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Verdi: Otello / Ros-Marba, Cura, Stoyanova [Blu-ray]

Conductor: Antonio Ros-Marbá | Label: Opus Arte | Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Catalan

Genre: Opera

Of the many fascinating and compelling themes which have made Shakespeare's immortal tragedy Othello so ripe for adaptation in so many different genres—love, jealousy, the infamy and deceptions of supposed friends, even racism—the dialectic between Islam and Christianity has rarely been at the forefront. Certainly it's hinted at in the very basis for a lot of the intrigue surrounding these desperately fated characters. Othello is, after all, a Moor, a "dark skinned" Prince not very kindly looked upon by the lily white world of Venetian nobility. All the worse, then, when he deigns to marry Desdemona, daughter of a high ranking Senator. Of course untold schoolchildren have been forced to read Shakespeare's original play (actually adapted itself from an Italian short story) and then been cajoled into writing literary exegeses of the various themes, usually hinging on Iago's betrayal of his Prince and mentor. While Verdi's Otello certainly ranks as high in the operatic repertoire as Shakespeare's play does in the theatrical, again most critical analyses of the work, at least from a dramatic standpoint, have again tended to focus on the themes of jealousy, racism, and betrayal. It's therefore rather bracing in this 2006 Gran Teatre del Liceu production to confront the religious subtext of this piece head on, with a gigantic cross virtually inescapable throughout most of the staging. Shakespeare and Verdi could never have imagined the murderous conflict between Islam and Christianity which has erupted with such brute force in the 21st century (after, of course, several centuries of sporadic, and sometimes not so sporadic, eruptions). Nonetheless, the religious aspect simply adds to the tragedy that is Othello the character and Otello the opera.

Verdi had famously more or less retired after what was supposed to have been his crowning achievement, Aïda, which premiered in 1871. What more really did he have to prove? He was easily the most popular of the Italian opera composers, and had riches untold at his disposal. That didn't stop his publisher, Ricordi, from lamenting the fact that even more riches were to be had if Verdi would only deign to set pen to paper again. Of course Ricordi's motives weren't entirely venal, and the public had been clamoring for more of the lush melodies and at times overpowering drama which Verdi had been providing for decades. Verdi was perhaps understandably loathe to tackle Shakespeare, after the relative failure of his Macbeth, but wiser and more confident heads prevailed, and Verdi, despite being not at all convinced that librettist Arrigo Boito was up to the task, finally agreed to at least attempt to write it. It's interesting to note that Verdi first called his version Iago, placing the emphasis on the evil supporting character of Shakespeare's original text. And of course one can make a compelling argument for the case that Iago is indeed the lynchpin upon which the whole plot of Otello hinges.

The seventeen or so years which Verdi took off between Aïda and Otello saw an incalculable growth in the composer's thinking and approach toward writing sung theater. Whether under the influence of Wagner or not, Verdi in Otello mines the world of leitmotivs with graceful élan, bringing an Italianate elegance to the idea that can be more bombastic in the hands of the German master. Even more striking is the relative absence of recitative versus aria, so that the entire piece feels much more organic than previous Verdi works. This organic aspect also plays into the expressive coloring of the orchestra, which is called upon not only to accompany the singers, but recreate various environments, as in the storm scene which opens the opera. Verdi paints with broad, yet effective, strokes in these sequences, erecting huge tonal equivalents of descriptive passages which Boito wisely removed from his libretto as he pared down Shakespeare's text to the bare minimum.

