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A quick overview of Verdi’s 1887 opera of Shakespeare’s tragedy.

Premiered

1887

Music by

Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto by

Arrigo Boito

Language

Italian

As a raging storm breaks on Cyprus, the governor Otello returns victorious from battle. But there is another storm brewing. Iago, Otello’s ensign, launches a malicious scheme to lead his chief to believe his wife Desdemona is unfaithful. As Iago’s manipulations decay Otello’s trust in those he loves, the great hero will confront his most fatal enemy: his own jealousy. Verdi’s monumental retelling of Shakespeare’s masterpiece offers a psychological medium to explore good and evil as well as the downfall of a celebrated leader.

Otello was Verdi’s penultimate opera, and he was reluctant to write anything new when he retired after the success of Aïda in 1871.

It took his publisher, Giulio Ricordi, ten years of persuading Verdi to see Boito’s completed libretto for Otello in 1881. However, the process of writing the first drafts of the libretto and the years of their revision, especially since Verdi never promised anything.

It wasn’t until 1884, five years after the first drafts of the libretto, that composition began, with most of the work finishing in late 1885. When it finally premiered in Milan in 1887, it proved to be a resounding success, and further stagings of Otello soon followed at leading theatres throughout Europe and America.

Otello, the operatic version of Shakespeare’s tragic hero Othello, is a character with a Moorish background whose skin tone is written as being noticeably darker than that of the Venetians’ and Cypriots’ who surround him. The racial difference between Otello and his wife, subordinates, and subjects plays a crucial role in his feelings of isolation, marginalization, and suspicion—all of which arguably contribute to his willingness to believe Iago’s lies.

Yet, although Otello’s character is a person of color, opera producers of today tend to cast a singer first and foremost according to the specific sound of their voice rather than the similarity of their racial identity to a character. At the same time, the history of discrimination against Black singers has made it difficult for past and present vocalists of color to be given an opportunity to sing the role of the Moorish general. This means the tenor cast as Otello may not always be a person of color—a fact that, of course, has certain implications in terms of representation and diversity within our current cultural climate.

As a result, lots of questions are bound to arise. If a singer has the right voice for the role of Otello but a different racial identity than the character’s, should he alter his appearance with makeup? How can we present Otello with a lead singer with a white or lighter complexion without diminishing the role that racial identity plays in the story? Should opera rethink its requirements for casting and, if so, what would be the pros and cons?

Act I

Loyal subjects of the island of Cyprus—now under Venetian control—watch in horror as a violent storm threatens to sink a ship bearing their newly-appointed ruler and defender, Otello, a Venetian general.

Miraculously, Otello makes it to shore, declaring victory against a Turkish enemy. Everyone rejoices.

Everyone rejoices, that is, except Iago, a Venetian officer with a massive grudge against Otello. The reason? The general has achieved fame and glory while Iago still remains a lower-ranking soldier, despite being just as qualified as Cassio, Otello’s captain. Driven by his resentment and by a prejudiced hatred for Otello’s Moorish heritage, Iago decides to stir up trouble for the general and his beautiful new bride, Desdemona.

Iago’s evil scheme takes shape as he chats with Roderigo, another Venetian who’s jealous of Otello. Turns out Roderigo is in love with Desdemona, and wants Iago’s help in getting Otello out of the picture. Seeing a chance to ruin both Otello and Cassio, Iago insinuates Captain Cassio is also in love with Desdemona, and suggests Roderigo get Cassio drunk in order to jumpstart a riot that will get Cassio demoted.

The plan works: Iago keeps the wine flowing long enough for Cassio to get completely intoxicated. Roderigo then provokes Cassio into a fist fight, and an innocent Cypriot governor gets caught in the middle. Roderigo raises the city alarm, and the commotion wakes both Desdemona and Otello, who’s so shocked at Cassio’s behavior, he fires him on the spot (sorry, buddy).

Act IV

Told by Otello to go to bed and wait, Desdemona prepares for sleep. Anxious, she sings a haunting song from her childhood and says a prayer to the Virgin Mary for protection.

Otello arrives, confronting Desdemona one last time with accusations of an affair. But can she finally convince him of her innocence? Will the truth of her faithfulness outweigh Iago’s lies? And will Iago’s treachery finally be brought to light?

Listen to the Story

Alexandre-Marie Colin (1798-1875), Otello and Desdemona [].

Presented by Washington National Opera, host Saul Lilienstein takes you through the musical world of Verdi’s 1887 opera of Shakespeare’s tragedy, Otello.

Watch an Excerpt

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