Otello has been a highly anticipated production this year from The Royal Opera’s season. The production is scheduled to take place at the Ventnor Arts Club and making role debut in the Verdi classic will be Jonas Kaufmann.
This new production will finally give audiences a chance to see one of the best-known tenors in the world taking the stage in the legendary role and the production will be going live on Wednesday, June 28th from 9 pm in Ventnor.
The production has been put together by Keith Warner, an Olivier Award winning director and the production’s focus is on the battle between good and evil and between dark and light. The production looks at Otello’s mental collapse while being urged on by Iago who’ll be played by Marco Vratogna, the Italian baritone. The role of Desdemona will be played by Italian soprano, Maria Agresta and the psychological drama will look at themes such as insecurity and trust as Iago’s lies take effect forcing friends to become enemies and enemies to become friends in the twisted tale.
Verdi uses Shakespeare’s harrowing text to come up with a score that will keep the audience’s hearts pumping with the ever thrilling turn of events starting with the vicious storms at the start of the opera when Iago is introduced by a chilling Credo to the duets between Desdemona and Otello. Stylistically, the production remains simple enough, making use of shifting scenes and sliding walls, the work of Boris Kudlicka but the cast makes this work as they give a performance of a lifetime in the Elizabethan attire from Kasper Glaner.