Otello
Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello is certainly one of the crowning achievements of his long and distinguished career. Moving on from the framework of clearly delineated arias and recitative that he had perfected, Verdi ventured into a more integrated mode of composition with the orchestra as an active participant in the drama as opposed to mere accompaniment. This accomplishment was all the more remarkable as Verdi was in his mid-Seventies and the undisputed master of his profession who could easily have chosen to rest on his laurels. The quality of the libretto by Arrigo Boito was also superlative; telescoping the Shakespearean original while maintaining his dramatic force and depth of characterization.
Otello is probably the most daunting tenor role in the Italian repertoire. It commences with a famously exposed entrance and rarely lets up, demanding both vocal stamina and near Wagnerian power. At the same time this is no mere shoutfest and true lyricism is also required.
Los Angeles Opera has a long history with Otello, having chosen the opera for its premiere production. At that time a radiant Placido Domingo sang the Moor and disproved all the nay-sayers who claimed the role would ruin his voice or shorten his career. Twenty-one years later, Domingo remains at the top of his vocal game (though he has moved on to new vocal challenges) and is running the company. It was time to find a new Otello.
British tenor Ian Storey came with impressive credits: a couple Otello productions under his belt and a splashy replacement job as Tristan for the opening of the La Scala season. And within moments of his entrance, it was apparent that here was a tenor who lived up to expectations. Clarion-voiced and commanding, Storey sang with ease and authority. If his vocal palette doesn’t yet encompass all the colors possible in the role, it seems clear that Storey is an intelligent singer who will continue to perfect his Otello.
Mark Delavan revealed a formidable and powerfully-sung Iago who had no problem holding the stage with Storey. His Iago was less overtly evil than most, but that “nice guy” exterior makes Otello’s gullibility more believable. As both performers are over six feet tall, they dwarfed the rest of the company both vocally and physically and their “Si, pel ciel” duet was the goose-bump moment of the evening.
A throat infection felled the original Desdemona with that result that Elena Evseeva was flown in as a last minute replacement without a full rehearsal. It was, therefore, understandable that her best moments were solo, like her strongly focused rendition of the “Willow Song.” Ning Liang was sympathetic Emilia while Eric Halfvarson brought enormous charisma to the small role of Ludovico. Derek Taylor was an attractive, if small-voiced Cassio and Gregory Warren proved a determined Roderigo.
In the pit, James Conlon began the opera by conjuring the full force of Verdi’s ferocious storm music. And, if some of the later scenes lacked the same fevered urgency, no doubt he was forced to exercise caution with his new Desdemona.
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion February 16 – March 9, 2008
(213 972-0777 www.laopera.com