MOZART: La Clemenza di Tito (Brilliant Opera Collection) [CD de audio] André Post, Claudia Patacca, Cecile van de Sant, Vocal E

Mozart had not composed in the archaic genre of 'Opera Seria' for more than ten years when the impresario Guardasoni asked him if he would write an opera for the occasion of the coronation of Emperor Leopold II as King of Bohemia. The libretto was by Pietro Metastasio and had already been successfully established with music by Caldara, Gluck, Galuppi, Sarti, Mylivicek and Naumann. Mozart had the author Caterino Mazzola shorten the text so that the work would be suitable for the occasion and limited to two acts. Mozart had just put the finishing touches on 'The Magic Flute'. Mozart had already had much success with his comic operas, but he could not be too scathing for the solemn ceremony. Tito's classic theme must have appealed to Mozart, since he had already coveredtly discussed the virtues of forgiveness and tolerance in 'The Magic Flute'. And the story of the Roman emperor Titus fit with the celebration of the upcoming coronation. Mozart rushed to finish the work for the premiere on September 6, 1791. Mozart's health was already very poor and he asked his student Süßmayr to compose the recitatives so that the work could take shape more quickly. Mozart died that same year.