La Clemenza
di Tito

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Performances

Opera seria in two acts 
Libretto: Caterino Mazzolà after Pietro Metastasio
World premiere: 6.09.1791, Estates Theatre, Prague
Premiere of this production: 10.10.2013, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Brussels
Premiere in the Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera: 16.01.2016
Co-production: Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Brussels

In the original Italian with Polish surtitles

Excessive haste may be the down-fall of even the greatest genius, as evidenced by the case of Mozart and his La clemenza di Tito. The composer, famous for his superhuman pace of writing music, almost missed the deadline on this one, while creating The Magic Flute at the same time. The world premiere of Clemenza, marking the coronation of Leopold II as King of Bohemia, was not a great success. What makes matters worse, the Romantics labelled the opera as formulaic and unworthy of Mozart's talent.

In fact, only in rare passages does Clemenza's score border on artistic mediocrity, which unfortunately cannot be said of the libretto. Its text, based on a work by Metastasio, causes the entire opera to be entangled in a contradiction not quite solvable: modern musical means clash with the concept of opera seria, which in 1790s was already old-fashioned, and in which Mozart never felt quite as comfortable as in dramma giocoso, which balances somewhere between seriousness and humour.

In our times this operatic tale of the Roman Emperor Titus in many theatres meets with increasing clemency. Updated, yet stylistically pure staging by Ivo van Hove should allow the viewer to focus on the merits of Mozart's score.

Cast

2016-01-16 | 19:00

Credits

Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera
Extras

Sponsors

  • Mecenas Teatru Wielkiego - Opery Narodowej

  • Partnerzy Teatru Wielkiego - Opery Narodowej

  • Patroni medialni premiery

  • Patroni medialni Teatru Wielkiego - Opery Narodowej

  • Współorganizator koktajlu

  • Patron of Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera

  • Partners of Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera

  • Media patrons of the premiere

  • Media patrons of Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera

  • Co-organiser of the cocktail reception