Otello

For a video of a live, staged opera, it really doesn't get much better than this.

Here we have what is advertised as Placido Domingo's final performance of Otello, and his long experience in this role shows in every detail, amazingly with hardly any trace vocally of his rather advanced age (for a singer) of 64 years.

He is supported by a wonderful cast, and most outstandingly by the superb chorus and orchestra of La Scala, Milan, all conducted by one of the finest and most experienced of Verdi conductors, Riccardo Muti.

The drama crucially benefits from the casting of the young, attractive Barbara Frittoli (who is also blessed with a gorgeous and sensuous voice) as Desdemona, and the young, sexy Cesare Catani as Cassio. The audience can much more readily accept that this much older Otello would be insecure about his marriage with Desdemona and easily deceived by Iago (Leo Nucci) into believing his wife is involved with Cassio.

The set design (Ezio Frigerio) and lighting (Matthew Richardson) are quite beautiful, especially given the limitations of a unitary set and the presumably limited budget. One might have some reservations about the staging of Desdemona's final scene where she is forced to sing the first half of the Ave Maria lying on her side on a bed that looks like a cot. Mostly, however, the stage direction by Graham Vick is naturally appropriate and does not unduly call attention to itself.

The costumes designed by Franca Squarciapino are evocative of the period and place (15th century Cyprus under Venetian rule), and are made from stunningly shiny modern materials which work especially well with the sets. Although these costumes are often beautiful in effect, they unfortunately do not always hang gracefully on the singer's bodies and are sometimes less than flattering.

Finally, the superb video is wide-screen with subtle color and outstanding sound. The video direction, editing, and camera work (Carlo Battistoni, Maurizio Bonomi, and Danilo Marabotto) are all first-rate.

This is the sixth and final (so far) version of Otello that Plácido Domingo has committed to film. I have already reviewed his 1992 film from Covent Garden with Kiri Te Kanawa as Desdemona and Sergei Leiferkus as Iago and I wanted to see how this later version compares.

First, the plus points. This is modern, widescreen filming of a performance at La Scala with much better sound quality than the 1992 film. Ricardo Muti gives a nuanced reading of the score, bringing out the lyricism in contrast to Sir Georg Solti's more violent account in the earlier film. The stage direction is in the capable hands of Graham Vick who uses a mostly bare stage with a glittering gold and silver backdrop and a curving staircase. The cast wear glittering costumes so the dazzling overall effect is reminiscent of a painting by Gustav Klimt. The choruses are particularly effective both vocally and visually with the always photogenic Milan chorus sounding and looking their best. All this must have stretched the budget because the production is not able to provide a decent four-poster for the final act and Desdemona has to perform her death scene on a ridiculous bunk-bed in the middle of the bare stage.

Leo Nucci is Iago. I have great respect for him as a singer and actor and in this production he gives a very subtle, Kevin Spacey-like portrayal of the villain. To my mind he is just too nice so that his "I believe in a cruel God" comes over a someone complaining mildly to the deity. Barbara Frittoli as Desdemona, unfortunately could not act her way out of a paper bag and her singing, particularly of the Willow Song is undramatic. She seems to be alone on stage not making eye contact with the other singers. I have a theory that she is very short-sighted. Just maybe if she tried looking Otello straight in the eye when she denies adultery he might believe her. In fairness, I should mention that I have also seen her 2003 performance in this role in Florence where she is in much better form both dramatically and vocally.

Plácido Domingo gives good value, as ever, but I think his performance suffers because of the lack of rapport with the other principals. The scenes with Nucci are relatively subdued and the love duet with Frittoli falls flat. But how do you make love to a paper bag?

As a life-long opera fan and of Placido Domingo, I saw this Otello and I was very impressed all in all. The costumes, sets, editing and videography are all first rate, while the story is compelling, the characters vivid and the music magnificent particularly Esultate, the Willow Song, Si Pel Ciel and for me the highlight of the opera Credo in Un Dio Crudel.

As far as any Otello productions go, this one from 2001 is very good. I prefer the 1986 Zeffirelli film and the 1992 production both of which has Placido Domingo in the lead as well as here, but that's no reason to dismiss a production as solid as this one.

The orchestra playing is genuinely atmospheric and evocative, and Muti's conducting is superb. In a very long time, I have not heard a better-conducted drinking song as heard and seen here.

The performances are great as well. Placido Domingo is wonderful as Otello, both in voice and acting, for me when it comes to tenors and singing-actors Domingo has the full package. Barbara Frittoli is a delicate and poignant Desdemona and I didn't mind the staging in the Willow Song personally, if in acting never quite reaching the dramatic intensity of the role that I have heard other sopranos namely Renata Scotto doing. Leo Nucci is a very solid Iago, great voice and suitably conniving acting skills. The characterisation in the Credo perhaps is a little restrained where Nucci occasionally loses the character in the few stretches where he's not singing, but overall Nucci does a very good job playing the irredeemable villain.

Overall, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox