Verdi’s 1887 tragic tale of passion, jealousy and murder — Fully Staged Opera co-production with the CONNECTICUT LYRIC OPERA — New Britain, New London, Waterbury, Middletown
Trinity-On-Main – New Britain Fri 5/4/2012 8 PM
Garde – New London Sun 5/6/2012 5 PM
MHS Arts Center – Middletown 5/11/2012 7:30 PM
NVCC Fine Arts Center, Waterbury, CT – 5/19/2012 8 PM
Artistic Director – Adrian Sylveen
Stage Director – David Jaffe
Otello – John Tsotsoros
Jago – Garry Simpson (May 4, 6, 11)
Jago – Matthew Gamble (May 19)
Desdemona – Jurate Svedaite
Cassio – Daniel Juarez
Emilia – Brooke Larimer
Lodovico – Steve Fredericks
Roderigo – Chris Lucier
Montano – Ryan Foley
Heraldo – Hartley Horn
Opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare’s play Othello.
The third and final production of its 2011-2012 performance season, one of Verdi’s greatest works, Otello. Considered his final dramatic masterpiece and one of the greatest adaptations for opera of all of Shakespeare’s works, Otello will be performed during this production run in New Britain (May 4), New London (May 6), Middletown (May 11) and Waterbury (May 19).
Otello, Giuseppi Verdi’s final tragic opera, fuses the Bard’s famous tale of jealousy, treachery and betrayal with music both compelling and complex. Faithful to Shakespeare’s original storyline, Otello follows the title character’s descent into madness at the hands of his duplicitous ensign, Iago. When Iago falsely implicates Desdemona, Otello’s wife, and Cassio, a disgraced Venetian officer, as lovers, Otello’s ability to distinguish between reality and fiction weakens, pushing them all toward an appalling fate.
CLO’s superb cast is led by tenor John Tsotsoros as Otello, who returns after an sensational performance as Cavaradossi in last season’s Tosca; Metropolitan Opera bass-baritone Gary Simpson as the evil Iago, who has performed the role in multiple productions here and abroad; and Jurate Svedaite as Desdemona, the Lithuanian soprano and star of many CLO productions. Returning to CLO as stage director is David Jaffee, whose vast Shakespearean experience provides an excellent basis for this gripping drama. And as always, CLO Artistic Director, maestro Adrian Sylveen will lead the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra (CVCO) in this production that is fully staged with a twenty-voice chorus and English supertitle translations above the stage.
Otello will be premiered at Trinity-on-Main Arts Center, New Britain on May 4 at 8pm and repeated on May 6 at 5pm at the Garde Arts Center, New London; on May 11 at 7:30 pm at Middletown High School Arts Center; and on May 19 at 8:00pm at the NVCC Fine Arts Center, Waterbury.
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