The Moorish general Othello is manipulated into thinking that his new wife Desdemona has been carrying on an affair with his lieutenant Michael Cassio when in reality it is all part of the scheme of a bitter ensign named Iago.
Director: Peter Schönhofer
Conductor: Riccardo Muti
Stars: Aleksandrs Antonenko, Marina Poplavskaya, Carlos Álvarez.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1510822/
25th Verdi opera, 26th major work.
Premiere 1887, Teatro alla Scala, Milan
(NB: Aida premiered 1871, Requiem 1874)
Time: The late 16th century.
Place: A coastal city on the island of Cyprus.
Filmed at Großes Festspielhaus, Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
I was very disappointed that this was filmed in a non-Italian, Large opera house, with 2,179 seats. (Contrast with Teatro Regio di Parma, the most frequent venue in this set, with 1,200 seats.)
The stage had a slanted, elevated platform, dressed somewhat differently for various scenes. Here's how much I wasn't drawn into this: I don't know if they put a bed onstage for Desd's demise. They projected images on the backdrop.
This Otello is the same tenor as in the 2015 Met production I strongly disliked (production was distracting from the story, Iago was meh.)
This Iago is ok. But again stage business distracted: twice I saw him pull the stage curtain closed when he was going to sing to us (s/b himself), and seemingly wanted to prevent people in the story from hearing.
Desd. looked the part (was that a wig? long blonde hair looked real), but her voice was too mature, too mezzo?
Costumes were fine.
If this were my first Otello, I would never have noticed how wonderful the story is. The plus might be generous.
Fewer than two chapters in the Great Course, plus reference to 4 chapters in the Great Course for Opera overview. Verdi was a traveling conductor (of his own works), and gentleman farmer/manager of his land holdings, had retired from composing. He first met with Boito (librettist) in '79.
Per the 2012 featurette, without naming the source of world-wide most-performed rankings, this is 8th among Verdi's operas, 28th among all operas. (another source-less list of the top 100; Operabase Statistics).
Rated 8.2 (6); 5 8's and a 9, mine will be the first 7.
Unitel, cond. Muti; 7+
