Between mounting debts, health problems and working on Die Zauberflöte, Mozart received a commission from Prague to compose an opera for the coronation of Emperor Leopold II as King of Bohemia. The result was La clemenza di Tito, a hastily composed work in the style of opera seria, which was beginning to become obsolete at the time. The style of the opera, the rushed nature of its composition (apparently the recitatives weren’t even composed by Mozart) and the subject of Titus Vespasianus, which had already been thoroughly explored in other operas with the same libretto by Mestastasio, perhaps prevented the opera from achieving the success of Mozart’s other late works. Despite these shortcomings, Clemenza contains some of the finest and most thoughtful operatic music Mozart ever composed, and some of his last.
SOLID MODERN CHOICES
Clemenza is an opera that has enjoyed a resurgence of interest in the last 50 years or so, and since the turn of the century it has become more than a rarity in the repertoire, both on stage and on disc. René Jacobs’ 2005 recording for Harmonia Mundi on period instruments thrives thanks to the conductor’s imagination, with a cast that, while not individually outstanding, excels in its interpretative ability and rapport with the conductor.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s live recording for his Mozart cycle (Deutsche Grammophon, 2017) is more conventional, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The lightness and directness of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe works very well with Nézet-Séguin’s energetic yet composed interpretation of the work. On the vocal side, the highlight is Marina Rebeka, who seems to understand Vitellia’s volatility perfectly. Rolando Villazón’s interpretation of Tito is clearly well studied, though he struggles with the more virtuosic parts of the role. Joyce DiDonato passes the test as Sesto and Regula Mühlemann is a convincing Servilia.
Ben Glassberg’s audience-free live recording from the Covid era (Alpha Classics, 2020) is a strong choice all round. These days it feels as if most Mozart opera recordings have been overtaken by the historically informed movement, so to hear a large, full modern orchestra performing Clemenza under Glassberg’s capable direction is an absolute treat. Nicky Spence’s Tito is more heroic than usual, Simona Šaturová’s fiery Vitellia is perhaps a little too light, while Anna Stéphany is very good as Sesto.
TWO SUPERSTAR TENORS TAKE ON TITO
This 1955 radio broadcast, conducted by Joseph Keilberth (Capriccio), is notable for a young Nicolai Gedda’s outstanding Tito, probably the best in recorded history: strong and aristocratic, yet elegant and kind. Aside from the conducting, the rest of the recording is riddled with flaws. The rest of the cast doesn’t do Keilberth and Gedda justice and, worst of all, the recitatives are replaced by German narration.
In these excerpts from a radio broadcast from 1970, conducted by István Kertész (Jamada), we hear a surprisingly controlled, elegant and measured Franco Bonisolli in the role of Tito, as it was recorded before constant histrionics and exaggeration became part of his singing. His uncharacteristically polished and refined interpretation, combined with his naturally strong, heroic voice, makes for a Tito well worth listening to. The rest of the cast performs well and Kertész conducts the work competently. It’s possible to find the full recording of the performance, but not an official release.
SALZBURG FESTIVAL GEMS
The Salzburg Festival has always been an exceptional source of notable live recordings of Mozart operas, and Clemenza is no exception. This 1977 recording (Orfeo) features a very competent Mozartian in James Levine, who conducts the work emphatically, and a strong cast led by Werner Hollweg’s remarkable Tito, Tatiana Troyanos’ expressive Sesto and Catherine Malfitano’s youthful Servilia. Carol Neblett has the voice of a great Vitellia, but her interpretation at times falls short.
Another great Mozartian conducts this 1988 performance (EMI), the Neapolitan maestro Riccardo Muti. His direction of the work, intense and involved, is faster than Levine’s, which greatly benefits the pacing of the work. As Vitellia, Carol Vaness is second only to Júlia Várady; her adaptability is perfect for such a multifaceted character. Delores Ziegler is a fantastic Sesto and Colombian mezzo-soprano Martha Senn shines as Annio every time she gets the chance. Christine Barbaux as Servilia and László Polgár as Publio round off a cast in which the weak point is Gösta Winbergh’s cold, inexpressive Tito.
