Otello: Theater an der Wien
About the Event
Rossini's famous interpretation of Shakespeare's masterwork.
Those who expected Rossini's opera to be a copy of Shakespeare's play were disappointed, like Lord Byron who saw the opera in 1818 and complained that they "disfigured Othello into an opera." But if you see Rossini's work as a piece of art in itself you will notice its exceptional qualities, especially in the powerful portrayal of the character's souls and the emotional explosion in the third act.
Otello is an African soldier fighting for Venice. He is secretly engaged to Desdemona, the daughter of a Venitian nobleman. Desdemona's father wants her to marry the son of the doge, Rodrigo. During the wedding ceremony, Desdemona confesses her love for Otello. With the help of a cunning friend, Rodrigo wants to inflame Otello's jealousy. They forge a letter. Otello, who thinks that Desdemona is in love with Rodrigo after all, stabs her. After discovering that the letter was fake Otello kills himself.
Italian with German surtitles
Cast / Production
Conductor: Antonello Manacorda
Director: Damiano Michieletto
Stage design: Paolo Fantin
Costume design: Carla Teti
Light design: Alessandro Carletti
Otello: John Osborn
Desdemona: Nino Machaidze
Iago: Alek Shrader
Rodrigo: Martin Mitterrutzner
Elmiro Barberigo: Fulvio Bettini
Emilia: Gaia Petrone
Doge: Nicola Pamio
Orchestra: Wiener Symphoniker
Chorus: Arnold Schoenberg Chor
