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Evening Standard, 22 June 2017 |
Barry Millington |
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Verdi: Otello, Royal Opera House, London, 21. Juni 2017 |
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An Otello to rank with the finest
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Keith Warner's production of Verdi's opera is thought-provoking and
stylishly abstract, writes Barry Millington |
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For perfectly sound reasons, the Otello in Verdi’s opera falls prey to
jealousy even more precipitately than his Shakespearian counterpart. Rarely
has that gnawing suspicion seemed as convincing or moving as in the keenly
awaited portrayal by Jonas Kaufmann, making his debut in the role, as
directed by Keith Warner. Kaufmann may occasionally resort to stock gestures
but he modulates effortlessly between the amorous and the unhinged,
grippingly charting the character’s psychological decline.
Warner’s
thought-provoking production, with stylishly abstract, Moorish-inflected
sets by Boris Kudlicka and elegantly timeless costumes by Kaspar Glarner,
constantly deepens the perspective: a black-box set that simulates the
incursion into a dark interior, skilful deployment of stage space to reflect
connections and dislocations, and a full-length mirror that enables Otello
(and us) to look into his own soul, seeing there perhaps his inner demon.
Inevitably the names of past great Otellos such as Vickers and Domingo
were being bandied about the foyer. Ultimately such comparisons are
pointless: what Kaufmann offers is a supremely burnished baritonal tenor
with a ringing, heroic top but capable of extraordinary lyrical beauty in
more intimate scenes. Kaufman, in case you were wondering, does not black
up: Warner’s subtly delineated political context suggests other reasons for
his fall from grace.
Marco Vratogna, whose Iago brandishes masks
reminding us of his ability to adapt his persona for strategic purposes, is
able to switch vocal registers with ideal ease. Maria Agresta’s Desdemona,
unfailingly smooth of line, is deeply touching in the final bedchamber
scene. Frédéric Antoun’s Cassio and In Sung Sim’s Lodovico also shine in a
uniformly strong cast.
Central to the success of the evening is
Antonio Pappano’s conducting. The opening storm scene is electrifying both
musically and scenically, but Pappano consistently maintains the intensity
while beguiling the ear with his attention to textural detail.
Traditionalists won’t like the production’s visual austerity, but the acuity
of its psychological penetration, coupled with Warner’s trademark skill at
character interaction, make this a worthy vehicle for an Otello to rank with
the finest.
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