TDK presents a truly new way of looking at La clemenza di Tito with this famous and star-studded production from the Salzburg Festival 2003. Here Nikolaus Harnoncourt, renowned for his analytical approach to the search for the core of the music, interprets Mozart's last opera. Martin Kusej, who is acclaimed for his theatre productions and has been head of the Salzburg Festival's drama department since 2005, directs the production.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt identifies with Mozart's score as both an extremely knowledgeable musician and a conductor who invariably plays an active part in helping to shape the drama. Together with the Vienna Philharmonic, he savours the miracles of Mozart's late work, bringing out its instrumental colours and effects and at the same time stimulating his singers while proving a solicitous accompanist.
Martin Kušej's production emphasizes the darker sides of the piece, exploring the opera's basic archetypal patterns while at the same time interpreting it as a highly topical and - in the truest sense of the term - timeless political and human power game. His ability to bring this concept across by focussing on every last detail of the characterization reflects the demand to provide new insights into Mozart's works that, in Salzburg more than anywhere else, is incumbent upon interpreters.
The suggestive power of this performance however, is also due to an ensemble that was truly worthy of a festival appearance. As one critic wrote, six handpicked artists "brought to their parts both plenty of character and a flawless technique".
Michael Schade explores Tito as a character whose forgiveness strangely underpins his authoritarian character and his tender yet powerful voice fits the emperor's literally "merciless mercy" perfectly. The tenor also shows enormous acting skills when Tito gradually becomes detached from the real world around him and is about to become as disturbed as he is disturbing.
Vesselina Kasarova in one of her showpieces as Sesto finely tunes into the role showing - musically and dramatically - every nuance of this love-driven character who is about to kill his best friend to gain his adored Vitella.
Dorothea Röschmann plays this drastic female character vainly searching love and power, driven by revenge for her father, the deposed former emperor. Impressively she shows how futile Vitella's search is and her performance of the inwardly empty princess towards the end of the drama is as chilling as her perfect Mozart singing is heart-warming.
Barbara Bonney sings and enacts her counterpart Servilia with a clear voice and emotionally touching prowess. She is Sesto's amiable sister, who, through her earnestness and truthfulness moves Tito to grant clemency and to refrain from using his power to interfere with her love for Annio.
The young mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca was greeted with enthusiastic applause for her Salzburg debut in the trouser-role of Annio. Bass-Baritone Luca Pisaroni, a young singer who is rapidly emerging as a major talent in the Mozart repertoire sang Publio, Captain of the Guard.
Recorded live by Austrian Television, this staging is now available on DVD. Under the experienced direction of Brian Large and with a comprehensive understanding of the music, the filming draws close to the characters thus bringing the excellent acting to the attention of the viewer undisturbed.
When appropriate, the camera zooms out giving a full view of the three-storey stage. Jens Killian's stage design hints at totalitarian taste in 20th century with the emperor's palace suggesting fascist-style interiors. Together with the highest quality in sound technique, this TDK DVD provides a feast for ear and eye.
Source: TDK
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