Giuseppe |
EVENINGS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC - BAHRAIN - |
PROGRAMME FOR 24 MAY 2000 |
25 GREAT COMPOSERS SERIES This evening features 1 more composer (no 17 in the series) |
17 |
GIUSEPPE VERDI (1813-1901) |
OTELLO |
Opera in four acts Libretto: Arrigo Boito Premiere: 5 February 1887 in Milan |
CAST Otello, governor of Cyprus Iago, Otello's ensign Desdemona, Otello's wife Cassio, Otello's captain Montano, former governor of Cyprus Roderigo, a Venetian gentleman Lodovico, an ambassador from Venice Emilia, Desdemona's companion and Iago's wife A Herald |
- Placido Domingo (tenor) - Sergei Leiferkus (baritone) - Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano) - Robin Leggate (tenor) - Roderick Earle (bass) - Ramon Remedios (tenor) - Mark Beesley (bass) - Claire Powell (mezzo-soprano) - Christopher Lackner (bass) |
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden conducted by GEORG SOLTI Recorded October 1992 at Covent Garden Theatrical Director: Elijah Moshinsky Set Design: Timothy O'Brien Costume Design: Peter J. Hall |
THE STORY The scene is set at a seaport in Cyprus, at the end of the 15th century ACT 1 A crowd at the quayside, near the castle which is the governor's residence, is waiting to greet Otello on his return from the wars. There is a violent storm at sea and the crowd is fearful for the safety of his ship, which Montano and Cassio identify. Iago and Roderigo watch too as the storm abates and the ship makes harbour. Otello steps on to the quay, briefly tells the crowd to rejoice (Esultate!) since the Turks have been defeated, and goes into the castle. After a short chorus of jubilation, it emerges that Roderigo loves Otello's wife, Desdemona, and that Iago hates Otello and is jealous of Cassio, whom Otello has promoted above him. The people light a fire, singing and dancing around it. Then while the officers are taking their ease, Iago starts a drinking song, makes Cassio gradually drunk, and engineers a quarrel. Provoked by Roderigo, Cassio draws his sword and in the ensuing brawl Montano is hurt. Meanwhile Iago has sent Roderigo for Otello, who soon exercises his authority, making the men lower their swords (Abbasso le spade!) and dismissing Cassio from his service. Thus the first part of Iago's plot - to discredit Cassio - has succeeded. Desdemona followed Otello out when he came to stop the brawl but she does not speak till the others are gone and she and Otello are left alone. They sing of their love and of their happy memories of the past: Gia nella notte densa (Now in the dense night). As their love-duet ends they return to Otello's castle. ACT 2 In a hall of the castle, Iago pretends that he wishes to help Cassio regain Otello's favour. He advises him to ask Desdemona, who has great sway over her husband, to intercede on his behalf. As Cassio walks off into the garden, Iago (alone) reveals that it is part of his plot to sow suspicions in Otello's mind about Desdemona and Cassio. He sings his creed: Credo in un Dio crudel che m'ha creato simile a se (I believe in a cruel God, who has made me in his image). Iago watches Cassio and Desdemona in conversation, and, when Otello appears, mutters, as if to himself, for Otello to overhear: Cio m'accora (This worries me). Then he subtly arouses Otello's jealousy, while pretending to warn him against 'the green-eyed monster'. A chorus of sailors, women and children serenades Desdemona, who is now in the garden. Witnessing the scene, Otello's doubts of her innocence are shaken. But his suspicions well up again when she asks him to forgive Cassio. His gruff manner leads her to think him unwell, and she moves to place her handkerchief to his forehead. He throws it down roughly. It is picked up by Emilia, who has been attending Desdemona. She yields it to Iago at his insistence, with some foreboding. The two women leave. Otello gives way to jealous doubts, and says an anguished farewell to his former peace of mind: Ora e per sempre addio (Now and forever farewell). He demands of Iago positive proof of Desdemona's faithlessness. Accordingly Iago relates how, one night recently, Cassio talked in his sleep as if making love to Desdemona: Era la notte. He goes on to ask Otello whether Desdemona has a certain spotted handkerchief. Otello says she has one of this description, his own first gift to her. Iago states that such a one is in Cassio's possession (in fact it is now in Iago's own pocket). For Otello this is the final confirmation of her guilt, and the two men, kneeling, swear vengeance: Si, pel ciel marmoreo giuro! (Yes, I swear by yonder marble heaven!). ACT 3 In the great hall of the castle, a herald announces to Otello that messengers from Venice will shortly arrive. As Desdemona approaches, Iago warns Otello to be watchful, and the leaves him. His conversation with her is calm, with a touch of irony, but when she again asks him to forgive Cassio he does not answer, only asking to see the handkerchief. She says it is at home, and renews her pleas. He answers by accusing her of infidelity, which she strenuously denies. Otello thrusts her away, calling her a strumpet. Alone, he shows his anguish: Dio, mi potevi scagliar (God, You might have hurled me). Iago returns, with Cassio following. Otello conceals himself before Cassio enters. As the two talk, Iago drawing Cassio on the subject of his amorous conquests, Otello tries to overhear, but Iago takes care that Otello only catches remarks that could apply to Desdemona. Otello expresses his feelings to himself as he sees Cassio produce Desdemona's handkerchief, which Iago had previously placed in his room. Trumpet calls announce the arrival of the messengers, headed by Lodovico. Before they arrive, Otello asks Iago to obtain poison to kill Desedemona. Iago advises strangling, and offers his own services for the killing of Cassio. In return for his advice Otello appoints him his lieutenant. The crowd welcomes Otello, and Lodovico enters to hand the message to him. Still seething with jealousy, and almost striking Desdemona (to the scandal of Lodovico and the others), Otello reads the message aloud. He himself is to be recalled to Venice, and Cassio is to be his successor as governor of Cyprus. In fury, he throws Desdemona to the ground. She pleads with him pathetically, and in a prolonged ensemble all express their reactions to the situation, with Iago secretly jubilant. At the climax, Otello furiously curses his wife. Left alone with Iago, his imagination runs wild and he faints. As the crowd, outside, shout their praises of Otello, the 'Lion of Venice', Iago looks down contemptuously on his inert form: Ecco il leone! (See here the lion!). ACT 4 In her bedroom, Desdemona talks sadly with Emilia. Remembering a poor serving-maid of her mother's called Barbara, forsaken by her lover, she sits before the glass and sings Barbara's song - the Willow Song - with its refrain: Salce, salce (Willow, willow). As Emilia leaves, Desdemona, full of foreboding, bids her a passionate farewell. Alone, she kneels in prayer (Ave Maria), and when she finishes she lies down on the bed. Otello enters, places his scimitar on the table, looks at her sleeping form, blows out the candle, advances to the bed, draws aside the curtains and gazes at her, then kisses her three times. She stirs. He asks if she has prayed for forgiveness for her sins, and once more accuses her of unfaithfulness. She again repeatedly denies it. He tells her that nothing can save her, refuses her a moment for prayer, and stifles her with a pillow. Emilia enters to tell Otello that Cassio has been attacked by Roderigo but has killed him. With horror, she finds Desdemona dying. She calls for help, and Iago, Cassio, Lodovico and others arrive. Iago's cunning plot is exposed by Emilia and he runs out, pursued by soldiers. Then Otello, realising and repenting his monstrous injustice to Desdemona, stabs himself, kisses her again, and falls dead. (The story is extracted from 'The Wordsworh Book of Opera - Arthur Jacobs and Stanley Sadie') |
Giuseppe |
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