瑞士苏黎世歌剧院演出, 指挥: Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

La Clemenza Di Tito 是莫扎特在写<魔笛>的同时写的一部正歌剧. 虽然是正歌剧(opera seria), 但音乐却象是后来的意大利Bel Canto歌剧.

一个被推翻的罗马皇帝之女Vitellia对现任的皇帝Tito是爱狠交加. Tito不仅占着她本来可以继承的皇位, 而且对她的感情视若不见, 要娶另外一个女人做皇后. 嫉恨中的Vitellia让被她的女色所迷惑的Sesto去刺杀Tito. Sesto是Tito非常信任的好友, 但为了Vitellia他理智全无, 答应去刺杀Tito. 下面的咏叹调是他内心的独白. 爱尔兰女高音Ann Murray 演唱 (不是那个加拿大唱country的Anne Murray).


I go, but, my dearest,
make peace again with me.
I will be what you would most
have me be, do whatever you wish.


Look at me, and I will forget all
and fly to avenge you;
I will think only
of that glance at me.
Ah, ye gods, what power
you have given beauty!


在去刺杀Tito的路上, Sesto有些犹豫不决, 但其他一些要推翻Tito的人已经动手了, 皇宫起火, Sesto顾不了太多, 只好不顾一切地去完成刺杀的任务.


Oh heavens, what frenzy this is,
what a torment within my heart!
I quake, freeze, set out, draw back;
every breath, every shadow, alarms me.
I never thought it so hard to undertake villainy.
But I must fulfil my task. At least let me go
to my death with courage. Courage? And how
can a traitor show that? Unhappy Sesto!
You a traitor! How shameful a name! And yet
you hasten to earn it. And hwom are you betraying?
The greatest, the most just, the most merciful
prince on earth, to whom you owe everything
you possess, everything you are. Handsome reward
you make him, in truth! He raised you up
to make you his slayer. Let the ground
swallow me up before I become such. Ah
Vitellia, I have no heart to further your wrath
I would be die before striking him this blow.

[fire breaks out in the palace at this time]

It must be stopped...but how?
The Palace is already ablaze.
I hear a great din of arms and soldiers:
alas, repentance is too late.


这一幕的结尾