Two weeks before the conclusion of the Metropolitan Opera season, the company revived the late Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's 1984 Met premiere production of "La Clemenza di Tito" (1791), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera seria, with libretto, after Pietro Metastasio, by Catarino Mazzolà. The opera treats the clemency of first century Roman Emperor Titus Flavius Sabinus Vespasianus in pardoning his would-be assassins and his wisdom in granting a potential Empress leave to return, instead, to her true love. Neither the historic Titus' homosexuality, his "relations with ... favorite boys [who] danced ... on the stage," noted by Roman historian Suetonius in "The Twelve Caesars," nor his ruthless conquest of Jerusalem, resulting in the deaths of a million Jews, is a concern of the opera. With its arches, columns, balconies, stairs and statuary, with an appearance of marble, and its Age of Enlightenment versions of ancient Roman robes, Ponnelle's production, currently staged by Laurie Feldman and lit by Gil Wechsler, represents a 20th century take on an 18th century view of first century Rome. The work's season premiere, on May 3, with an illustrious cast, is under consideration here.
Conductor Henry Bicket, most familiar locally as a Baroque specialist, was at the helm for this later 18th century opera, from the last year of Mozart's short life, and set the tone for the evening by leading a rousing account of the allegro overture.
Ramón Vargas, usually heard in Romantic era opera, was the new Tito. He began with a polished "Del più sublime soglio" (Of the sublime throne), singing its quietest phrases in a securely supported voix mixte (mixed voice) head tone. In the propulsive "Ah, se fosse intorno al trono" (Ah, if all those nearest the throne), praising his intended, Servilia's honesty about her devotion to Annio, notes at the top of and above the staff sounded rather raw, but the Mexican tenor redeemed himself, and crowned his performance, with a fluent coloratura "Se all' impero" (If to the Empire), aimed at resolving his character's conflict between imperial duty and his principles as clement ruler and loyal friend.
Susan Graham, who began her Met season triumphantly with an 18th century assignment, as protagonist of Gluck's "Iphigénie en Tauride," ends it with one as well, the travesti part of Sesto, Tito's friend, rival-more or less-and, manipulated by Vitellia, almost his assassin. Graham managed to make her two florid showpieces, "Parto, parto" (I go) and the rondo "Deh per questo istante solo" (Remember, if only for this moment), at once thoughtful and intense, bravura and quietly refined, delivered in exemplary Classical style and distinguishing her as a worthy successor to the late Tatiana Troyanos in the role.
New as the imperious, scheming Vitellia, daughter of deposed Emperor Vitellius, convinced of her right to be Empress, but twice passed over by Tito-once for his mistress, Berenice, sister of Herod Agrippa II, then for Servilia--Tbilisi, Georgia-born Tamar Iveri cleanly sculpted the dramatic and ornamented line of "Deh se piacer mi vuoi" (If you wish to please me), sung to Sesto, and climactic rondo "Non più di fiori" (No longer flowers), as Vitellia prepared to confess her guilt about having conspired against Tito and dash her dream of being Empress just when Tito has proposed that she be his consort, in a highly colorful, flexible soprano. Iveri proved unafraid to use chest voice in the first aria; suffered grandly in the second; appeared visibly deflated in her exchange with Servilia, the presumed Empress, and assumed her rival was taunting her when she offered that Vitellia might yet take the throne; and hit a quick high D squarely, during an ornate figure on the word "gelo" (I freeze), in the trio with Annio and Publio, "Vengo ... aspettate ..." (I come ... wait for me), near the end of Act One.
Graham and Iveri, expressive singers both, began their evening with a fiery "Come ti piace imponi" (Command and control, as you wish).
Mezzo-sopranos Graham and, as Annio, Anke Vondung, as friends and brothers-in-law, melded voices mellifluously in duettino "Deh prendi un dolce amplesso" (Let me embrace you). Vondung, from Germany, smoothly sang her arias "Torna di Tito a lato" (Go back to Tito), to the distraught Sesto, after the assassination attempt, and "Tu fosti tradito" (You were betrayed), to Tito, when begging for clemency for Sesto. She and Heidi Grant Murphy, as Annio's love and Sesto's sister, Servilia, blended voices and affirmed their love in a touching "Ah perdona" (Ah, forgive). Seeking to motivate Vitellia to save Sesto, Murphy, with understatement, caressingly sang "S'altro che lagrime" (If you have no more than tears).
Oren Gradus, as Publio, advised Tito in "Tardi s'avvede d'un tradimento" (He who is never disloyal), sung in a sturdy bass, and joined Graham's Sesto-tormented about his dastardly deeds, burning the capitol and attempting to take Tito's life-and Iveri's Vitellia--thinking primarily of herself, her safety and her reputation, even when Sesto was in immediate danger--in farewell trio "Se al volto mai ti senti" (If on your face you ever feel).
The Met chorus, as the people of Rome, heartily sang Tito's praises in "Serbati, oh Dei custodi" (Save, oh guardian gods), "Ah grazie si rendano" (Let us give thanks), and "Che del ciel" (You, who of heaven). The full company, save Tito, and led by Sesto, in turmoil, collaborated on a forceful "Deh conservate, oh Dei" (Preserve, o gods), the first act finale, and, joined by Tito and led by Vitellia, celebrated the opera's happy resolution with "Oh generoso! Oh grande!" (Oh generous and great one).
Remaining performances of "La Clemenza di Tito" are on May 6 and 15 at 8 pm and 10 at 1 pm. For tickets, at $15 to 320, go to the Met box office at Lincoln Center, visit www.metopera.org, or call 212/362-6000.
