Opus Otello - Gran teatre del liceu Barcelone 2006

Otello simply defines grand opera, especially of the tragic variety. Graced by three of the most fascinatingly flawed characters ever to be put on stage, and with a literate and poetic libretto by Boito liberally borrowing from Shakespeare, not to mention the indescribably glorious music of Verdi, Otello stands at the summit of the mountainous output Verdi contributed to this art form. This production has its problems, that can't be denied, but even the artistic liberties taken by Muti and Langridge, and the ineffective work of Antonenko, can't seriously distract from the visceral impact of this impeccable piece of writing.

Willy Decker drives a lot of opera purists crazy, but there's a method to his madness, at least in this Otello . Spare and lean, with just a tip of the Pulcinella hat to Commedia dell'Arte in the Chorus, and with that riveting use of the cross hovering over all the action, this is an Otello that highlights the psychological torment the three lead characters are experiencing. Mostly magnificently sung, and certainly interesting from a visual standpoint, this is a production that deserves a look and listen. Verdi's masterpiece is supple enough to handle this kind of re-visioning.