METROPOLITAN OPERA PRESENTS, THE: OTELLO {ITALIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of concerts performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. This presentation is Giuseppe Verdi's "Otello," based on Shakespeare's play about the tragic Moor of Venice. The program includes the opera, in four acts, sung in Italian with English subtitles, and one intermission.
The evening begins with host Garrick Utley offering opening comments on the opera, discussing Verdi's thoughts on Shakespeare as well as the differences between the play and opera. Act I starts as a large group of soldiers in Cyprus eagerly await the return of a Venetian battle fleet under the command of Otello, as thunder and lightning explode around them. Eventually, the fleet makes it through the storm and safely returns, with Otello reporting that their opponent, the Turkish fleet, is now "at the bottom of the sea."
Then, Roderigo considers drowning himself because he cannot have Desdemona, Otello's wife. Iago -- who secretly hates Otello for usurping his rank -- agrees to help Roderigo win Desdemona and devises a plan. Later, the people of Cyprus celebrate the safe return of their fleet with drink. During that time, Iago goads an unsure Cassio -- Otello's captain -- into drinking by toasting to Otello and Desdemona. This leads to a drunken Cassio drawing his sword against Roderigo before eventually dueling with Montano and causing an all-out melee.
Otello enters, disgusted by the display in front of him. He asks "honest Iago" what happened, and the devious man reports on the fight with feigned reluctance. Otello's blood is boiling, especially when his "sweet" Desdemona is awakened and arrives on the scene. Immediately, Otello strips Cassio from his captainship and tells Iago to restore the peace. Finally, alone, Otello and Desdemona recall falling in love.
Act II begins with Iago soothing Cassio, telling him to befriend Desdemona since she could convince Otello to reinstate him as a captain. When alone, Iago discusses his credo, talking of how he believes in a cruel God who created him in his image, and how he is destined to do vile deeds until the day he dies. Later, Iago hides in the garden devising a scheme as Cassio courts favor from Desdemona. Then, when meeting with Otello, Iago intimates that Desdemona may be having an affair with Cassio.
A rage begins to fill Otello as he demands to know what proof Iago has of the betrayal. Meanwhile, people of Cyprus encircle Desdemona, praising her sweet nature and showering her with flowers. Then, Desdemona goes to her husband to ask a pardon for Cassio. As Iago watches, an angered Otello refuses, screaming "not now!" He comments on how he doesn't understand the "subtle tricks of love" while refusing to grant forgiveness to Desdemona.
Meanwhile, Iago goes to his wife Emilia to get Desdemona's prized handkerchief which was thrown to the ground during her spat with Otello. Later, after Desdemona and Emilia have left, an irate Otello demands that Iago immediately show visible proof of Desdemona's cuckoldry or else be slain. Iago then lies about having heard Cassio talking in his sleep, dreaming about Desdemona, saying: "Sweet Desdemona ... let us conceal our love." He further tells Otello how, yesterday, he saw Desdemona's prized handkerchief -- the one Otello gave her to pledge his love -- in the hand of Cassio. Together, Otello and Iago plot vengeance on Desdemona. The cast takes their bows before intermission.
Act III begins as a herald announces the arrival of a galley in the harbor, carrying ambassadors from Venice. Meanwhile, Iago tells Otello that he will get Cassio to gossip, while Otello hides nearby to study his mannerisms and tone of voice. Then, when Desdemona arrives to speak further of Cassio, Otello feigns a headache and asks his wife to wrap his head in her prized handkerchief. When she is unable, Otello informs her that she best locate it -- "The handkerchief!" -- or disaster will loom.
Desdemona protests that she is indeed a faithful wife before Otello tells her to run to her "damnation" for being a "cunning whore." Upon Desdemona eventually leaving, Otello grieves. Iago arrives to tell him that Cassio has just arrived. As Otello hides, Iago gets Cassio to loudly discuss his "amorous follies" with Bianca, making the eavesdropping Otello believe is Cassio speaking of Desdemona. Eventually, Iago subtly motions for Otello to move closer and, when he does, he is able to see that Cassio now possesses Desdemona's handkerchief.
As bugles sound, announcing the arrival of the Venetian ambassadors, Iago tells Cassio to leave, lest he run into Otello. Otello then tells Iago he will kill his wife, trying to determine the best method, while also promoting Iago to captain. Upon the ambassadors' arrival, they salute Otello, and present him with a decree from the Doge of Venice. When Lodovico wonders why Cassio is not present, Iago informs him of Otello's disfavor with the man. Then, when Desdemona tries yet again to get Cassio restored, Otello slaps her.
Finally, Otello calls Cassio forward and reads the decree aloud: The Doge has recalled Otello to Venice and has installed Cassio as his replacement. Returning to his wife's side, Otello strikes Desdemona to the ground, causing her "to turn to ice." Afterward, Iago confides to Otello that he will "see to" Cassio -- convincing Roderigo to cause Cassio to "meet with an accident." Otello curses Desdemona, and, after everyone has left, he collapses to the ground in sorrow as Iago triumphantly notes that "the poison is working."
Act IV begins as Emilia prepares Desdemona for bed, with Desdemona instructing her lady in waiting to lay out her white bridal gown. She notes that if she dies that night she wishes to be shrouded in its veils in burial. When Emilia tells her to put aside such morbid thoughts, Desdemona tells the story of her mother's maid, who died of a broken heart when the man she loved abandoned her. Bidding Emilia farewell, Desdemona prays to Mary and then falls asleep.
Silently, Otello enters the bedchamber with a scimitar. He awakens Desdemona with kisses and accuses her of sin -- to her fierce denial -- before he strangles her. Just then, Emilia arrives with news that Cassio killed Roderigo as Desdemona offers her final words before dying. Emilia immediately screams the news that Otello has committed murder, which he explains as being brought about by his wife's infidelity with Cassio.
Then, Iago, Cassio, Montano, and Lodovico arrive. Emilia tells Otello of Iago's theft of the handkerchief, supplemented by Cassio's account of events, and the dying words of Roderigo. With his master plan revealed, Iago flees into the guards' clutches. Finally, grief-stricken over Desdemona's death, Otello turns his dagger on himself and commits suicide, clasping Desdemona's hand as his final act. Afterward, the cast take bows to thunderous applause.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: January 31, 1996 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:12:24
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:68763
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Operas
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1977-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Elijah Moshinsky … Producer
- Louisa Briccetti … Producer
- Susan Erben … Associate Producer
- Brian Large … Director
- David Kneuss … Direction (Misc.), Stage Director
- John Ardoin … Writing (Misc.), Introduction Written by
- William Shakespeare … Based on the book by
- Giuseppe Verdi … Composer
- Arrigo Boito … Librettist
- James Levine … Conductor
- Metropolitan Opera Orchestra … Symphony Orchestra
- Metropolitan Opera Chorus … Chorus
- Garrick Utley … Host
- Peter Allen … Announcer
- Placido Domingo … Cast, Otello
- Renee Fleming … Cast, Desdemona
- James Morris … Cast, Iago
- Theodore Lambrinos … Cast, Montano
- Richard Croft … Cast, Cassio
- Charles Anthony … Cast, Roderigo
- Jane Bunnell … Cast, Emilia
- Christopher Schaldenbrand … Cast, A Herald
- Alexander Anisimov … Cast, Lodovico