Topic: La Clemenza Di Tito

[Wendell_E]

The only problem you may have as first time opera goer, is keeping track of who loves who, who wants to marry who.

Easy:  Servilia and Annio love each other.
Tito love Berenice, but being noble and self-sacrificing, is willing to give her up for Rome.
Sesto loves Tito (but not in the gay way), but is madly (literally) in love with Vitellia.
Vitellia would love to be empress, by marrying Tito, or failing that, having him killed.  Six of one...

Fairly clear and straightforward (by opera seria standards).

[Que]

Bump....

I attended a semi staged performance of La Clemenza di Tito in the Concertgebouw recently, and loved the music! 

Any recommendations on recordings?

As usual, I'm particularly interested in HIP performances....

(But I won't neglect any recommendations of Golden Oldies with stellar singing....)


Thanks! 

Q

[Marc]

[...]
Any recommendations on recordings?

As usual, I'm particularly interested in HIP performances....

(But I won't neglect any recommendations of Golden Oldies with stellar singing....)


Thanks! 

Q

I've always been very happy with the HIP/PI-recording in Brilliant's Mozart Edition: Jed Wentz conducting Musica ad Rhenum.
Gardiner and Jacobs have done fine jobs with this piece, too.

Non-HIP favourites: Istvan Kertész and Colin Davis.

'Semi-HIP': Harnonknoei & Orchester der Oper Zürich.

That'll keep you busy for a while.

[Spineur]

Will be seeing La clemenza di Tito at the Paris opera this sunday.  My habit is to go through a pre-listen.  I have the excellent Istvan Kertész mentionned by Marc as well as the René Jacob directing the Freiburg baroque orchestra, which is the one I chose for tonight listen



There are a couple of duos between the soprano and the clarinet that are to kill for.

[Jeffrey Smith]

I vote for Jacobs.

[Que]

I've always been very happy with the HIP/PI-recording in Brilliant's Mozart Edition: Jed Wentz conducting Musica ad Rhenum.
Gardiner and Jacobs have done fine jobs with this piece, too.

Non-HIP favourites: Istvan Kertész and Colin Davis.

'Semi-HIP': Harnonknoei & Orchester der Oper Zürich.

That'll keep you busy for a while.

It will.... Thank you,  Marc! 

Will be seeing La clemenza di Tito at the Paris opera this sunday.  My habit is to go through a pre-listen.  I have the excellent Istvan Kertész mentionned by Marc as well as the René Jacob directing the Freiburg baroque orchestra, which is the one I chose for tonight listen

I vote for Jacobs.

Spineur, enjoy the performance and thank you both for the recommendation  - I have a weakness for Jacobs ' Mozart... 

Q

[Spineur]

Just saw the live performance of la Clemenza di Tito at Paris Opera



and found it immensly enjoyable.  Nothing replaces live opera on the personal impact and getting the emotions through.

Distribution:
Tito Michael Spyres ***
Sesto Stephanie d'Oustrac ****
Vitellia Aleksandra Kurzak **
Annio Angela Brower ***
Valentina Naforniţa ***

Stephanie d'Oustrac was marvelous.  I dont think it is possible to portray a better Sesto.  Michael Spyres was fine but I dont think he masters the Mozartian repertoire as well as he does the 19th century french repertoire.  But is there a living Mozartian tenor of the level of Wunderlich or Simoneau today ?

This opera is pure 18th century ware.  Permeates with enlightments and naiveté.  Probably why I like this opera so much.

Message: try to catch a live performance if you can.  It is really worth it !