IT’S a story of treachery, guilt and mercy and it’s coming to Bridport Electric Palace’s big screen on Thursday August 3 as part of the Glyndebourne season.

La Clemenza di Tito is Mozart’s last opera. Conducted by Robin Ticciati and directed by Claus Guth, it delivers all of the sublime musical beauty and heart-tugging humanity audiences expect of him.

Loosely based on the life of the Roman Emperor Titus, La Clemenza di Tito distills the suspense of Don Giovanni, the warmth of Le nozze di Figaro, and the nobility of Die Zauberflöte into one powerful parable of love and friendship, vengeance and mercy.

Vitellia’s path to the throne is thwarted by the man who deposed her father, so she presses her admirer, Sesto, to murder him.

Sesto is caught in an agonising dilemma, for the man in question is not only his best friend but also his sovereign.

Driven by love, Sesto does his worst. But in return, he receives a lesson in forgiveness.

While Mozart has always had a special place at Glyndebourne, La clemenza di Tito is a rare treat, as Glyndebourne archivist, Julia Aries, explains: “Mozart forms the cornerstone of the repertoire at Glyndebourne – almost every festival has featured at least one of his operas. However, there has only been one previous Glyndebourne production of La Clemenza di Tito (staged in 1991, 95 and 99), so it will be a real treat to see the opera in festival 2017.”

La clemenza di Tito will be conducted by Glyndebourne’s music director Robin Ticciati. Mozart is one of Robin’s passions.

“Where most composers would stop in terms of imagination and inventiveness, Mozart gives you those little things that transform a phrase or a character and take it to that transcendental level.”

Making his Glyndebourne debut in the title role is Australian tenor Steve Davislim. Steve is no stranger to Mozart - a key moment in his career was playing the title role in Idomeneo at La Scala di Milano, and he has previously sung the role of Tito at Semperoper Dresden. Steve is joined by an array of Glyndebourne favourites.

Playing the fierce Vitellia is Alice Coote, last seen in Hänsel und Gretel, 2010. Singing Sesto is Kate Lindsey, returning to the Festival after appearing in the similar ‘trouser role’ of the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos in 2013.

Joélle Harvey makes her fourth Glyndebourne appearance in the role of Servilia.

*La Clemenza di Tito is being screened at Bridport Electric Palace on Thursday August 3 at 6pm. Call the box office for tickets.