OTELLO - PARIS
Opera
Otello opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi
to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play Othello.
It was Verdi's penultimate opera, and was first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 5 February 1887.
Performances
March 07th 2019
March 10th 2019
March 13th 2019
March 16th 2019
March 20th 2019
March 23th 2019
March 26th 2019
March 29th 2019
Cast
Roberto Alagna - Otello
Aleksandra Kurzak - Desdemona
George Gagnidze - Iago
Marie Gautrot - Emilia
Frédéric Antoun - Cassio
Alessandro Liberatore - Rodrigo
Paul Gay - Ludovico
Thomas Dear - Montano
Andrej Serban - production
Peter Pabst - sets
Graciela Galan - Costumes
Bertrand De Billy - Conducteur
Orchestre et Choeurs de l'ONP
Press Review
Formalhaut - March 18, 2019
"A unique, valiant and solar tone that shows dark and tortured sides, warm and amber sound, top notes that continue their ascending rendition with a feeling of sumptuous plenitude, biting vocal emission, incredible presence, incomparable clarity of elocution ..."
EXCERPT (from French): "The voice of this Sicilian-at-heart tenor solidified in a warm golden bronze, so that he embodies the role of the Moors of Venice with a valiant and solar volcal tone that shows dark and tortured sides when the paranoia takes possession of his whole body. It is prooven again during the performance of this evening as soon as he sings the 'Esultate!' with a radiance that, gradually, filled in a warm and amber sound while the top notes continue their ascending emission with a feeling of absolutely sumptuous plenitude. And we can even say that his beautiful hair with copper glints paired with the deep red of his long coat is in harmony with this biting vocal emission of an incredible presence, a presence absolutely incomparable today by its clarity of elocution. And there is always this unique own tone which expresses his whole personality even in the strength of his high range.
With his wife, Aleksandra Kurzak, they form together the real central pivot of the show thanks to their natural love alchemy, of course, but also thanks to a great complementarity of voices, subtle and finely “fil di voce” sounds produced by the Polish soprano, which takes more powerful and realistic accents at times of great tension. They echo this unique entirety we can hear in his husband's expressions.
Roberto Alagna plays rather a troubled and human character without animal exaggeration, Aleksandra Kurzak devotes herself to a strongly admiring and submissive role that turns to Puccinian melodrama in the last act, and their duet reaches a magnificent fusional climax in the first part, when on stage, the shadow of the translucide veils sublimates a strongly classical vision of their idealized couple."
Resmusica.com - Steve Boscardin - March 2019
"Is Roberto Alagna a suitable Otello? In front of such an embodiment, at such a level, one lays down weapons in front of Alagna’s singular Otello. An Esultate of incredible youthfulness and power, a heartbreaking love duo of elegant simplicity, a disconcerting self-evidence, a striking impact, an impressive stage commitment, a straightforward connection with the room free of any filter, a stunning raw emotion, an heart-rending Nun mi tema, a huge sincerity from the artist. "
EXCERPT (from French): "In front of [Aleksandra Kurzak], Roberto Alagna challenges himself to get at the bottom of this role which remains very heavy for many tenors. The singer’s stage commitment is always impressive, if not typical. You must see him gradually sink into madness and draw a pathetic portrait of this colossus with feet of clay. Of course, he is sometimes heard on the edge and, to see him blow his nose at all acts [note: not yet completely recovered from his tracheitis], it is feared that the voice may crack. But none of this happens this afternoon. His "Esultate" is incredible of youth and power. The love duet breaks our heart with its elegant simplicity. Words drop off, sentences flow with a disconcerting self-evidence. Since when have we heard a "Dio! Potevi mi scagliar" so emotionally charged, so vivid? What strikes here is the impact, the straightforward connection, without any filter, that the tenor establishes with the room; a stunning raw emotion that owes nothing to an exhibition but to the sincerity of an artist who never ceases to surprise until a heart-rending "Nun Mi tema". So, is Roberto Alagna a suitable Otello? In front of such an embodiment, one lays down weapons far before asking a question that, at such a level of performance, can remain unanswered."
Opera Online - Aain Duault - March 2019
“A profound understanding of the role, impressive strength of character, panache, a radiant Esultate, a robustly projected high-pitch, a quivering duet, sensual and irradiant tones, an intense, intelligent and solid portrayal. Working through an unfortunate sore throat in the 2nd part, Roberto Alagna shows a fighting spirit, which not many are capable of, delivers with poignant authenticity and a rare dramatic intensity. Isn’t this what Verdi had wanted?
