The Long LineThe Long Line

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

La clemenza di Tito, K. 621

Opera

K. 621 Composed 1791 Stage

La clemenza di Tito (The Clemency of Titus), K. 621, is a two-act dramma per musica (now called opera seria) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composed to an existing Italian libretto by Pietro Metastasio as modified by Caterino Mazzolà. Mozart completed the work in the midst of composing Die Zauberflöte, his last opera. La clemenza di Tito premiered on 6 September 1791 at the Estates Theatre in Prague.

From Wikipedia.

Synopsis

Place and time: Ancient Rome, in the year 79.

  1. Ouverture

Act I

Vitellia, daughter of the late emperor Vitellius (who had been deposed by Tito's father Vespasian), wants revenge against Tito. She stirs up Tito's vacillating friend Sesto, who is in love with her, to act against him (duet "Come ti piace, imponi"). But when she hears word that Tito has sent Berenice of Cilicia, of whom she was jealous, back to Jerusalem, Vitellia tells Sesto to delay carrying out her wishes, hoping Tito will choose her (Vitellia) as his empress (aria "Deh, se piacer mi vuoi").
Tito, however, decides to choose Sesto's sister Servilia to be his empress, and orders Annio (Sesto's friend) to bear the message to Servilia (aria "Del più sublime soglio"). Since Annio and Servilia, unbeknownst to Tito, are in love, this news is very unwelcome to both (duet "Ah, perdona al primo affetto"). Servilia decides to tell Tito the truth but also says that if Tito still insists on marrying her, she will obey. Tito thanks the gods for Servilia's truthfulness, and immediately forswears the idea of coming between her and Annio (aria "Ah, se fosse intorno al trono").
In the meantime, however, Vitellia has heard the news about Tito's interest in Servilia and is again boiling with jealousy. She urges Sesto to assassinate Tito. He agrees, singing one of the opera's most famous arias ("Parto, parto, ma tu, ben mio" with basset clarinet obbligato). Almost as soon as he leaves, Annio and the guard Publio arrive to escort Vitellia to Tito, who has now chosen her as his empress. She is filled with feelings of guilt and worry over what she has sent Sesto to do.
Sesto, meanwhile, is at the Capitol wrestling with his conscience (recitativo "Oh Dei, che smania è questa"), as he and his accomplices set about burning it down. The other characters (except Tito) enter severally and react with horror to the burning Capitol. Sesto reenters and announces that he saw Tito slain, but Vitellia stops him from incriminating himself as the assassin. The others lament Tito in a slow, mournful conclusion to act one.

  1. Scene I. Recitativo "Ma ché? sempre l’istesso" (Vitellia, Sesto)
  2. Scene II. No. 1 Duetto "Come ti piace imponi" (Sesto, Vitellia)
  3. Scene II. Recitativo "Amico, il passo affretta" (Annio, Vitellia, Sesto)
  4. Scene II. No. 2 Aria "Deh se piacer mi vuoi" (Vitellia) / "Chi ciecamente crede" (Vitellia)
  5. Scene III. Recitativo "Amico, ecco il momento" (Annio, Sesto)
  6. Scene III. No. 3 Duettino "Deh prendi un dolce amplesso" (Annio, Sesto)
  7. Scene IV. No. 4 Marcia
  8. Scene IV. No. 5 Coro "Serbate, oh Dei custodi" (Coro)
  9. Scene IV. Recitativo "Te della patria il Padre" (Publio, Annio, Tito)
  10. Scene IV. No. 4 Marcia da capo
  11. Scene IV. Recitativo "Adesso, oh Sesto" (Annio, Sesto, Tito)
  12. Scene IV. No. 6 Aria "Del più sublime soglio" (Tito)
  13. Scene V. Recitativo "Non ci pentiam" (Annio, Servilia)
  14. Scene V. No. 7 Duetto "Ah perdona il primo affetto" (Annio, Servilia)
  15. Scene VI. Recitativo "Che mi rechi in quel foglio?" (Tito, Publio)
  16. Scene VI. Recitativo "Servilia! Augusta!" (Tito, Servilia)
  17. Scene VII. No. 8 Aria "Ah, se fosse intorno al trono" (Tito)
  18. Scene VIII. Recitativi "Felice me! ...Ancora mi schernisce?" (Servilia, Vitellia, Sesto)
  19. Scene IX. No. 9 Aria "Parto, ma tu ben mio... Guardami e tutto oblio" (Sesto)
  20. Scene X. Recitativo "Vedrai, Tito, vedrai, che alfin sì vile" (Vitellia, Publio, Annio)
  21. Scene X. No. 10 Terzetto "Vengo… aspettate… Sesto!…" (Vitellia, Publio, Annio)
  22. Scene XI. No. 11 Recitativo accompagnato "Oh Dei, che smania è questa" (Sesto)
  23. Scene XI. No. 12 Quintetto con coro "Deh, conservate, oh Dei" (Sesto, Annio, Servilia, Publio, Vitellia, Coro) / Recitativo "Sesto!" (Sesto, Annio, Servilia, Publio, Vitellia, Coro)

