LA CLEMENZA DI TITO Michael Schade · Dorothea Röschmann · Barbara Bonney Vesselina Kasarova · Elīna Garanča · Luca Pisaroni Wiener Philhamroniker conducted by staged by Martin Kušej WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Mozart was still working on when he was commissioned to write a festive for the coronation of Leopold II in Prague as King of Bohemia on 6 September 1791. From a lofty reflection on politics and justice, it became a LA CLEMENZA DI TITO conflict between friends and lovers. Emperor Titus plans to marry Berenice, thus arousing the rage of Vitellia. She Orchestra Wiener Philharmoniker urges Sesto, who loves her, to lead a revolt against Titus. After further complica- Chorus Konzertvereinigung tions, Titus resolves to marry Vitellia. Vitellia tries to Wiener Staatsopernchor stop Sesto, but in vain: he has burned down the Capitol and tried to kill his Chorus Master Rupert Huber best friend Titus. The Emperor escapes, but, surrounded by manipulation and Conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt betrayal, the future seems bleak… Stage Director Martin Kušej This opera seria, Mozart’s very last opera, is both a distillate of late 18th-century Tito Vespasiano Michael Schade opera as well as an anticipation of the 19th-century opera with its tormented Vitellia Dorothea Röschmann heroes. Director Martin Kušej tells the story straightforwardly, digging into Servilia Barbara Bonney the substrata of the work to bring out the complex psyches of the characters, Sesto Vesselina Kasarova their neurotic impulses, their sexual drives and the motives of their intrigues. Annio Elīna Garanča Kušej’s “Clemenza” is a mad whirl of love, murder, arson and rebellion. He is ably Publio Luca Pisaroni supported by the Wiener Philharmoniker under Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and a stellar cast that proves just how much flesh and blood pulses through this work. Video Director Brian Large Michael Schade, one of the most exciting lyrical tenors of today, is a Titus who sings with fire and dignity. The dramatic soprano Dorothea Röschmann, who made her international breakthrough in Salzburg in 1995 as Susanna (Figaro) Length: 140' under Harnoncourt, portrays Vitellia as a power-hungry schemer with a broken Shot in HDTV 1080/50i soul. The incomparable mezzo Vesselina Kasarova paints her Sesto with all the Cat. no. A 040 01477 passion and torment of a lover forced to betray his best friend. On a par with them are Barbara Bonney (Servilia), Elīna Garanča (Annio) A production of ORF and Luca Pisaroni (Publio). This production is in cooperation with . universally. acclaimed as a musical and Distributed by UNITEL dramatic triumph. All rights reserved · credits not contractual · Different territories · Photos: © Hans Jörg Michel · Flyer: mmessner.de

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