Otello I shall always consider as one of Verdi's best operas, the music is magnificent and dramatically it is his most concise. I also think that in regard to the character of Iago, in the opera a villain with no redeeming qualities that it is an improvement on Shakespeare's play. I was much looking forward to this Otello, hoping(though admittedly it is a lot to ask) it would be as good as the brilliant 1996 performance, one of the best Otellos available along with the 1992, 1974 and 1965 performances as well as the Zeffirelli film(oft-maligned but I personally love it especially for Domingo). After watching it via a live cinema simulcast there were a lot of things that impressed, but at the same time I was left disappointed.
It does have a lot of things in its favour. The costumes and sets are very evocative. People will argue that they are showing their age and I do understand why they'd think that. The high definition is splendid and adds to the production's evocative nature. Musically, the production is impeccable. The orchestra are simply terrific, positively sending up a storm in the oath duet Si Pel Ciel as well as sensitive poignancy for Desdemona's Act 4 arias. The chorus sing vibrantly and blend well with one another. And I have to say that I was hugely impressed by the conducting of Semyon Bychkov, the tension he brought to the Act 3 ensemble made me really bite my nails, and equally wondrous was the elegant pathos he gave the final scene.
The production does have some very good performances. Faring best is the Iago of Falk Struckmann. He sings very well, not the most beautiful of instruments with a dry sound perhaps but seeing what type of character Iago is this didn't matter that much to me. I have known him to be unsteady before, but this is one of his steadier performances in the past decade along with his wonderful 2009 Hans Sachs, and the darkness and power his voice has is ideal for the role. Dramatically, Struckmann is superb, chillingly malevolent and manipulative. The drinking song had an element of charm that was almost seductive, which made his plans all the more chilling, while he holds nothing back in the sinister irredeemable edge Iago has in the Credo, one of the all-time great villain arias.
Renee Fleming was in fresher voice sixteen years earlier with Domingo. Her voice still has sincerity and its creaminess, and her Desdemona is delicate and poignant with an intensity when needed. Her two arias in Act 4, Ave Maria and Willow Song, are sung with affecting lyricism, aching nobility and pure tone. Michael Fabiano's Cassio was surprising. His singing is strong and ringing, and he has some of the more vivid acting of anybody in the role especially in the drinking song and Act 3 trio.
For all its good points, the production does have its failings. My main problem was Johan Botha, whose Otello, by far and large the most difficult of Verdi's tenor roles, is inconsistent. He is suitably tender and loving in the Act 1 duet with Fleming and vengeful in Si Pel Ciel, and his voice is certainly large and carries effectively above the orchestra. I did think however that there was some serious strain on his high notes, and apart from those two scenes I found him unmotivated, Otello's increasing anger, torment and jealousy just didn't convince me.
As for the staging it does have its great moments. The storm scene is exciting, the Act 1 duet is beautifully understated, the Drinking song is rousing yet foreboding, Struckmann gives his all in the Credo including literal baring of fangs which the performance even more chilling and the final scene is moving. Against all that, much of it is also very static, the scenes between Otello and Iago don't have anywhere near enough intensity and more often than not the chorus look as though they are not sure what to do with themselves. The rest of the supporting roles never really distinguish themselves either.
On the whole, uneven but good. Struckmann, Fleming and the conducting really bring it up several notches, but I think it could have been even better with Botha in better form and more consistent staging. 7/10 Bethany Cox
It does have a lot of things in its favour. The costumes and sets are very evocative. People will argue that they are showing their age and I do understand why they'd think that. The high definition is splendid and adds to the production's evocative nature. Musically, the production is impeccable. The orchestra are simply terrific, positively sending up a storm in the oath duet Si Pel Ciel as well as sensitive poignancy for Desdemona's Act 4 arias. The chorus sing vibrantly and blend well with one another. And I have to say that I was hugely impressed by the conducting of Semyon Bychkov, the tension he brought to the Act 3 ensemble made me really bite my nails, and equally wondrous was the elegant pathos he gave the final scene.
The production does have some very good performances. Faring best is the Iago of Falk Struckmann. He sings very well, not the most beautiful of instruments with a dry sound perhaps but seeing what type of character Iago is this didn't matter that much to me. I have known him to be unsteady before, but this is one of his steadier performances in the past decade along with his wonderful 2009 Hans Sachs, and the darkness and power his voice has is ideal for the role. Dramatically, Struckmann is superb, chillingly malevolent and manipulative. The drinking song had an element of charm that was almost seductive, which made his plans all the more chilling, while he holds nothing back in the sinister irredeemable edge Iago has in the Credo, one of the all-time great villain arias.
Renee Fleming was in fresher voice sixteen years earlier with Domingo. Her voice still has sincerity and its creaminess, and her Desdemona is delicate and poignant with an intensity when needed. Her two arias in Act 4, Ave Maria and Willow Song, are sung with affecting lyricism, aching nobility and pure tone. Michael Fabiano's Cassio was surprising. His singing is strong and ringing, and he has some of the more vivid acting of anybody in the role especially in the drinking song and Act 3 trio.
For all its good points, the production does have its failings. My main problem was Johan Botha, whose Otello, by far and large the most difficult of Verdi's tenor roles, is inconsistent. He is suitably tender and loving in the Act 1 duet with Fleming and vengeful in Si Pel Ciel, and his voice is certainly large and carries effectively above the orchestra. I did think however that there was some serious strain on his high notes, and apart from those two scenes I found him unmotivated, Otello's increasing anger, torment and jealousy just didn't convince me.
As for the staging it does have its great moments. The storm scene is exciting, the Act 1 duet is beautifully understated, the Drinking song is rousing yet foreboding, Struckmann gives his all in the Credo including literal baring of fangs which the performance even more chilling and the final scene is moving. Against all that, much of it is also very static, the scenes between Otello and Iago don't have anywhere near enough intensity and more often than not the chorus look as though they are not sure what to do with themselves. The rest of the supporting roles never really distinguish themselves either.
On the whole, uneven but good. Struckmann, Fleming and the conducting really bring it up several notches, but I think it could have been even better with Botha in better form and more consistent staging. 7/10 Bethany Cox
