New Tito on record (De Marchi/Academia Montis Regalis)

(don’t fret, that’s not JDD as Vitellia… not yet)

It appears the tired old complaint (“Tito was written in haste”) hasn’t died a death yet. De Marchi has dedicated time and toil to the version popular at the turn of the 19th century – the one with Weigl, Mayr et all’s “bonus material” and presented it live in Innsbruck in 2013. The polished result of the revived version has now come out on CD (see the full cast).

Supposedly Tito’s arias weren’t good enough and the 1800s’ zeitgeist cried out for a Tito-Sesto duet. Well, the dehggi-geist always wanted another Sesto-Vitellia duet though the geist allows that’s not necessary feasible in a two act opera seria and an expressive Se al volto mai ti senti is almost as good. The Metastasio original contains a badass Tito-Sesto recit so I’m not sure what more a duet could add. Possibly overkill, with Deh, per questo instante solo and Se all’impero immediately after said recit. But I haven’t heard this thing yet. I like Allemano yet I’m in two minds about Aldrich. So I’ll wait – with some interest – until this appears in certain circles.