Opera, perhaps more so than most art forms, has become divisive. For some it epitomises the very worst sort of excess enjoyed by the privileged enclaves of our society. Opera is thus entangled not only in aesthetic disputes, but socio-economic and even moral controversy. Indeed the prolonged length of the form and the setting in opulent and exclusive venues seems to make the accusation of elitism ever more compelling.
This however is most definitely not what producer Ambrose Yim and Director Hendrick Ehlers think. Their decision to stage Mozart’s late masterpiece, The Mercy of Titus has at its heart a faith in the fact that everybody can enjoy opera. One cannot help but admire their belief. Having attended a preview, it seems they may well be rewarded for their conviction. Written not long before his death, Mozart composed The Mercy Of Titus to celebrate the crowning of Leopold II. Despite his eminence the opera was not initially well received.
The Mercy of Titus tells the story of the emperor Titus and a conspiracy to overthrow him. Having seized the empire under dubious circumstances, Titus has cheesed of the ever scheming Vitelia, daughter of Titus’s predecessor. Her main bone with Titus is passing her up as a wife and thus excluding her from the power she thinks is rightly hers. The story charts her machinations and manipulations as she forces her poor lover Sextus into killing Titus. Perhaps it was all a little too racy for the audience of his time.
It’s certainly a juicy story, with all the eroticism and bitchiness of a Gossip Girl series binge.
Not really what we think of when it comes to Mozart and the Viennese court. Indeed Titus is not one of Mozart’s well-known typical crowd pleasers. But the production team is confident they can harness the sensationalism of the narrative to their advantage.
As Yim explained, the play is about “the desire for power, and the power of desire”. This fertile ground between love and politics, seduction and conspiracy comes to the fore in their interpretation. In one scene I saw, the character of Vitelia blindfolded Sextus as she teased and taunted him into burning down Rome. This is where perhaps the producers have been right.
There is undeniably something fascinating about the interplay of words and music when done well. To my untrained ear, it seems Mozart does it pretty damn well. The magic happens when the musical counterpoint elevates the lyrics into the rich and complex theatrical spectacle opera can be.
Take Vitelia. On paper, Viteilia is just your standard uber bitch seductress archetype; but in the hands of Mozart we see, tenderness, compassion and even remorse.
In moments like these, I am fully with them in their belief opera is for all. But an opera is a tricky business not least if it is to be kept fresh for a contemporary audience. Nonetheless, if the team can balance the musical virtuosity, the emotional complexity and keep us in the grip of the narrative you can be sure this will be one to watch. Seeing the passion and conviction of cast and crew alike, we also can be sure they’ll have a damn good go at it.
The Mercy Of Titus will be running from Thursday 7th to Saturday 9th of May at Exeter College Chapel
