G I U S E P P E V E R D I

OTELLO JONAS KAUFMANN ∙ MARCO VRATOGNA MARIA AGRESTA ∙ FRÉDÉRIC ANTOUN

ORCHESTRA OF THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSECONDUCTED BY ANTONIO PAPPANO

STAGED BY KEITH WARNER

German star tenor Jonas Kaufmann makes his long-awaited role debut in Verdi’s thrilling Shakespeare-based opera Otello, in a “thought-provoking and stylishly abstract production” (The Evening Standard) directed by Keith Warner and conducted by Verdi expert Antonio Pappano – the first new staging of the Italian composer’s final tragedy at the Royal Opera House in 30 years.

The dramatic part of Otello, who is led into the trap of jealousy by his scheming rival Iago and kills his innocent wife Desdemona out of suspicion and fury, is sung “most arrestingly” (The Guardian) by Jonas Kaufmann. He offers “a supremely burnished baritonal tenor with a ringing, heroic top but capable of extraordinary lyrical beauty in more intimate scenes” (Evening Standard).

Part of the uniformly strong cast is also Maria Agresta, who scores with her touching interpretation of Desdemona: “a soaring songbird, trusting, naïve and doomed” (The Independent). Marco Vratogna in the role of Iago impresses with his ability to switch vocal registers with ideal ease. According to The Arts Desk, there could be no finer encouragement to the cast than Antonio Pappano, “who from the first notes whips the Royal Opera House orchestra like Poseidon whipping the seas or Zeus the fates”.

From the violent storm that opens the opera through to Iago’s blood-chilling “Credo” and Otello’s increasingly desperate duets with Desdemona – this is an “Otello for the Ages” (The New York Times).

Length: approx. 180' Shot in HDTV 1080/50i

Cat. no. A 020 50114

A production ofRoyal Opera House, Covent Garden

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Orchestra Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Conductor Antonio PappanoStage Director Keith Warner

Otello Jonas KaufmannIago Marco Vratogna

Desdemona Maria AgrestaCassio Frédéric Antoun

Montano Simon ShibambuRoderigo Thomas Atkins

Emilia Kai RüütelHerald Thomas Barnard

Lodovico In Sung Sim

Video Director Jonathan Haswell

G I U S E P P E V E R D I

OTELLO

World Sales:

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