ABSTRACT
The research considers the Mozart's "La clemenza di Tito" within the context of the theatrical tradition most closely related to it; rather than establishing a comparison with works belonging to altogether distinct genres or with the prehistory of settings of the same libretto. This chapter compares this opera in the first place with the contemporary reductions of original libretti by Pietro Metastasio, with particular reference to reductions in two acts. For instance, in "La clemenza di Tito" the episode of the exchanged mantles—eliminated by Mazzola—had the function of presenting Sesto's dilemma between friendship and passion in yet another guise: Not only is he torn because of his love for Tito, but his conspiracy is also in conflict with Annio's friendship. These expansions or "spirals" of the main plot produced an abundance of situations proper for the deployment of the lyric element conveyed by the arias.
