically wanted to them to have that simplicity to them due to the old style he was writing in?

My overall two-part question which I'm pondering is:

How much of what we're hearing is the result of 35 year old Mozart sitting down, thinking it through and putting down his best effort? And how much of what we're hearing is the result of 35 year old Mozart, being as brilliant and fluent in music as he was, being able to essentially "toss off" something that can still pass as a great work?


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I wrote something of a review of this opera some time back:










_I've been listening to Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito c. 1955 conducted by Joseph Keilberth. This is a true odd-ball among Mozart's oeuvre. It was the last opera Mozart began, although he completed it and premiered it before The Magic Flute. It was commissioned to honor the coronation of Leopold II after the death of his brother, Joseph II, as King of Bohemia. The deadline for completion was so short that Salieri turned it down, and Mozart was ultimately offered double his usual sum. Unable to find a new libretto on such short notice, he turned to the text by Metastasio that had been set numerous times by other composers. The theme, the clemency or benevolence of Titus was seen as ideal for the occasion. _

_*La Clemenza di Tito* was written as an opera seria, it broke from the usual model (and the original libretto) in eliminating the da capo arias and adding ensemble scenes and large modern arias.
The recitatives were originally "farmed out" and set to music... quite likely by Mozart's "pupil", Franz Xaver Süssmayr (who traveled with Mozart and his wife, Constanze, to Prague, for the coronation as well as the premier of *La Clemenza di Tito*, and *The Magic Flute*, as well as a performance of *Don Giovanni*.. The arias, duets, etc... were all set by Mozart and include some of his most marvelous music. His scoring for clarinets is especially delicious. The premier was a flop with the wife of Leopold supposedly making an off the cuff comment about typical German swinishness, yet Mozart would live long enough to hear of reports of the popularity and success of both *La Clemenza*... and *Die Zauberflöte*._

_*La Clemenza di Tito* faded rapidly from view following Mozart's death... much like his other great late opera, *Cosi fan tutte*. Where Cosi... was berated by Beethoven and Wagner as an immoral waste of Mozart's divine talent, *La Clemenza di Tito* was criticized for the excessive use of recitatives. The thrilling overture is immediately follwed by a three minute narrative recitative. The classical theatrical form, in which most of the action takes place off stage and is conveyed by the narrator is also strange for an opera by Mozart... or any composer after Mozart. Nevertheless, the opera was "rediscovered" and "rehabilitated" in the mid-20th century and today it is recognized as ranking among Mozart's greatest achievements. While it may not stand up in comparison to *Don Giovanni* or *Die Zauberflöte*, in all likelihood, it would be recognized as a major achievement by any other composer. In 2011 and 2012 (up to the present) there have been 89 performances of *La Clemenza*..._

_This recording, conducted by Joseph Keilberth with the Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchestera recorded in 1955 is true "old school" Mozart... the orchestra of full-blooded Beethovian scale... and yet the recitatives have been stripped down... translated into German, Süssmayr's musical accompaniments are dispensed with the result sounding something closer to the "Singspiel" model of *Die Zauberflöte*. It is hard to tell whether this approach... eliminating all but Mozart's music... or retaining the whole of the original score is the better approach. The elimination of Süssmayr's settings of the recitatives speeds things along and does away with everything that isn't by Mozart himself... yet at a cost of a flow in the drama which Gluck and Mozart had worked so hard to establish in opera. Rene Jacobs, makes an argument for retaining the entire recitatives as originally written. As opposed to mere narration, Jacob's singers employ decorative and expressive ornamentation and well-crafted declamation to plumb the emotional depths of Metastasio's elegant poetry. John Eliot Gardiner takes a middle road... cutting more than a few minutes from the recitatives and pushing the drama. _

_Whichever route you take, this is an important opera by Mozart that certainly deserves to be heard... and discussed more than it is._


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## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

StlukesguildOhio said:


> I wrote something of a review of this opera some time back:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Interesting. Thank you.

Just to be clear.. it's only the simple recitatives (with the harpsichord) that were not by Mozart, correct? The accompanied recitatives must have been by Mozart surely?

I actually just watched the first act again after listening to all of the music on my iPod throughout the day today, and I liked it more than ever. I'll be watching the second act tomorrow.

I'd love to hear more from other people! Particularly in terms of thoughts about my last question in my original post.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

This opera is one of my favorites, and what sold me on it was the DVD of the Zürich Opera production by Jonathan Miller that updates the action to the 1930s. The cast is stellar, led by Jonas Kaufmann in the title role. (The only one I really don't care for is Vesselina Kasarova's Sesto, which strikes me as excessively mannered.) The problem with the recitatives was solved by presenting them as spoken dialogue, which moves the plot's action along but is nonetheless controversial -- this is not a German Singspiel, after all. But the music! To me, at least, what's not to love? One gorgeous aria, duet, or ensemble seems to follow another, with some magnificent choruses as well. There is a real gem in Act II with Servilia's aria, "_S'altro che lagrime_."









I don't know whether or not this represents Mozart's best effort or just his ability to produce beautiful music under conditions that were far less than ideal. But whichever it was, I find it hard to argue with the results.


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## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

I've now watched this opera twice and listened to it many more.. it's astounding!

There is So much beautiful music in it! It's sublime! This is truly a remarkable piece... made even moreso by the fact that he didn't have much time to write it, and that it was written in an older idiom. It's almost like a study in how many beautiful melodies Mozart can come up with in the least amount of time. A lot, it turns out!

There's something hauntingly pure about all of the music. And of course the end of Act 1 is one of the ensemble/chorus highlights in all of Mozart..!