José Cura brings his admirable tenor to the role of Otello, evincing a tragic and haunted figure who is as much victim (if not more so) than eventual victimizer. While he seems just a bit hoarse at times, there's a world weariness to Cura's eyes which help make Otello's sudden recognition at the end of the piece all the more compelling. Krassimira Stoyanova's Desdemona is perhaps just bit too histrionic, but the soprano has a lovely liquid quality which makes her ideal for Verdi's ravishing melodies. Lado Ataneli's Jago (Iago) is a superb combination of wounded pride and absolute menace, and many viewers will find his the most lasting impression of the lead performances. Director Willy Decker, who is both admired and despised by operatic cognoscenti, keeps that cross close at hand throughout virtually every moment of the opera's four acts, letting us know that while those oft-mentioned themes listed above are obviously there, the moral dialectic between the Venetian Christians and the Moorish Prince is, perhaps, really at the left of the conflict which is personalized in the relationship of Otello, Desdemona and Iago. When Otello ultimately snaps the poor thing in two and Desdemona later attempts to reassemble it, it doesn't exactly take a rocket scientist to figure out what Decker is saying, but the symbol remains apt and disturbing. The almost dangerously raked stage and looming flats surrounding the players help bring an air of caged animals to the proceedings which only heightens the dramatic impact.

This is big, bracing music by all accounts, and conductor Antoni Ros-Marba does an excellent job marshalling the forces of Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu's Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. While I doubt this version is going to supplant any of the beloved recent ones, notably Domingo, this is an interesting, unique take on the subject with three compelling lead performances and enough of an innovative staging to recommend it.

Decker's visual sense keeps this Otello from being a Blu-ray blockbuster, at least in terms of knock your socks off pomp and pageantry. Otello arrives from Opus Arte with the standard 1080i/AVC encoded transfer that perfectly recreates Decker's minimalist vision. The ensemble is clad almost uniformly in white, and that blanched palette is recreated without any blooming or problems here. Flashes of red ornament various costumes and a few of the props, and those hues are also nicely saturated and well represented here. Befitting its "dark" hero, a lot of the opera plays out in huge swaths of shadow, and this Blu-ray offers good, consistent black levels and appealing contrast. There's simply not tons of visual material here to "ooh" and "aah" over, so with that caveat, the image quality in and of itself is excellent, well defined, and without any troubling artifacts.

Verdi's music in Otello is like a huge, rushing stream of consciousness assault of gorgeous melody and orchestral magnificence, and this Blu-ray LPCM 5.0 (and 2.0 fold down) soundtrack offers sterling fidelity and a very appealing warmth. Though Cura, as mentioned above, seems just a little hoarse at some moments, overall his deeply burnished tenor is brilliantly rendered on this soundtrack, and the excellent use of hall ambience in the surround channels provides just enough space to carry his soaring tones over the sometimes overwhelming orchestral forces. The orchestra itself is recorded very well, with good separation and some really excellent delineation of various interior lines. The reeds and brass here are especially winning, and the recording brings out the luscious shifting harmonies for which Verdi is so justly famous. I did my usual spot check of the 2.0 version and it is fine as far as it goes, with excellent fidelity but too narrow of a soundfield to really make the most of this glorious score.

