Titus forgives

This evening I went to the Lowry in Salford Quays to see Opera North's production of La clemenza di Tito, an opera seria written by Mozart and first published in 1791. His last opera, in fact, composed while he was finishing The Magic Flute.

I'm no opera expert, but I liked most of the tunes although there was a little too much recitative between the arias for my liking. I thought the set design was intriguing, all boxes, mirrors and shadows, with shifting rectangular shapes superimposed by projection.

The singing was good, with castrato parts sung by women. I particularly liked Kathryn Rudge (Annio), although all six parts were strong. The plot - such as it was - didn't do a lot for me though. Vaguely Shakespearian in scope, there was too much of the 'if you knew the pain I was suffering you would forgive me' school of reasoning. But as I said, it was written at the end of the 18th Century so it's probably par for the course.

My next operatic outing will be on Saturday 16 March, Verdi's Otello. Got to find a way of getting to the Lowry in time not to miss the England-Wales Six Nations clincher.