About the work
Tito Vespasiano (originally titled "Tito Vespasiano, ovvero La clemenza di Tito") is a three-act opera seria by Johann Adolph Hasse to a libretto by Pietro Metastasio. Its premiere on 24 September 1735 also inaugurated the newly built Teatro Pubblico in Pesaro; in 1738 Hasse presented a revised version at the Dresden court under the German title "Die Gütigkeit des Titi".
Plot
Roman emperor Titus faces a conspiracy by his friend Sesto, incited by the ambitious Vitellia, who herself hopes for the throne. Despite the betrayal, Titus ultimately chooses forgiveness over punishment, demonstrating his proverbial clemency.
Cultural significance
Metastasio's libretto on the ruler's virtue of clemency was set by around 50 composers, including Caldara and Gluck; Hasse's version was among the most successful settings before Mozart's 1791 Vienna opera.