[Vicious Tyrant]

Hey operaphiles,

I just got two copies of Otello (Toscanini and Serafin - both of which I read are excellent) b/c I had heard it referred to as his masterpiece so often.

I'm not feeling this one...I think that opening trumpet thing kind of turned me off. It's pretty intense, maybe a little too much so for me. The rest of it, well, its OK.

Can anyone help me out there? I much prefer Rigoletto or Aida. What am I missing here? I fully confess myself to be among the least educated and informed opera-types around. Can someone give me some pointers?

 

[zotjen]

FWIW, although Verdi is probably my favorite opera composer, it took me some time to warm up to Otello. Give it some time.

 

[calaf]

I never connected to Otello until I saw the famous Kleiber/La Scala bicentennial performance (available on VHS). Otello is not defined by the circus of the opening scene or by the huge voice required for the title role. That's just to get the audience to pay attention, clap their hands and go home impressed. Otello is a character study as deep as the Shakespeare play it derives from. If you put together a music and a stage director who make you understand the complexity of the libretto and of the score, and three lead singers who make you connect emotionally to the story, you may end up thinking that Otello is even better than Othello!