An Angel of Death and no Real Drama

A middle ground between table or catwalk across almost the entire empty stage, with tons of candles on it. The black Angel of death dances to a mysterious choreography: an elegant atmosphere for a first class funeral. But is it the right place for a marriage quarrel?

We are in the third Act. Otello is highly infected by the virus of jealousy and calls for the fateful handkerchief from Desdemona. The two are lost, standing the maximum distance away from each other (and that is very far on the stage in the great Festival Hall!). Since no serious quarrel can crystallize, we have only the juxtaposition of two monologues. This is the biggest emotion that Director Vincent Boussard allows his two protagonists. 

This scene really captures the general mood of Otello, this year's production of the Easter Festival: cool, aloof, far away from a gripping story told.  The invented to Todesengel (dancer Sofia Pintzou) with black wings often carries fire in her hands.  The angel is introduced immediately.  Yes, it is a bad end for Desdemona and Otello.  This we have always known.  Actually the Director just wants to tell us that Otello and the Venetian blonde Desdemona are not a good match and the horrible end is thus foreseeable.

An abundantly inconsequential, fatalistic view of the music drama of Verdi. Perhaps it might be worthy of a discussion if musically the exact opposite is happening, when we would really be gripped. No a chance. Certainly in the title role José Cura, although offering a lot of lyrical singing (the first, intensely colored by the cellos in the scene with Desdemona is really memorable), is unable to offer the frenzied emotion which is part of the title role--because (in this staging) it simply lacks all intensity and dangerousness.

Christian Thielemann did not help the drama, focusing instead on Verdi's obvious curiosity after the current achievements of the Impressionists. Desdemona's Willow Song and Ave Maria did not seriously move anyone.

Audible resentment not only against the director but also against Dorothea Röschmann.  Thielemann was applauded, even if he doesn't bring hailed one, even if he does not specifically bring Verdi (to the podium).

Easter Festival: Dark Otello with some bright spots

Black wall, a white door and an overly long table - that is the typical Boussard-opera production.  Admittedly, this is somewhat pointed, but goes to the heart.  Even with Giuseppe Verdi's late work everything is aesthetically like a Designer loft held - and just as cold.  So what happens is, moved to the black general of the Venetians who kills his wife Desdemona because of an intrigue of his subordinates Iago in a timeless non-space.  Boussards concept is best when the Frenchman visually shrink the huge stage of the grosses Festspielhaus for the love and the murder scene optically reduced and black space a bright white chamber can appear to float.

The real problem, however, is that the singers Boussard guide are not only neglected, they are simply negated.  Ultimately, he relies on simple ramp theater without interaction of the participants, concealed by the scantily scant illumination.  The singers interact more with each other in concert performances.   

In this picture the team of the singer attempted to add sense.  Jose Cura - as conductor and director himself who is intimately familiar with Otello - stepped in the title role for their originally intended Austro-South African Johan Botha and presented his short-tempered commander with solid vocal line.

 Applause at the end of the entire ensemble...

Salzburg Easter Festival: Cheers for Otello

Director Boussard begins with the storm by floating a white giant sail over the orchestra pit, where Sofia Pintzou wraps up herself in it as she becomes the constantly accompanying (death) Angel.  But at the first chord Desdemona and Otello appear briefly and kiss intimately on the empty stage.

There should have been a storm but there is not one, because Boussard has the chorus completely motionless behind the sail, irritating because of the powerful choral sound of the Saxon State Opera Chorus Dresden easily breaks through this transparent sailing scene.  It is also strange that the citizens of Cyprus are dressed in Elizabethan costume with ruff, while the other protagonists dress in far more modern clothes.

The fourth act is the poignant revelation, even the most beautiful apotheosis of perfection musical drama.

Again, we are in the white-equipped room crypt like at the beginning without bed. The wedding dress is hanging above the door, Otello appears and when Desdemona turns away from it, it become a deadly embrace. This scene Cura sings very well - also the monologue "Dio mi potevi" Act 3: with particular expression, beautiful timbre and warm voice.

Thielemann searched for three acts for the line through the precarious music to balance between the dramatic attack and the intimate moments, packing a bold outline of the score that clearly has modern music dramatic aspects.  There seemed a strange perplexity in sounds from the orchestra pit, not always perfect coordination in the ensembles and choral scenes (most peculiarly: the choir of the Dresden Semperoper), especially when Thielemann too often clearly gives in to his penchant for stretching the tempo, thus achieving more storage than drive.  Only in the last act did the usual, finer tone quality magically arrive.  But even there it was oddly cool emotions, with little compelling tension.

