Composed shortly after Die Zauberflöte in 1791, but premiered a few weeks earlier, La clemenza di Tito was saddled from the 1820s onwards with a fusty image and outdated reputation. This is undoubtedly due to the libretto being regarded unfavourably: originally written in 1734, it glorified absolutism and no longer seemed relevant. At the same time, the work remains fascinating for the way in which Mozart breaks free from the constraints of opera seria to write music of rare poignancy. When listened to with an open mind, this score is indistinguishable from the rest of his glorious late output. In his typically insightful manner, the director Robert Carsen will tease out the opera’s contemporary resonances.