PERFORMERS:
Ivan Stolbov (clarinet)
Elena Tsvetkova (mezzo-soprano)
The Mariinsky Orchestra
Conductor: Christian Knapp
PROGRAMME:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Overture from the opera Don Giovanni
Clarinet concerto in A Major, K. 622
Sesto’s aria Parto, parto, ma tu, ben mio from Act I of the opera La clemenza di Tito
Symphony No 38 in D Major, Prague, KV 504
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had been much admired in Prague before he himself came to that city with his music. The people of Prague gave a rousing welcome to his Die Entführung aus dem Serail, while Le nozze di Figaro caused a veritable furore in the town: the impresario Pasquale Bondini was thrilled with the hitherto unknown profits, while at every ball and in every inn highlights from the opera were performed.
In January 1787 on the crest of this success Mozart arrived in Prague. For his “academy” – a large concert of his own music on 19 January at which he performed and improvised – he needed a new symphony. On 6 December 1786 Mozart had, in fact, just completed his Symphony in D Major No 38 in Vienna. It seems that it was now performed in Prague for the first time. Its first movement begins, like an overture, with a slow introduction. There are just three movements in this symphony (there is no minuet). It is precisely the kind of symphony that could have been composed between Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni – two operas about love, passion and the vicissitudes of fate.
Mozart returned to Vienna with a commission for a new opera from Prague. This was to be Don Giovanni, again to a libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte who had been the librettist of Le nozze di Figaro and Così fan tutte and who arranged his life in imitation of Giacomo Casanova. The commission, composition and production of an opera were always keenly anticipated events in Mozart’s creative career. In Vienna he wasn’t too lucky in that sense. In 1787 the real favourites of the capital were Vicente Martín y Soler in Italian opera and Ditters von Dittersdorf in German opera. Today they are classified among other “second rate classics”. Their music is much more simple and accessible than that of Mozart, hence the fact they were more popular (though the more easily forgotten) in Vienna.
With its universal and generally musical society Bohemia formed a unique part of the Austrian Empire. On an annual basis it produced a huge number of professional musicians, many of whom adorned the stages of capital cities throughout Europe. As a rule, the finest virtuosi all left, so in terms of the brightest stars Prague lost out to Vienna. It also lost out in terms of scale: the small theatre in Prague had a tiny orchestra (there were just eleven string instruments). There never seemed to be sufficient singers, and they did not learn their roles as quickly as singers in Vienna did, which is why the premiere of Don Giovanni had to be postponed from 14 to 29 October. Mozart composed the overture to Don Giovanni on the penultimate night, but the orchestra performed it wonderfully with just one rehearsal. Regardless of all Mozart’s anxiety, the opera passed as a triumph – the universal musical society raised true aficionados (while in Vienna Don Giovanni was being rehearsed and, as Mozart said, “chewed over” only gradually, after several performances).
At the time he could have remained in Prague and accepted a commission for a new opera, remaining for several months more, but Mozart was keen to return to the imperial capital. He only wrote another new opera for Prague in the final year of his life when, in August 1791, he was hastily commissioned to compose La clemenza di Tito for the coronation of Emperor Leopold II as King of Bohemia. Pietro Metastasio’s libretto, highly popular in the 18th century, about the mercy and clemency of the Roman emperor normally appeared to mark coronations, as final words of advice to new and enlightened monarchs. Possibly, by the close of the century this “standard dish” for monarchs was somewhat past its best, and so the poet Caterino Mazzolà cut it down to two acts. Here Mozart produced a masterpiece, deeply heartfelt and powerful. Already on 6 September in the presence of the crowned heads came the premiere of La clemenza (several days before, the Court had been treated to Don Giovanni).
The aria of Sesto “Parto, parto” is sung in Act I, when the protagonist bids farewell to his beloved Vitellia. Incited by her, he departs in order to kill his friend the emperor (as soon as he leaves, Tito’s messenger comes to Vitellia and announces that the emperor has chosen her as his bride – but it is too late, she can no longer stop Sesto). In actual fact, the aria features two soloists – the mezzo-soprano and the clarinet.
La clemenza di Tito met with a cool reception. In September 1791 Mozart was already ill. As he departed, he cried as he bid farewell to his Prague friends. Having returned to Vienna, between 28 September and 7 October he composed his final major instrumental work: the Clarinet Concerto. The concerto was intended for Anton Stadler, a friend of Mozart and one of the first virtuoso clarinettists who at the time was setting out on a major tour. Already on 16 October Stadler performed the concerto in Prague, and once again Mozart’s music met with deserved success there.
Anna Bulycheva
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