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R E V I E W S "Verdi's wise, passionate score was served with precision, gusto and a keen ear for drama by maestro Antoni Ros-Marbà and the solid, malleable Liceu orchestra." -- Opera News "José Cura has the vocal colouring, the power and strength, but above all the dramatic temperament that this colossal Verdi character demands." -- El Pais "…the Bulgarian soprano Krassimira Stoyanova captivated with her sensational Desdemona. Hers is a lyrical voice of great beauty, with sufficient volume used with taste and transmitted with both sweetness and firmness." -- El Pais The curtain rises and we see practically nothing--minimalism at its most minimalist. With direction by Willy Decker, sets and costumes by John Macfarlane, and lighting by David Finn, this Otello is a masterpiece of internalization. The severely raked playing space narrows as it reaches the back of the stage, where it occasionally opens to reveal the sky--star-filled, or cloudy and treacherous looking. There is a 12-or-so-foot omnipresent wooden cross and a skewed half mirror, stage rear, for the scene in which Otello attacks Desdemona (the first scene of Act 3). Otherwise, no props, no furniture. The opera is performed in two parts, with the break coming after the second act, and there is no pause in the action at all between Acts 1 and 2--or 3 and 4. The cross is broken by Otello for the Oath scene and Desdemona uses it as her deathbed in the last scene. The only times the narrow playing area gets in the way is in the first act's celebrations and the scene with the Venetian ambassador--chorus and dancers could use some more room. But the first scene in particular is incidental to Otello's character; the effect gives the opera the feeling of claustrophobia--and no escape--that is clearly Otello's mind. And Willy Decker has his characters moving naturally and often--this is anything but a stand-and-deliver performance. The Cassio/Rodrigo duel is action-packed and takes up the entire playing area; Otello's stalking of Desdemona is frightening. Torment reigns supreme. If you're over 30 it is probably impossible to see this opera without comparing the singer in the title role with Placido Domingo or Jon Vickers. José Cura remains a somewhat frustrating singer--he strains, sings at half voice more often than he ought to (he seems to be saving his voice rather than obeying dynamic markings), and occasionally makes truly unappealing sounds. But when he opts for sheer power or emotional truth, he is breathtaking--more Vickers than Domingo in his raw brutality and equally raw fragility. I can honestly say that before seeing this performance I had never been even remotely moved by a performance of Cura's, either live or recorded, but this is a deeply thought-out, thrilling performance you won't soon forget. At his side are the Iago of Lado Atanelli and the Desdemona of Krassimira Stoyanova. Atanelli is a smooth actor and therefore a dangerous Iago. His voice is a good size and has true bite to it; his Credo is grand and his sly insinuations cruel. The Oath Duet is terrifying in its intensity. Stoyanova, an unusual dark-haired Desdemona (most directors make her blond for the contrast), has a full, rich sound and she has no fear of letting it out. Her acting is dignified and focused and she moves with grace. Decker's decision to have her on stage from the opening moments of the opera is a mistake; her appearance after the duel and fracas is, as Verdi realized, far more effectual. She delivers a lovely, nervous Willow Song but the Ave Maria disappoints somewhat--an odd flutter enters her voice at piano and it sounds unfinished. Still, there's little to complain about. A fine young, handsome tenor named Vittorio Grigolo sings and acts Cassio with clear tone and dramatic purpose; Ketevan Kemoklidze's Emilia is young and helpful and she holds up her end of the ensembles handsomely. The same might be said of the Rodrigo, Lodovico, and Montano. Conductor Antoni Ros-Marbà at first seems to be on the verge of losing control of the pit/stage relationship but quickly takes over and delivers a fervent, disturbing, large-scale reading of the score, with the Liceu Orchestra and Chorus performing splendidly. This is not a perfect show--the crowd scenes are awkward, there are small vocal and dramatic mis-steps along the way--but it packs a considerable punch and serves Verdi's drama as successfully as I've seen in years. The performance dates from two evenings in late February, 2006 at Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu. Extras are a six-minute introduction to the opera with brief interviews and a five-minute synopsis. Picture, in high definition, is superb, as is the sound--surround or stereo. Subtitles are in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, and German. --Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com [reviewing the standard DVD version]

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Giuseppe Verdi - OTELLO

Verdi's Shakespearian masterpiece: an opera in four acts

Otello: José Cura

Desdemona: Krassimira Stoyanova

Iago: Lado Ataneli

Cassio: Vittorio Grigolo

Emilia: Ketevan Kemoklidze

Roderigo: Vicenç Esteve Madrid

Lodovico: Giorgio Giuseppini

Montano: Francisco Santiago

Herald: Roberto Accurso

Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu

Antoni Ros-Marbà, Musical Director

Willy Decker, Stage Director

Recorded live at the Gran teatre del Liceu, Barcelona in February 2006

Works on This Recording:

1. Otello by Giuseppe Verdi

Performer: Vittorio Grigolo (Tenor), Lado Ataneli (Baritone), Vincent Esteve Madrid (Tenor),

Ketevan Kemoklidze (Mezzo Soprano), Giorgio Giuseppini (Bass), Krassimira Stoyanova (Soprano),

Francisco Javier Santiago (Bass), José Cura (Tenor), Roberto Accurso (Baritone)

Conductor: Antonio Ros-Marbá

Orchestra/Ensemble: Barcelona Teatro Liceo Orchestra, Barcelona Teatro Liceo Chorus

Period: Romantic

Written: 1887; Italy

Date of Recording: 02/2006

Venue: Gran teatre del Liceu, Barcelona

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Rating:
2.5 out of 5 by Book123