From Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 March opera, music, theatre and Mozart lovers will have the opportunity to experience, for the first time in Malta, a completely new production of Mozart’s last opera “La Clemenza di Tito”. This is presented as part of the Teatru Manoel BOV Performing Arts Festival. Designed and created locally, it features an international cast of soloists, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and a Maltese opera chorus conducted by Damiano Binetti. Direction is in the hands of Harry Fehr who worked on original ideas by locally-based director Denise Mulholland.
“La Clemenza di Tito” first premiered on the 6th of September 1791, a few hours after Emperor Leopold’s coronation and was the first Mozart opera to reach London on 27th March 1806. In recent years the opera has undergone something of a reappraisal with critics considering it as a show of Mozart’s "responding with music of restraint, nobility and warmth to a new kind of stimulus".
A double cast has been secured for the four consecutive evenings; the role of Tito will be performed by tenors Peter Davoren and Ben Thapa, the role of Vitellia by sopranos Andriana Jordanova and Cristina Baggio whilst the role of Sesto will be covered by David Hansen (one of the world’s top countertenors) on two of the nights, alternating with mezzo soprano Sian Cameron. The cast also includes mezzo sopranos Clare Chigo and Annie Fredriksson in the role of Annio, sopranos Claudia Tabone and Gabriella Costa in the role of Servilia whilst bass singers Albert Buttigieg and Noel Galea will cover the role of Publio.
The scenery, produced purposely for this production by Teatru Manoel, is inspired by Piranesi’s engravings of Rome’s most famous landmarks and includes a reproduction of the famous floor designs at Rome’s Campidoglio created by Michelangelo. The costumes, created by the Theatre’s own Costume House are inspired by the elegance and neo-classical lines of the directoire period with fabric and materials sponsored by Camilleri Paris Mode.
Tickets are already available and being sold from Teatru Manoel’s website www.teatrumanoel.com.mt or through the booking office by email on [email protected] or by calling on 21 246389