The Edinburgh Festival put on a concert performance of Clemenza a few years ago with Sir Charles Mackerras conducting the SCO. Many of the instrumentalists were unchanged but the conductor's methods were fascinating to compare. Maxim Emelyanychev led a lithe and dramatic account of the score.
In performance it always seems difficult to account for the dodgy reputation this wonderful drama had until fifty years or so ago. Perhaps it just wasn't performed well. Back before the war the castrato roles (Sesto and Annio) were even transposed for baritone voice instead of the now-standard mezzo.
Here an early highlight provided by the SCO (with the singer) was of course Sesto's 'Parto, parto' with clarinet obbligato. Perhaps even better was Vitellia's glorious final rondo 'Non più di fiori' with its plangent basset horn. The chorus also kept the drama very much alive, with the first act finale eerily quiet as Rome burns.
The only change in cast from that originally advertised was the substitution of the great bass Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as Publio. He had always seemed to be slightly unlikely casting for a relatively brief part, and must have been fully occupied preparing for a major role in Verdi's Les Vêpres siciliennes at Covent Garden. The excellent Hungarian who appeared is now almost a regular visitor, and lovely to hear.
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