La clemenza di Tito

Mozart’s last two operas, La clemenza di Tito and The Magic Flute, both premiered in September 1791, three months before his death at the age of 35. As different as these two operas are, they both fundamentally address the conflict between the powers of light and dark, and vengeance and forgiveness, and both see hope amidst the frailty of humanity. Boston Conservatory at Berklee has given me a wonderful gift with the invitation to revisit this glorious opera, one filled with gorgeous arias, duets, trios, and ensembles.

Though usually not staged with dancers, I used this opportunity to give students in my course Making Dances for Ballet and Opera the chance to create story-driven dances based on character and motive, set in the context of a dramatic framework. These students, as well as dancers from both the Dance and Theater divisions, are also performing in the opera, adding a layer of movement and gesture that I believe enhances the narrative and adds depth to the storytelling. I can’t tell you enough how proud I am of all the students participating in this production.

Mirroring Marquez’ great novel Love in the Time of Cholera, creating “art in the time of a pandemic” is complicated, and I applaud and thank the students, creative team, production staff, and all who helped make this majestic production possible.

—Daniel Pelzig, La clemenza di Tito stage director

ACT I

Tito is the new emperor of Rome. Vitellia, who is the daughter of the previous emperor, is vengeful that Tito plans to marry the foreign Princess Berenice, and plots his assassination, enlisting the help of her young admirer, Sesto. Though Tito is his friend and mentor, Sesto will do anything to gain the affections of Vitellia, and so agrees to her plans. While the conspirators are tasked to set fire to the Capitol, Sesto’s mission is to trap Tito inside and kill him.

Meanwhile, when the people of Rome disapprove of Tito marrying a foreigner, he relents and decides he will marry Servilia, Sesto’s sister, who is already engaged to Annio, Sesto’s best friend. This enrages Vitellia even further. When Servilia humbly refuses Tito’s marriage proposal, Tito sends his advisor, Publio, to take a marriage proposal to Vitellia on his behalf. The assassination plot, though, is already in motion. As Act I ends, Sesto believes he has killed Tito, and all of Rome mourns.

ACT II

Annio finds Sesto, who is torturing himself with the guilt of his crime. Annio reveals that Tito did not die, and advises Sesto to be honest with Tito about the plot and trust in his reputation for clemency. Once arrested, Sesto admits his guilt and faces trial and execution. Tito decides to question Sesto privately about the plot, but Sesto refuses to betray Vitellia and takes sole responsibility for his actions.

At the same time, Servilia pleads with Vitellia to help save Sesto’s life. Alone and consumed by her own inner demons, Vitellia realizes that Sesto’s life is too high a price to pay for her place on the throne. She publicly admits to Tito that she is responsible for the conspiracy, and in an extraordinary act of clemency, Tito announces a pardon for all conspirators.

TITO – Clayton Edwards, Felix Aguilar Tomlinson*
VITELLIA – Jamila Drecker-Waxman, Julia Pottinger* (Cover: Callie Meikrantz)
SESTO – Mary Kray, Winona Martin*
ANNIO – Grace Heldridge, Jessie Kate Leventis* (Cover: Eleni Stratigos)
SERVILIA – Jayden Goldberg (Cover: Emily Roberts)
PUBLIO – Joel Clemens
DANCER: TITO – Pete Pierantozzi
DANCER: VITELLIA – Tshedzom Tingkhye
DANCER: SESTO – Alex Meeth
DANCER: ANNIO – Sam Krachtus
DANCER: SERVILIA – Ashley Eng, Sonia Cable^
DANCER: BERENICE – Jocelyn Scullion
DANCER: GUARDS – Kailey Doukszewicz, Kristin Greve, Willem Guenther, Adam Ross, Alessandra Salazar, Brooke Sessler
VITELLIA’S LADIES-IN-WAITING – Emily Roberts, Jordyn Younger
CHORUS – Nina Anderson, Charlie Aurand, Devon Bain, Natalie Barnaby, Abraham Cruz, Teddy Edgar, Viola Kovács, Austin Martin, Darya Narymanava, Emily Roberts, Jackson Schroeder, Eleni Stratigos, Sophie Urquhart, Jordyn Younger

