Credits:

Antonino Fogliani

Description:

This Othello by Rossini (17921868) premiered in Naples in 1816. While many people may think of Verdis opera of the same name, this work is not based on Shakespeares play; rather, the libretto was written by the Duke of Berio, who adapted the original French text by the neoclassical writer Jean-Franois Dussis into Italian. As a result, the plot differs significantly from Verdis work; furthermore, while Othello and Desdemona are in love, they are not yet married, and the three men vying for Desdemonas affections are all sung by tenorsa choice that creates a truly exquisite dynamic among the characters. The entire opera is filled with dazzling coloratura, and although it is a tragedy, it lacks the oppressive heaviness found in Verdis *Othello*. This recording is a live performance from the Rossini Opera Festival, held every summer in Bad Wildbad, a small spa resort in the Black Forest region.