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## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

I just thought of a great joke. What does the music of La Clemenza di Tito and Samuel Ramey's name have in common?


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## poconoron (Oct 26, 2011)

This opera just adds to the Mozart mystique. Composed in a _relatively short time_ just prior to his death (around the same time as composing the Magic Flute, the Requiem and some smaller pieces) this work contains gems of divine beauty, IMHO. Such little nuggets as "Non più di fiori", "Deh per questo istante solo" and "Parto, ma tu ben mio" alone are worth the price of admission.

That this work could be composed in so short a time in the midst of many other things going on at the time demonstrates yet again the genius of the little man.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Which audio version of Clemenza does everyone recommend? And is there an available video streaming option online; whether by YouTube or a pay to rent?


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## Taneyev (Jan 19, 2009)

I don't trust in it. Tito never was a compasonate guy. It's a fool that who hopes Tito'll pardon him.


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## PlaySalieri (Jun 3, 2012)

I encountered this opera after discovering the others and reading in Alfred Einstein's book - it's not great Mozart - a masterpiece in ice - it said. I got hold of the Janet Baker/Davis verion - and WOW! And he wrote it at breakneck speed - 2 or 3 weeks I believe. A priceless jewel among opera and yet more reason to mourn M early death.


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## trazom (Apr 13, 2009)

It's a masterpiece, no matter what some crusty musicologists say...


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Sonata, here is a YouTube version with Vesselina Kasarova and Michael Schade. I prefer the one with Jonas Kaufmann but it doesn't seem to be available.

Part 1

Part 2


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## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

I've been listening to the Colin Davis/Royal Opera House recording that came with the Philips Complete Mozart Edition.

I'm now way more familiar with the whole piece than I was when I began this thread, and I now feel it is a masterpiece on the level of anything else Mozart wrote. It's extremely unique among his works, but it's also his only opera with this kind of subject matter. This noble, royal subject.. musical depiction of a great, benevolent emperor.. the archaic form and texts.. it's glorious, it's absolutely glorious. I think Mozart wrote exactly what he meant to... what we hear is not a product of being rushed. The "Che Del Ciel" chorus near the end of the opera is stupendously royal and beautiful, and the finale of the opera is a transcendent masterpiece of joy, gratitude and triumph. Just incredible.


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## PlaySalieri (Jun 3, 2012)

macgeek2005 said:


> I've been listening to the Colin Davis/Royal Opera House recording that came with the Philips Complete Mozart Edition.
> 
> I'm now way more familiar with the whole piece than I was when I began this thread, and I now feel it is a masterpiece on the level of anything else Mozart wrote. It's extremely unique among his works, but it's also his only opera with this kind of subject matter. This noble, royal subject.. musical depiction of a great, benevolent emperor.. the archaic form and texts.. it's glorious, it's absolutely glorious. I think Mozart wrote exactly what he meant to... what we hear is not a product of being rushed. The "Che Del Ciel" chorus near the end of the opera is stupendously royal and beautiful, and the finale of the opera is a transcendent masterpiece of joy, gratitude and triumph. Just incredible.


Yes I love the Davis version - it sounds so fresh, bright.
Glad you discovered this opera - it's a jewel and composed in a couple of weeks - now that's talent - what other composer has penned a great opera in so short a time?


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

macgeek2005 said:


> I've been listening to the Colin Davis/Royal Opera House recording that came with the Philips Complete Mozart Edition.
> 
> I'm now way more familiar with the whole piece than I was when I began this thread, and I now feel it is a masterpiece on the level of anything else Mozart wrote. It's extremely unique among his works, but it's also his only opera with this kind of subject matter. This noble, royal subject.. musical depiction of a great, benevolent emperor.. the archaic form and texts.. it's glorious, it's absolutely glorious. I think Mozart wrote exactly what he meant to... what we hear is not a product of being rushed. The "Che Del Ciel" chorus near the end of the opera is stupendously royal and beautiful, and the finale of the opera is a transcendent masterpiece of joy, gratitude and triumph. Just incredible.


This is one I'm working on myself, made the mistake of asking the Met Opera Shop "Concierge Service" to find the DVD I wanted, and they helpfully informed it it wasn't available. Not available? You can get it for $13 on Amazon! Good lord, they're like white wine over there ... what IS the point ...


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

I have a free month of downloads available at emusic. I am strongly considering downloading this opera. We'll see, so much music so little time!


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## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

I actually now prefer the Drottingholm Court Theater DVD over the Levine/Ponnelle film. Ponnelle is a little crazy..... it's traditional costumes and everything, but it's just weird. The Drottingholm DVD provides a completely authentic production.


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## obwan (Oct 24, 2011)

I just watched the Met live in hd and it was stellar. I don't know why people say this isn't as good as his others. I even enjoyed the recitatives both seco and acompanado. Mozart himself only wrote the acompanado, which were brilliant, and the seco written by sussmayer were brilliant as well. I actually think of the 4 Mozart i've seen so for this has better recitatives than his others.


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## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

Thanks for reviving this thread! I was actually in Canterbury on December 1st, and had to take the train to Ashford to see Tito in a theater. I agree it was stellar! It's actually the Mozart opera that I am most familiar with, and I think the music is fantastic throughout.


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## tyroneslothrop (Sep 5, 2012)

obwan said:


> I just watched the Met live in hd and it was stellar. I don't know why people say this isn't as good as his others.


I do believe this particular performance was one of the best, perhaps the very best, that I have seen of this opera. It compares favorably with the 1980 Levine recording. And while Elīna Garanča was good as Annio in the 2003 Salzburg production, she was just superb as Sesto in this performance. Bravo, I say! :clap:


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