Rome is burning. All seems lost. This is the end of Act I of “La Clemenza di Tito,” an opera about Titus, a virtuous emperor and a good ruler, shining a light for humanity in its darkest times.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed this two-act opera in 1791 to commemorate the coronation of the king of Bohemia, Leopold II. And what better way to celebrate this than to create a story about a compassionate ruler?
One of Mozart’s last operas, “The Clemency of Titus” is an “opera seria,” a formal opera set in classical times, focusing on complex human feelings and with a profound message….