Mozart - La Clemenza di Tito (James Levine, Eric Tappy, Tatiana Troyanos) [2006 / 1980]

On the heels of the recent excellent Clemenza DVD from Opus Arte, comes this DGG DVD of a beautiful film of the opera directed by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. It was filmed on location in Rome at the Baths of Caracalla, the Arch of Titus and at the Villa Adriana in Tivoli from 10 May-16 June 1980 with the sound recording made in Vienna at Wien-Film 6-12 May 1980. Ponnelle favored singers lip synching their arias so that they might concentrate on acting, thus improving the dramatic aspect of opera. It seems to work here. Clemenza, more than most Mozart operas, relies on lengthy expository recitatives to further the story. These recitatives, as is well known, were not written by Mozart but by his assistants, probably Sussmayr. Slightly less effective as they are, any dramatic enhancements are an improvement. The film's cinematography is beautiful, with most of the film shot at night or in twilight. Roman ruins have never looked so stunning: they tower over the singers, as if making an existential statement about the powerlessness of humanity, the essential illusion of power, the historical inevitability of fate. History, itself, becomes a character. It was an inspired decision to film the opera in this fashion. The DVD is worthwhile for the film's beauty. The acting of the singers increases the effectiveness of the opera's drama, making what are admittedly quite artificial opera seria situations more believable. Overcoming that artificiality is one of several attendant difficulties in presenting opera seria to a modern audience. Ponnelle succeeds admirably.

Performer:
Tito - Eric Tappy
Sesto - Tatiana Troyanos
Vitellia - Carol Neblett
Annio - Anne Howells
Servilia - Catherine Malfitano
Publio - Kurt Rydl
Wiener Staatsopernchor
Wiener Philharmoniker
Conductor - James Levine
Directed by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle

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