*Denotes Friday/Sunday Cast
^Denotes Saturday/Sunday Cast

FLUTE
Devyn Sowry, B.M. '24
Nuala Imrie, B.M. '23

OBOE
Christian Paniagua, B.M. '23
Taylor Childress, B.M. '24

CLARINET
Ruoxi (Rose) Lao, B.M. '24
Chase J. Oliveri, B.M. '25

BASSET HORN
Ruoxi (Rose) Lao, B.M. '24

BASSOON
Lizzie Sylves, B.M. '25
Jae Demers, B.M. '25

HORN
Yan Jenny Lee, M.M. '23
Ella McCarty, B.M. '25

TRUMPET
Emily Hanson, B.M. '22
Jasmine Dickson, B.M. '25

TIMPANI
Yueyang Shi, B.M. '23

VIOLIN I
Eun Joo Ahn, P.S.C. '22, concertmaster
Malachi Provenzano, B.M. '22
Annica McDougall, B.M. '25
Yana Onufriychuk, M.M. '23
Christina Junga, B.M. '23
Khaia Smith, B.M. '24

VIOLIN II
Raimi Neal, B.M. '25
Dini Tao, M.M. '22
Yu Chiang, P.S.C. '22
Gloria Fortner, B.M. '25

VIOLA
Robin Tarhan, B.M. '24
Morgan Brown, B.M. '23
Lauren Wilson, B.M. '25
Renee Chan, M.M. '23

CELLO
Nicholas Johnson, G.P.D. '22
Christopher Mendez, M.M. '23
Tristan Hernandez, B.M. '24

BASS
Nicolette Kindred, B.M. '24
Olive Haber, B.M. '23

Andrew Altenbach, Conductor
Daniel Pelzig, Stage Director
Cristina Todesco, Scenic Designer
Brooke Stanton, Costume Designer
Christopher Ostrom, Lighting Designer
Allison Voth, Surtitle Designer
Jean Anderson and James Myers, Coaching and Musical Preparation
Katie Barr and Maja Tremiszewska, Music Staff and Rehearsal Piano

Choreography by Hoang-Anh Eng, Samantha Kracthus, Pete Pierantozzi, Jocelyn Scullion and Tshedzom Tingkhye

PRODUCTION STAFF
Production Stage Manager – Bethany Rachel
Assistant Stage Manager – Em Rihl
Technical Director – Taylor Hansen
Assistant Technical Director – Betsy Pierce
Associate Technical Director – Audrey Kimball
Lighting Supervisor – Evyn Newton
Costume Designer Assistant – Luisa Earle
Costume Director – Rebecca Shannon Butler
Assistant Costume Shop Manager – Amanda Feeley
A1/Sound Supervisor – Steve Younkins
A2 – Paula Halpern
Stage Supervisor – Jeffry Grand-Pierre
Props Manager – Daniel Simons
Wardrobe Manager – Becky Thorogood
Wardrobe Assistant – Kiara Escalera
Draper/Stitcher – Sam Martin, Caroline Seeley
Draper/Stitcher/Stock Manager – Alison Pugh
Director of Performance Services – Liz Keller-Tripp
Ticket Operations and Patron Services Manager – Nicole Kindred

STUDENT PRODUCTION STAFF
Assistant Stage Manager – Kira Weaver
Assistant Conductor – Francesco Gennaro 
Assistant Director – Eleni Stratigos
Dance Captain – Brooke Sessler
Lighting Programer – Julia Grace Kelley
Surtitle Operator – Emma Shelton
Light Board Operator – Darrick Brown
Spot Operators – Carrigan Boynton, Maya Homicz
Run Crew – Kira Allen, Anneke Angstadt, Jade Cetrulo, Brevan Collins
Wardrobe – Alan Cid, Carson Hollingsworth, Lily Johnson 
Production Assistants – Evelyn Dumeer, Emma Fittig, Emily Hanson, Tyler Mell, Carly Nadeau, Kalika Reece 

Dean of Music
 – Michael Shinn
Chair of Voice – Patty Thom
Chair of Instrumental Studies – Matthew Marsit
Chair of Composition, Contemporary Music, and Core Studies – Jonathan Bailey Holland
Chief Ensemble Operations Coordinator – Ryan Fossier
Ensembles Coordinator – Victoria Garcia
Administrative Coordinator – Chantel O'Brien