Next week, the Metropolitan Opera will continue its enchanting summer encores with a broadcast of Verdi’s
Otello
. Okay, so it’s not really Shakespeare In The Park but it’s the next best thing in town.
Completed in 1886,
Otello
was Verdi’s penultimate opera. Satisfied with the success of his previous work,
Aida
, Verdi retreated into retirement until his publisher and newly found librettist cajoled him into entertaining the idea of another, grander project. After eventually acquiescing to their pleas, Verdi and his librettist settled on what would be
Otello
.
Revolving around four central characters (Otello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army; Desdemona, his innocent new wife; Cassio, a trusted ensign and Iago, who probably needs no explaining), Verdi’s opera is a masterful retelling of Shakespeare’s tragedy. Jealousy, betrayal and murder most foul (sorry, wrong play!) abound in
Otello
, one of Verdi’s most beloved operas.
Reprising one of her earliest and most memorable roles, soprano
Renée
Fleming captivates as Desdemona. Performing alongside her are Johan
Botha
in the title role, Michael
Fabiano
as
Cassio
and Falk
Struckmann
as the villainous
Iago
.
Semyon
Bychkov
conducts.
The curtain goes up Wednesday, July
9th
at 7 pm at all area
Cinemark
theaters. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online here [4]. Check out this trailer [5] for the production as well.
(Photo courtesy of
www.mlive.com
.)
Follow Michael on Twitter: @rackoflambert [7].