Ravinia 2022, Issue 4

CORY WEAVER Janai Brugger (left) and Guanqun Yu (right) portrayed Servilia and Vitellia respectively in Los Angeles Opera’s 2019 presentation of La clemenza di Tito led by James Conlon, both the company’s and the conductor’s first production of the opera. Both sopranos reprise the same roles when Conlon mounts performances at Ravinia, both the festival’s and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s first encounters with the complete opera. within today’s political environment. The monarch attains the divine Godhead (to paraphrase The Magic Flute ) when he/she exercises forgive- ness, not just mercy. Imperial clemen- cy (or presidential pardons) rescind the punishment while acknowledging guilt. Forgiveness goes further. It cancels the offense itself. Tito, the emperor, pardons the crime and its punishment. Tito, the man, forgives and blesses the perpetrators. Political intrigue interested Mozart only to a certain degree. His subject is always love with all of its joy and turmoil. The contrasts of the positive and negative aspects of love is drama’s dynamic. Renunciation, in the com- poser’s mind, is a close cousin of love : Servilia renounces the throne for love; Sesto his honor, in order to serve Vi- tellia’s scheming; and Vitellia her life, to save Sesto. Tito renounces personal love altogether for his devotion to Rome. With his forgiveness he sanc- tions everyone else to live as amorous couples, excluding himself to preserve his devotion to his patriotic duty. The frequent demonstration of clemency, pardon, or forgiveness by Mozart’s characters is impressive, although occasionally ambiguous. The Countess ( Marriage of Figaro ), Donna Elvira ( Don Giovanni ), and Pasha Selim ( Abduction from the Seraglio ) are the most prominent models of forgiveness. Susanna ( Figaro ), Kon- stanze, and Blöndchen (both Seraglio ) easily forgive smaller offenses. Fer- rando and Guglielmo (both Così fan tutte ) pardon their errant lovers—but do they forgive them? In The Magic Flute , Sarastro preaches forgiveness but nevertheless punishes Monostatos and the Queen of the Night. Elettra ( Idomeneo ) cannot forgive, and hence condemns herself. Mozart himself seems to forgive everyone—except Don Giovanni, whose abominations are too great. Divine justice itself decrees his punishment. [ Read more on this subject on page 80. ] Tito is the culmination of this chain. We recognize the strength and self-confidence of those who rule with goodness. When the monarch knows the meaning of clemency and forgiveness , the common good is served. Tito knows not only these, but the power of dedication and service to his people: “Oh eternal gods, cut short my life on the day that Rome will not be my care.” And when he says that, it should be noted in Rome ch’io tutto so [that I know everything], we recog- nize the worthy leader; tutti assolvo [I absolve everyone], we acknowledge his willingness to annul the punish- ment of transgressors; e tutto obblio [and I forget everything], we celebrate his Godlike, transcendent value of forgiveness. By September 6, 1791, Mozart had set those words to music. With those words, he had already prepared himself for his appointment with destiny. Just three months later, he was dead. © James Conlon 2019, revised 2022 RAVINIA MAGAZINE • AUGUST 1 – AUGUST 14, 2022 12