The Lyric Opera of Chicago presents a new-to-Chicago production of LA CLEMENZA DI TITO.
Mozart composed a robust Roman drama. The premise has the emperor, Tito, ready to take a bride. Vitellia believes she is the rightful empress. She coerces Sesto, her love-sick suitor, to instigate a revolt. Meanwhile, Tito picks Sesto’s sister, Servilia, as his betrothed. Unfortunately, Servilia is already in love with Annio. All these men and women do foolish things for love, for friendship, for Rome. The tale nicely melds together treason and unrequited love for a rich dramedy.
Of the five principals, four are women. Both the male roles of Sesto and Annio are sung by mezzo-sopranos. Mozart adds this layer of complexity to his wondrous compositions of arias, duets and trios. Characters are distinct in persona and vocal expressiveness. From scene one, the versatile Amanda Majewski (Vitellia) seduces the pining Joyce DiDonato (Sesto). The perfectly manipulative Majewski stretches her vocal and acting muscles playing the driven empress-to-be. The deft DiDonato pulls us down into the depths of the all-consuming love possessing him(her). The emotional connection captivates with a heartfelt authenticity. This opera is tangled in relational angst and beauty. At one point, a doomed DiDonato begs Tito to remember ‘happier days of their friendship.’
Neither the plot nor the music is black and white. Many operas plot and kill without hesitation.LA CLEMENZA DI TITO grapples with the flawed human condition. There is a truth that permeates this show: “What is the right thing to do?” The plot and music are expansive enough to allow characters the time to ponder. Under the spirited baton of Sir Andrew Davis, contemplation lingers in soulful melodies.
After attending twenty years of operatic delights at the Lyric, I’m still a novice to the intricate musicality of the great masters. I enjoy the bright and shiny spectacles more than the true operatic triumphs. Case in point, the Lyric is currently offering RUSALKA and LA CLEMENZA DI TITO. The bold, whimsical pageantry of RUSALKA made me fall hard for it. Although LA CLEMENZA DI TITO has more substance from its genius creator, I only liked it. It was gorgeous but dull. I’m pretty certain the true music aficionado would choose CLEMENZA over RUSALKA. Still, no one has to choose one over the other. They are the last two selections in the Lyric Opera 2013/2014 season… see both!
Running Time: two hours and fifty minutes includes an intermission
At Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Caterino Mazzola
Adapted from a text by Metastasio
Edited for the new Mozart Edition by Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini
Operia seria in two acts in Italian
English titles by Colin Ure
Original direction by Sir David McVicar
Revival Director Marie Lambert
Conducted by Sir Andrew Davis
At 7:30pm: March 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, 20th
At 2pm: March 23rd
Buy Tickets at www.lyricopera.org