La Clemenza di Tito: Bloggers Final Thoughts

A big thank you to Stacey Robinsmith, Frances Sprout and Nik Belanio who joined us for Blogger Night at the Opera on opening night. (Miranda, we'll see you at Traviata!) It looks like our bloggers had a fabulous time.

Here are their thoughts on La Clemenza di Tito and of all the excitement of opening night:

A friend of mine said they do not like opera because of all the screechy women’s voices. The reality of it is that the voices are like birds swirling and swooping around one another on stage. Some soar higher than others before descending to join the other voices.

La Clemenza di Tito is a classic opera. There are no video backdrops, no extensive lighting tricks. There is a simple white stage with the simplest set. This opera is about the voices and the music from the orchestra interacting. - Stacey Robinsmith

To read more from Stacey, click here and here.


Let me say first that this opera engaged me intellectually from the outset, even as it pulled me in musically and visually. I’m intrigued by the libretto itself, its politics – commissioned for the coronation as King of Bohemia of the Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold. It makes some pretty strong statements about what is required of a truly noble leader – the opposite approach, in a way, to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro which instead condemns a ruler’s lack of nobility.

Favourite musical moments so far: Annio and Servilia’s gorgeous and touching duet which emphasizes the conflicting demands of love and duty. And Sesto’s aria beseeching Vitellia not to turn away from him, promising he will do her bidding and destroy Tito – her voice is beautifully shadowed by the woodwinds looping along the broken-chord runs. - Frances Sprout

To read more from Frances, click here and here.


My fellow bloggers and I went backstage to see the set and props. I felt like I was walking into a 18th century ballroom from Cinderella. Everything is white and bright. (luv the sofa.)

Not as many props as the last opera, Lucia di Lammermoor. Lucia had tables of props. This time there's one table with flowers and of course, the bloody knife.(you gotta have a bloody knife in an opera.) - Nik Belanio

To read more from Nik, click here, here and here.

Thank you Bloggers for being a part of such an amazing night! We look forward to seeing you opening night of La Traviata!

~ Ling Chan