Act II

The act begins with Annio telling Sesto that Emperor Tito is in fact alive and has just been seen; in the smoke and chaos, Sesto had mistaken someone else for Tito. Sesto wants to leave Rome, but Annio persuades him not to (aria "Torna di Tito a lato"). Soon Publio arrives to arrest Sesto, bearing the news that it was one of Sesto's co-conspirators who dressed himself in Tito's robes and was stabbed, though not mortally, by Sesto. The Senate tries Sesto as Tito waits impatiently, sure that his friend will be exonerated; Publio expresses his doubts (aria "Tardi s'avvede d'un tradimento") and leaves for the Senate. Annio begs Tito to show clemency towards his friend (aria "Tu fosti tradito"). Publio returns and announces that Sesto has been found guilty and that his death sentence only awaits Tito's signature.
Attempting to obtain further details about the plot, the anguished Tito decides to send for Sesto first. Sesto takes all the guilt on himself and says he deserves death (rondo "Deh, per questo istante solo"), so Tito tells him he shall have it and sends him away. But after an extended inner struggle, Tito tears up the execution warrant for Sesto. He determines that, if the world will accuse him (Tito) of anything, it should charge him with showing too much mercy, rather than with having a vengeful heart (aria "Se all'impero").
Vitellia at this time is wracked with guilt, but Servilia warns her that tears alone will not save Sesto (aria "S'altro che lagrime"). Vitellia finally decides to confess all to Tito, giving up her hopes of empire (rondo "Non più di fiori" with basset horn obbligato). In the amphitheatre, the condemned (including Sesto) are waiting to be thrown to the wild beasts. Tito is about to show mercy, when Vitellia offers her confession as the instigator of Sesto's plot. Although shocked, the emperor includes her in the general clemency he offers (recitativo accompagnato "Ma che giorno è mai questo?"). The opera concludes with all the subjects praising the extreme generosity of Tito; he then asks that the gods cut short his days, should he ever cease to care for the good of Rome.

  1. No. 12 Recitativo "Sesto, come tu credi" (Annio, Sesto)
  2. No. 13 Aria "Torna di Tito a lato" (Annio)
  3. No. 13 Recitativi "Partir deggio, o restar? ... Sesto! - Che chiedi?" (Sesto, Vitellia, Publio)
  4. Scene IV. No. 14 Terzetto "Se al volto mai ti senti" (Sesto, Vitellia, Publio)
  5. No. 15 Coro "Ah grazie si rendano" (Coro, Tito)
  6. No. 15 Recitativo "Già de' pubblici giuochi" (Publio, Tito)
  7. No. 16 Aria "Tardi s'avvede" (Publio)
  8. No. 16 Recitativo "No, così scellerato" (Tito, Annio, Publio)
  9. Scene VII. No. 17 Aria "Tu fosti tradito" (Annio)
  10. Scene VIII. Recitativo accompagnato "Che orror! che tradimento!" (Tito) / Recitativi "Ingrato!" (Tito)
  11. Scene IX. Recitativo "Ma, Publio, ancora Sesto non viene?" (Publio, Tito)
  12. Scene X. No. 18 Terzetto "Quello di Tito è il volto!" (Sesto, Tito, Publio)
  13. Scene X. Recitativo "E pur mi fa pietà" (Tito, Sesto)
  14. No. 18 Recitativo "Odimi, oh Sesto; siam soli" (Tito, Sesto)
  15. No. 19 Aria (Rondo) "Deh per questo istante solo" (Sesto) / Aria "Disperato vado a morte" (Sesto)
  16. No. 19 Recitativi "Dove s'intese mai più contumace infedeltà? ... Publio. - Cesare." (Tito, Publio)
  17. No. 20 Aria "Se all'impero" (Tito)
  18. Scene XII. Recitativo "Publio, ascolta!" (Vitellia, Publio)
  19. No. 20 Recitativo "Non giova lusingarsi" (Vitellia, Servilia, Annio)
  20. No. 21 Aria "S'altro che lagrime" (Servilia)
  21. Scene XV. No. 22 Recitativo accompagnato "Ecco il punto, oh Vitellia" (Vitellia)
  22. Scene XV. No. 23 Aria. Rondo "Non più di fiori" / "Infelice! qual orrore!" (Vitellia)
  23. Scene XVI. No. 24 Coro "Che del ciel, che degli Dei" (Coro)
  24. Scene XVI. Recitativo "Pria che principio" (Tito, Annio, Servilia)
  25. No. 24 Recitativo "Sesto, de' tuoi delitti" (Tito, Vitellia, Servilia, Sesto, Annio, Publio)
  26. Scene XVII. No. 25 Recitativo accompagnato "Ma che giorno è mai questo?" (Tito)
  27. Scene XVII. No. 26 Sestetto con coro "Tu, è ver, m’assolvi, Augusto" (Sesto, Tito, Vitellia, Servilia, Annio, Publio, Coro)

Synopsis from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Elsewhere

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