ENO’s new Clemenza, musically quite something, again reflects the enigma that is director David McVicar. Like other of his recent productions, this one evolves amidst an encircling gloom. Designer Yannis Thavouris creates evocative settings by trucking monumental curved walls, one elaborately wood-carved, another painted with a foliage design, within which Paule Constable’s criss-crossing shafts of light pick out protagonists locked in emotionally charged encounters.
However, too often darkness enshrouds them - such as Vitellia during the crucial recit that prefaces ‘Non piu di fiori’. Surely, after the revelation of Sesto’s attempt on Tito’s life, the action might lighten up.
Clemenza is also about Tito’s statesmanship - visually he is associated with a sapling, with nurture. Yet McVicar relegates the chorus/citizenry to the orchestra pit, replacing them with stave-wielding, samurai-like Praetorians who seemingly resent his clemency. That may link the libretto to contemporary politics but contradicts its spirit and Mozart’s inspiriting music.
McVicar draws powerful characterisations from the performers, a touch too much so from Emma Bell’s feral, shaven-headed Vitellia, hair-raisingly sung, who comes on like Messalina. Her change of heart confronted with Sesto’s fate thus becomes harder to take.
However Sarah Connolly, singing with style and passion, fashions a subtly nuanced, moving portrayal of the anguished Sesto, long-haired to reflect gender and power reversal, while Paul Nilon, moulding the music with sympathetic command, brings gravitas and sensitivity to Tito.
Sally Matthews and Stephanie Marshall imbue the young lowers Servilia and Annio with an attractive innocence. Roland Boer conducts a lithe yet urgent reading with the ENO orchestra on cracking form.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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