EXCERPT: “The title role was portrayed by Roberto Alagna. Incarnated would be a better word instead of portrayed given how the performance of the tenor once again showed his profound understanding of the role along with his impressive strength of character that pushed him to his very limits, without once giving up. He could very well have cancelled after having developed a sore throat during the rehearsal, but that’s just not him!
He writes in his enthralling Dictionnaire Intime, which has just been released by Le Passeur Éditeur: « I hate having to cancel. I always think about all these people who make all those sacrifices to buy a ticket, come from far away and have to pay for their travel, accommodation... I think about how disappointed they will be. I always try to use the last ounce of my energy, to give the most that I can. It is rare to always feel like you are in perfectly good form, something that happens perhaps only two or three times a season. If we decided to cancel every time we weren’t feeling well, we would have to cancel all the time. Even in an “average” state, we give it all we have; we surpass ourselves, and reach out to the very depths of our technique to overcome the obstacle. And by thus surpassing ourselves, we show our vulnerabilities and perhaps become more moving, as if the emotions experienced and sung become even stronger ».
That’s Roberto Alagna, it is this panache that makes him so loved. But, honestly speaking, in the first part of this Otello, one could hardly hear the signs of his unfortunate sore throat: a radiant Esultate, with a robustly projected high-pitch that never once faltered, a quivering duet that unites him with his pure Desdemona, where expressive softness is bedecked with sensual and irradiant tones. It had everything for one of these performances that leave a lasting impression on our minds.
[…] From his first portrayal, Roberto Alagna developed his role and gave it more character that is seen in the second act, with the quartet in which the tenor knows how to portray the progression from obsessive doubt and essentially the finale in which dark passion blurs Otello’s sense of reason. His voice expresses it all with as much intelligence as passion, like the growing smell of an inner fire that is going to consume him.
One feels reassured, happy and confident by the time of the interval. But what happens back-stage during this time? From the beginning of the third act, the timbre drops, it falters, loses its shine, there was some unpleasant hoarseness (which singers describe with the unappealing term ‘graillons (thick phlegm) that disturbed his voice; we feel Roberto Alagna’s pain who is clearly suffering due to that cursed sore throat. But not once does he accept defeat: with the energy, which very few can exhibit, he keeps going till the end of the last two acts, rediscovering tones to express the despair of the character, yet again losing the substance of his voice, yet fighting through and thus giving the final scene a poignant authenticity. Because this man who is struggling with his breath and the vocal substance that have abandoned him is also Otello who is devastated with what turns out to not be destiny but a plot that trapped him, which pushed him to something from which there was no coming back, which crushed him: Roberto and Otello seem to be fighting the same fight! Rarely has the dramatic intensity of this final scene been so overwhelming, as if this character is hurting from within, this physically emotionally and direct involvement in the role, this singing burnt out by worry, distress, pain that wins; isn’t this what Verdi had wanted (he who wanted a voice torn from the bottom of the depths of the soul for his Lady Macbeth)?"
Toute la Culture - Paul Fourier - March 2019
“Majestically lyrical Otello, Alagna was impressive throughout. His tone is an absolute joy for the first 2 acts. He masterfully develops his character, carrying the show, infusing it with an extraordinary intensity. He fights like a lion".
EXCERPT: " Roberto Alagna was impressive throughout; his Esultate is sharp as it should be and his Italian timbre is an absolute joy during the first two acts. It is one of these majestically lyrical Otellos, probably the most beautiful ones if one looks at the Wagnerian tenors that bring their power and strength to the role, often at the expense of the tones from Verdi’s pen. He masterfully develops his character from this powerful soldier who is at first victorious, sure of himself and his authority, to this man who begins to become suspicious thanks to the relentless scheming of Iago.
However, after the interval, the first signs of his vocal problems are felt and an awful ‘graillon (thick spittle)’ mars the initial steps. It settled in Alagna’s throat who decided to soldier on because it is really not like a tenor to get defeated. However, the public trembled more than once and may have wondered during the middle of act III whether they would see him again as he had been gone for a while.