GREAT SELECTIONS
István Kertész’s 1967 recording for Decca was only the second attempt to record Clemenza in its entirety in the studio, and as a result the recitatives have many cuts. The musical direction works well enough without being remarkable, but the main attraction of this version is Teresa Berganza’s incomparable Sesto, full of youth and expression, with a ‘Parto, parto’ for the ages. Lucia Popp and Brigitte Fassbaender are very good as the young lovers Servilia and Annio, while Werner Krenn’s portrayal of the title character is effective enough. Maria Casula as Vitellia has some impressive highlights, but her overall performance is rather uneven.
Sir Colin Davis’ 1976 recording for Philips is exceptional, particularly for his conducting, which demonstrates an extraordinary knowledge of both the composer and the work itself. The cast includes Stuart Burrows’ Tito, who gives a masterclass in Mozartian style, along with Dame Janet Baker’s fantastic Vitellia, demonstrating her remarkable versatility as a singer. Lucia Popp is once again a very good Servilia, with Frederica von Stade opposite her as a remarkable Annio. Yvonne Minton and Robert Lloyd, as Sesto and Publio respectively, are not outstanding, but complete the cast well enough.
Recorded with period instruments, Christopher Hogwood’s swift and frantic version of the work for L’Oiseau-Lyre (1992) features Uwe Heilmann’s fantastic Tito. His elegance and phrasing create a very aristocratic yet sensitive portrayal of the title character, which matches the style of the conductor and orchestra. Barbara Bonney and Diana Montague are exceptionally convincing as the young couple Servilia and Annio, while Della Jones’ Vitellia is remarkable. Cecilia Bartoli’s Sesto is excitingly virtuosic, if a little lacking in interpretation.
THE SWEET SPOT BETWEEN PERIOD INSTRUMENTS AND MODERN ORCHESTRAS
Since the rise of the historically informed movement, there has been an ongoing debate about the proper way to perform Mozart operas: with a smaller period instrument ensemble or with a full modern instrument orchestra. A significant omission in this debate is a mixed approach, such as a smaller chamber-sized orchestra with some historically informed elements in the performing, but using modern instruments, which is exactly what Nikolaus Harnoncourt did for this 1993 Teldec recording. His conducting, eccentric as ever, constantly tinkers with the tempi of the work. The cast works as an ensemble to create more than the sum of its parts, with Philip Langridge as an introspective Tito and Lucia Popp’s ageing but compelling Vitellia, her last recorded role after three decades of highly successful recording history.
This mixed approach is also adopted by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Sir Charles Mackerras in his 2005 recording for Deutsche Grammophon. The conducting, less heterodox than Harnoncourt’s, is energetic and keeps the work alive. For the cast, Magdalena Kožená’s Sesto is the main highlight. Her expressive and virtuosic portrayal of the character is very close to Teresa Berganza’s. The rest of the cast is very good; Hillevi Martinpelto’s Vitellia stands out, even if her low notes are a tad weak, while Rainer Trost’s Tito is very accomplished. Lisa Milne as Servilia, Christine Rice as Annio and John Relyea as Publio are also effective in their respective roles.
TOP TWO RECOMMENDATIONS
It’s almost impossible to choose just one recording of La clemenza di Tito as a top recommendation, especially when the two candidates are so opposite in approach: one performed with a modern orchestra, the other with a period ensemble. One of the candidates is Karl Böhm’s 1978 recording for Deutsche Grammophon, in which his outstanding reading of the work tends towards a solemn and Germanic interpretation, perfectly suited to the Staatskapelle Dresden. Júlia Várady is undoubtedly the best Vitellia on record; her low notes are solid, her high notes dazzling and her overall interpretation both interesting and vibrant. Teresa Berganza does the impossible by improving on her Sesto of eleven years prior, adding maturity and tenderness to the role. Peter Schreier’s Tito is thorough and intelligent, while the young lovers Servilia and Annio are superbly played by Edith Mathis and Marga Schiml. Theo Adam’s remarkable Publio rounds off a recording for the ages.
The other candidate is Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s 1990 live recording for Archiv. Performed on period instruments, Gardiner’s direction is the opposite of Böhm’s: light and spirited, which suits the English Baroque Soloists perfectly. Anthony Rolfe Johnson’s portrayal of the title character is outstanding, full of nuance and compassion, while Anne Sofie von Otter’s Sesto is insightful and sincere. Sylvia McNair and Catherine Robbin complement each other well as Servilia and Annio, while Cornelius Hauptmann is good enough as Publio. The only link between the top two recommendations is Júlia Várady, whose Vitellia is as outstanding here as it was with Böhm, and shows how great an artist she is to dominate the same role with two radically different conductors.
