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Overview
Synopsis
One of Mozart’s last operas, La clemenza di Tito (The clemency of Titus), is a story of friendship and forgiveness triumphing over jealousy and violence.
The new emperor of Rome, Tito, is much loved by the Roman people, with the exception of Vitellia, the daughter of the previous emperor. When her attempts to return to her rightful place on the throne through marriage are unsuccessful, Vitellia plots Tito’s assassination and enlists the help of her young admirer, Sesto. Sesto is close friends with Tito, but will do anything to gain the affections of Vitellia, so agrees to her plans. He sets fire to the Capitol, intending to trap Tito inside and kill him.
Meanwhile, Servilia (who is Sesto’s sister) has refused Tito’s marriage proposal because she is already engaged to Annio, Sesto’s close friend. Tito instead sends Publio, his captain of the guard, to take a marriage proposal to Vitellia on his behalf, but Publio arrives too late and the assassination plot is already in motion. Fortunately, Tito is not killed in the fire, but Sesto has gone missing. Annio finds his friend, who is torturing himself with the guilt of his crime, and tells him that Tito did not die in the fire and that Sesto should be honest with Tito and trust in his reputation for clemency. Sesto admits his guilt and faces trial and execution. Tito has explained several times in the opera how important clemency is to him and he now struggles with sentencing his friend. He questions Sesto privately and Sesto begs him to remember their friendship.
Alone and unaware of Tito’s trouble, Vitellia realises that that Sesto’s life is too high a price to pay for her place on the throne and finally admits to Tito that she is responsible and asks him to spare Sesto’s live. Tito announces a pardon for all conspirators, to high praise from the Roman people. With some demanding roles for its small cast, La clemenza di Tito, features some really excellent arias and ensembles and is truly one of Mozart’s masterpieces.
Show Information
- Music
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Libretto
- Caterino Mazzola
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1791
- Genres
- Drama, Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Ancient Rome, 1st Century AD
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- Barenreiter/Alkor-Edition
- Ideal For
- Mostly Female Cast, Professional Opera, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Elderly Characters, Small Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Overture
Act 1
Recitative: Ma che? Sempre l’istesso - Vitellia, Sesto
No. 1 Duet: Come ti piace imponi - Vitellia, Sesto Recitative: Amico, il passo affretta - Annio, Vitella, Sesto
No. 2 Aria: Deh se piacer mi vuoi - Vitellia
Recitative: Amico, ecco il momento - Annio, Sesto
No. 3 Duet: Deh prendi un dolce amplesso - Annio, Sesto
No. 4 March
No. 5 Chorus: Serbate, o Dei custodi
Recitative: Te della patria il Padre - Publio, Annio, Tito
March
Recitative: Adesso, o Sesto, parla per me - Annio, Sesto, Tito
No. 6 Aria: Del più sublime soglio - Tito
Recitative: Non ci pentiam - Annio, Servilia
No. 7 Duet: Ah! Perdona al primo affetto - Annio, Servilia
Recitative: Che mi rechi in quel foglio - Tito, Publio
Recitative: Di Tito al piè - Servilia, Tito, Publio
No. 8 Aria: Ah, se fosse intorno al trono - Tito
Recitative: Felice me! - Servilia, Vitellia
Recitative: Ancora mi schernisce? - Vitellia, Sesto
No. 9 Aria: Parto, parto, ma tu ben mio - Sesto
Recitative: Vedrai, Tito, vedrai - Vitellia, Publio, Annio
No. 10 Trio: Vengo, aspettate - Vitellia, Annio, Publio
No. 11 Recitative accompagnato: Oh Dei, che smania è questa - Sesto
No. 12 Quintet with chorus: Deh conservato, oh Dei - Vitellia, Servilia, Sesto, Annio, Publio
Act 2
Recitative: Sesto, come tu credi - Annio, Sesto
No. 13 Aria: Torna di Tito a lato - Annio
Recitative: Partir deggio, o restar? - Sesto, Vitellia
Recitative: Sesto! Che chiedi? - Publio, Sesto, Vitellia
No. 14 Trio: Se al volto mai ti senti - Vitellia, Sesto, Publio
No. 15 Chorus: Ah grazie si rendano - Tito
Recitative: Gia de pubblici giuochi - Publio, Tito
No. 16 Aria: Tardi s’avvede - Publio
Recitative: No, cosi scellerato - Tito, Annio, Publio
No. 17 Aria: Tu fosti tradito - Annio
Recitativo accompagnato: Che orror! Che tradimento! - Tito
Recitative: Ma, Publio, ancora Sesto non viene? - Publio, Tito
No. 18 Trio: Quello di Tito e il volto! - Tito, Sesto, Publio
Recitative: Eppur mi fa pietà - Tito, Sesto
No. 19 Rondo: Deh per questo istante solo - Sesto
Recitative: Ove s’intese mai - Tito
Recitative: Publio, Cesare, Andiamo - Publio, Tito
No. 20 Aria: Se all’impero, amici Dei - Tito
Recitative: Publio, ascolta! - Vitellia, Publio
Recitative: Non giova lusingarsi - Vitellia, Servilia, Annio
No. 21 Aria: S’altro che lacrime - Servilia
No. 22 Recitativo accompangato: Ecco il punto, o Vitellia - Vitellia
No. 23 Rondo: Non piu di fiori- Vitellia
No. 23 Chorus: Che del ciel, che degli Dei
Recitative: Pria che principio - Tito, Annio, Servilia
Recitative: Sesto, de’tuoi delitti - Tito, Publio, Sesio, Vitellia, Annio, Servilia
No. 25 Recitative accompagnato: Ma che giorno e mai questo? - Tito
No. 26 Sextet with chorus: Tu, è ver, m’assolvi Augusto - Sesto, Tito, Vitellia, Servillia, Annio, Publio
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.