ENO: Otello

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

A powerful new production of Verdi's Otello opened last night at the Coliseum. Directed by David Alden, marking 30 years directing at ENO, it has a great cast, including Stuart Skelton's first stab at the title role and the UK operatic premiere of Leah Crocetto.

http://bachtrack.com/review-otello-skelton-crocetto-eno-september-2014

Definitely worth seeing if you're within easy reach of London. Otherwise, tune in to Radio 3 on 27th September for a live relay.

[verismissimo]

A powerful new production of Verdi's Otello opened last night at the Coliseum. Directed by David Alden, marking 30 years directing at ENO, it has a great cast, including Stuart Skelton's first stab at the title role and the UK operatic premiere of Leah Crocetto.

http://bachtrack.com/review-otello-skelton-crocetto-eno-september-2014

Definitely worth seeing if you're within easy reach of London. Otherwise, tune in to Radio 3 on 27th September for a live relay.

Thanks, Mark. Going Friday. Skeltonfan.

[Pulcinella]

Does anyone know why the planned live cinema transmission on 14 October has apparently been cancelled?

[Zucchini]

I quickly went though a few highlights at lunchtime. Very, very good.

I've not yet heard Skelton & was mightily impressed by his clarion & golden voice, the beautifully controlled, caressing tone he found for the love duet, the poignancy of Dio mi potevi & a terrific Niun mi tema.The opening chorus sounded electric & so far I'm finding Gardner's contribution a revelation.Iplayer disappointing - voices changing volume horribly as singers act their part.

Can you tell us how you found it Verismissimo...

[DracoM]

Yes, well I'm a bit of a Skelton fan too, but............well, I thought this a bit feeble ON AIR, maybe it was far more powerful on stage?

[Frances_iom]

.....well, I thought this a bit feeble ON AIR, maybe it was far more powerful on stage?

I thought it had no real stage presence - almost as tho miked from the back of the gods

[verismissimo]

Can you tell us how you found it Verismissimo...

I really did think this was a first rate production - musically and dramatically. Strong singing in all departments, not least the chorus, and terrific orchestral-playing.

[verismissimo]

Can you tell us how you found it Verismissimo...

And just in case anyone's interested, this is what I wrote on my blog...

What a problem Verdi left to us in casting his Otello.

It’s not such a problem nowadays with the original Shakespeare. As early as 1959 I saw the amazing Paul Robeson on the stage at Stratford (Sam Wanamaker his savage Iago, Mary Ure a delectable Desdemona). And later (in 1989) Willard White at the Young Vic (Iago ‒ Ian McKellen, Desdemona ‒ Imogen Stubbs).

If only Verdi hadn’t conceived his Moor as a tenor, both of those great black bass-baritones might have been just the ticket. But he didn’t. He demands not just any old tenor, but a genuine dramatic one, with a powerful ringing top and a baritonal timbre. What’s more, one who can act. These creatures are hard to find.

And all that is still not enough. In our enlightened times, it’s no longer satisfying to have a white man blacked up, often conjuring up stereotypical black gestures and accents. Shades of the ghastly Laurence Olivier performance.

When I saw the exciting Graham Vick production of the Verdi with his Birmingham Opera Company a few years ago, Vick cast the West Indian Ronald Samm in the role. Samm was good, perhaps very good. But not great.

So what was David Alden to do in his new production for ENO at the Coliseum?

He has at his disposal perhaps the finest dramatic tenor of this generation, the Australian Stuart Skelton, who has the ideal vocal equipment and acts powerfully, but is oh so white. Alden has left Skelton au naturel, no blacking up. And the result is an unforgettable evening in the opera theatre.

And yet. And yet, there’s still something missing in this wonderful evening, and that is the shocking fact that the Moor is black, not white ‒ a former slave, an outsider and misfit in Venetian society.

[VodkaDilc]

Having only just got home after last night's performance, I will digest the comments of others before writing anything in detail. However, a few initial reactions:

1 Despite David Alden's comments about racism in the programme, I still strongly agree with verissmisimo's final paragraph. Are we really wicked for reacting like this? It seems such a central point of the play.

2 What a wonderful Desdemona Leah Corcetto is. Less the Desdemona of my imagination and more a voluptuous Kirstie Alsopp.

3 Financial reasons, I suppose, but I really missed the chorus from the curtain calls. Their contribution was immense and we really needed the chance to show our appreciation - but, by 10.20, they were presumably well into their homeward journeys, if not already at home. Would it have been logistally possible to keep them in the theatre until the end?

[Flosshilde]

more a voluptuous Kirstie Alsopp.

Surely Desdemona has to have some sexual allure, otherwise Othello's jealosy of her doesn't make sense?

Would it have been logistally possible to keep [the chorus] in the theatre until the end?

Lock the door?
Presumably they'd have to be paid; might push the cost up somewhat (or are the chorus so poorly paid that it would be negligble?). Perhaps they could be given seats so that they can enjoy the rest of the performance, & then come on stage for a curtain call at the end?