The rest will be a breathless race against the clock that, paradoxically, will reinforce the extraordinary intensity that the artist successfully infused, despite everything, while carrying the show and playing against his weaknesses. Taking the path less travelled to overcome obstacles is something he always does with his characteristic professionalism. His heart-rending cry of “Fuggirmi io sol non so! ” (“I alone cannot flee myself”) was literally spat out and coloured the end of reason of this exhausted Othello of a disturbing dimension!
Till the final scene of suicide, Alagna fought like a lion, a lion that was both powerful, like only he knows how to, to leave the public spellbound, and fragile, like his voice which was not very easy to control. Splendid!"
France Net Infos - Christophe Mary - Mach 2019
"Alagna is brilliant in the interpretation of this Otello who goes from being a great warrior to an animal ravaged by jealousy" by Christophe Mary for France Net Infos
EXCERPT: "Roberto Alagna reportrays the title role of Otello that he had taken on at Chorégies d’Orange in 2014. The singer is brilliant in the interpretation of this Otello with a spirit that is weakened with flaws who goes from being a great warrior, to a beast of gullibility and finally becomes an animal ravaged by jealously, blindly succumbing to vengeance. The scene where he strangles Desdemona directly on the floor of the regal chamber is heart-breaking with its sheer animal-like brutality"
Forumopera.com - Christian Peter - March 2019
“A high-powered portrayal, a completely accomplished performance during the first part, peppered with memorable moments. A poignant Dio mi potevi scagliar, a final scene with a gripping dramatic intensity despite vocal conditions [he developed a sore throat during rehearsal]. Hats off to the artist! ”
EXTRACT: “During the rehearsal, Roberto Alagna and his wife were said to be unwell. Indeed, the tenor finished the show almost voiceless. On this opening night, however, we were assured that everything was fine such was his “Esultate! ” which was started at the top of his lungs in a confident and powerful voice that filled the entire theatre, indicating a high-powered portrayal, and it was just that, at least till the interval. During this first part, the tenor who refused to take it easy gave us an absolutely impressive performance, peppered with memorable moments that unleashed the public’s enthusiasm: the love duet that exquisitely and sensually ends the first act, the first exchanges with Iago and then the quartet where we can feel the doubt slowly creeping into him, and finally the finale of the two where the tension gradually grows while the first signs of fatigue begin to be felt. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the third, the timbre seems shrouded, and a few ‘graillons (thick spittle)’ can be heard as if the tenor had caught a cold during the interval. The rest of the performance will be a relentless struggle against a voice that threatens to give away, while nonetheless treating us to a theatrically-speaking poignant “Dio mi potevi scagliar” and a final scene with a gripping dramatic intensity despite his vocal conditions. Hats off to the artist!
Altamusica - Vincent Guillemin - March 2019
"Superb prime duo: Roberto Alagna with an ideal tone of voice for the title role, and the excellent Aleksandra Kurzak as Desdemona"
EXCERPT (from French): "Major interest [of this revival], the Moorish couple is far superior to those of the last occasions. First of all, thanks to Alagna’s Otello, in this penultimate evening, in a particularly great scenic and vocal form. To his well-known flame and beauty of timbre that does not age - one of the most radiant possible today to perform this so tense tenor’s role - is added a unswerving valiance and soundness of the vocal line. Aleksandra Kurzak spoke with us about her career development to lighter roles than before. After her Traviata, already particularly interesting at the beginning of the season on this same stage, [her performance in this role] of Desdemona is a real success story, so much the brightness of her timbre and her belcantist technique fit her score, until a superb prayer followed by an angelic Willow Song. "
La revue du Spectacle - Christine Ducq - March. 7, 2019
"Fabulous Roberto Alagna and Aleksandra Kurzak at the Opéra national de Paris.This incandescent couple offers us an unrivalled happiness, that of the truth of flamboyant feelings - those of the best theater drama"
EXCERPT (from French): "The onstage incandescence of the couple formed by Roberto Alagna's Otello and Aleksandra Kurzak's Desdemona has little equivalent.The French tenor embodies with a rare generosity and intensity all the facets of his character: invincible winner, with an "Esultate" triumphant as ever at the opening scene, he is then overwhelming by way of internalized pain or burst of irrepressible pride and violence.Torn and heartbreaking, the singer moves to tears. There is not only a slight alteration of his voice after the intermission which does not serve his interpretation of a broken man, a soldier defeated by himself.This is very great art [...] This couple on stage and in life is defintely offering us an unrivalled happiness, that of the truth of flamboyant feelings - those of the best theater drama. "
Gallery
28/01/2019
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