Opera Scotland

Clemenza di Tito 2011English Touring Opera

Read more about the opera Clemenza di Tito

La clemenza di Tito is at last recognised as one of the great works of Mozart's final period. For many years it was written off as a throwback to a previous age of opera seria, and therefore fifty years out of date. Better knowledge of that context now lets us see the extent to which Mozart and his librettist Mazzolà update the basic framework. As this production showed, even modern dress with fashionable references need not feel out of place. And Andrew Porter's English version is up to his usual standard.

This staging fitted neatly on to the tiny Perth stage, and Richard Lewis conducted a performance full of variety, bringing out unusual details. The chorus were perticularly powerful in the final scene. The arias all went well, especially the two with clarinet and basset horn obbligato. Mark Wilde was voiceless and his cover, Ashley Catling, sang from a stage box, while Wilde mimed effectively - but surely the point of having a 'cover' is that they are rehearsed to the stage where they can go on and give a full performance if required