José Cura seemed to be holding back the big passion of Otello, evidently at the will of Director Vincent Boussard, creeping through the gigantic space like a tired, lonely loser. Nowhere was there recognition the sharpened psychological motivations or even the exciting narrative in the obligation to this lifeless arrangement.  

A disappointing production of the opera by Giuseppe Verdi.

So, that was a cozy Premiere. Dark enough on stage that one or the other could have quietly gone for a little nap. Such likable singers at work that you would have liked to go for a cappuccino at the famous Caffé Florian with the Venetian Moor and dinner with Jago.  Such sweet sounds from the pit.

Giuseppe Verdi's Otello at the Salzburg Easter Festival: the perfect production when it comes to disturbing no one with any interpretation attempts to attract attention or generate well-being.  Opera delectat.

You get little of the drama of the Shakespearean material.  The intrigue of Iago are as dangerous as a boy’s prank.  The murder of Desdemona happens almost causally, in the wake of a fierce hug.  And afterwards, when Otello only leans against a wall as he learns about the deadly game with his jealousy and Desdemona gets up again and departs with the angel of death, the work seems almost satirical.

José Cura is still a singer who goes to the limit, he has an Italian flair in his voice, and he sings some beautiful melodic lines.  In the premiere he was not always precise in his intonation.  As a performer, he is intense; however one cannot get rid of the feeling that arises that the intensity comes less from the logical direction but rather springs from his personality.  His Otello is a brooder, and intellectual, almost a sage as Otello.  Also, he does not perform in blackface.  In the first half, he is wearing a white shirt, in the second half a black one.  One is happy watching him but it could just as well be any other opera and it would be just as good.

Unfortunately, even Christian Thielemann remains with the Staatskapelle only on the surface. Even his Otello is embellished to little dramatic, not even particularly accurate, but sonically splendid. One thinks more like a mixture of Puccini and Strauss than this Verdi'sche masterpiece. For cappuccino, the orchestra provides the milk foam.

A murder like a hug - Thielemann Otello in Salzburg

Usually, the great opera performances of the Salzburg Easter Festival become the homage to Christian Thielemann, the CEO of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden and legitimate executor of his former mentor, the festival founder Herbert von Karajan. At the premiere of Verdi's Otello at the start of the 49th Festival on Saturday evening in the Großes Festspielhaus, the applause was a bit more restrained than usual. Even a few boo's from the ranks were heard.

It liked not have located on the quality of the offer. The orchestra played gorgeously, José Cura as Otello, Dorothea Röschmann as Desdemona and Carlos Álvarez as Jago, left little to be wished for, and the minimalist, poetic staging the Frenchman Vincent Boussard was at least not disruptive.  The great love scene between Otello and Desdemona at the beginning and Desdemona death at the hands of Otello at the end, went to the heart.

 Otello: Opulent studies of an opera Rage

Polite applause for the sometimes static staging of Vincent Boussard with poetic images and large misty decoration  

The overall charm of this production also enriched a second cinematic level. Here the Bühnenwirk- reflects sensitivity, here they meet their quasi alienated, sometimes wild reflection. As Otello circulated quasi in the primordial ooze of his jealousy, or even in the fog of his rage. Where sometimes the message of these images also acts a little clouded.

But the images act, they fill this huge stage, and so to do the voices: Although José Cura roared a bit he has important sound intensity and certainly didn't deserve the few boos.

Otello, Aging Husband in Erotic Distress

The silent opening scene of a few seconds disclosed once the core of the drama: In chiaroscuro of dark-suited Otello and Desdemona meet in the light - as complementary and at the same time but incompatible principles.  That the orchestral storm waves break loose exactly when the two loving fall into each other’s  arms, pointing the way to understanding Vincent Boussards staging in the Grosses Festspielhaus: the external action moves into the background, more internal spaces are explored, expanded states of mind, a gloomy fate predicted.

The strong light-dark contrasts pervade the whole evening, and ultimately replaces Otello’s dark skin: Boussard suggests the mechanisms of perceived erotic inferiority of an aging man and artfully fueled jealousy are regardless of times and cultures. 

The international field of Otello singer is scary small. Currently Jonas Kaufmann was probably only suitable, appropriate manner to deal with the game in a Festival demands (and prices!). But he planned not only a full schedule, but also his role debut until 2017 in London. So, José Cura was brought in - a saviour in the emergency ….