‘I now realise that innocence and a good heart are far more precious to the soul than false glory.’ ‘La Clemenza di Silla’? In Mozart’s seventh opera, which he composed in 1772 at the age of sixteen, a complete about-turn to clemency made the Roman ruler Lucius Sulla into a forerunner of Emperor Titus, whose praises Mozart sang in his final opera seria. Despite its strong ties with tradition, Lucio Silla is the masterpiece of a young genius, full of originality and profoundly felt music. By playing with the codes of opera seria, the German director Tobias Kratzer and the conductor Antonello Manacorda underscore the universal dimension of the personal relationships in the story. Ancient Rome is replaced by a contemporary, dark setting, in which illusion and reality merge. But Silla’s message remains timeless: ‘What triumph can rival the victory over one’s own heart?’
