Otello, Opera Australia, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, in repertory 19 Feb-19 Mar 2022.

 

"Othello" is considered the Shakespeare play with one of the biggest race problems - for centuries the play and the opera were both largely performed in blackface. Opera Australia's production, a remount of a production that's been in their repertoire since 2003, eschews the blackface (as can be seen above, both Otello and Desdemona are played by South Korean performers), and thereby highlights another issue with the plot - the grotesque nature of a plot that seems to assume that the proper treatment for sexual infidelity by a wife is murder, and the only tragedy is that Desdemona is falsely accused, not that her husband is a bit overfond of murder to resolve his issues.

Still there is great power in a plot of elemental passions, jealousy and vengenace, played out on a grand sweeping set (designed by Hans Schavernoch) of an off-centre staircase with cracks and holes in it that looks like a Workplace Health and Safety incident waiting to happen, particularly at the rate the chorus and most cast members ascend and descend the stairs. Verdi's score matches Shakespeare's drama, introducing the action in a grand symphonic storm and giving grand melodic arias to all three leads, Otello, Desdemona and Iago. Pre-show advice was that lead Youngoon Lee had injured his coxyx and therefore we were getting a somewhat restaged production tonight - the only key elements of restaging obvious was that Otello occasionally used a cane and was kept on the ground floor rather than ever having to rush around the staircase - keeping the lead on the one level meant that every other cast member had to come to him and therefore doubled down on his stage presence. Karah Son as Desdemona is, alas, playing a character who's a bit thin, more talked about than much allowed to express any significant thoughts or opinions, however she does have two great arias back-to-back in Act IV and she knocks them both out of the park. Italian baritone Marco Vratogna sings Iago with passion and intensity, locked into his sinister plot from the outset and determined to see it through. Of the rest of the leads, most are strong, although the Cassio of Viglio Manino does come across as a little goofy - he's not quite the pretty-boy type to inspire jealousy so much as an overaged Bertie Wooster in RAF gear type.

This was my first full in--person opera experience, previously I've seen a couple of TV productions , two of the musicals OA have done in the Joan Sutherland and the cut-down Julie Taymor "Magic Flute" which is sung in english.  - and it's impressive to watch something of this kinda scale and power done well (as it is here). From my rush seats in row S it was an impressive watch - I'm not sure I could indulge the full cost of a ticket on a regular basis but I'm happy to go on paying Rush prices where I've got a spare night.