'Otello' dials up the drama Live in HD

Jordane Delahaye, Gleaner Writer

The Metropolitan Opera Company's Live in HD season dialled up the drama last Saturday with its live transmission of Giuseppe Verdi's Otello.

Otello is Verdi's penultimate opera to an Italian libretto based on Shakespeare's own great tragedy, Othello.

The opera starts off with a dramatic storm scene as the Venetian fleet returns from war, led by the Venetian general and governor of Cyprus, the Moore, Otello. More drama then ensues as we are introduced to the absolutely fiendish Iago, whose manipulative schemes lead Otello to strangle his innocent wife, Desdemona - whom he suspects of infidelity, before ending his own life.

Though, like the play, the opera is named after the doomed Otello, it is 'honest Iago' who plays the most prominent role, and is present in almost every scene weaving a web of lies and deceit.

A phenomenal Falk Struckmann plays the role of Iago, while American soprano, Renee Fleming, is sensational as the endearing Desdemona.

Johan Botha reclaims the title role after only recently recovering from an illness, which caused him to miss the last three performances.

As part of the Live in HD package, the audience watching at movie theatres around the world were given a behind-the-curtains tour with host Sondra Radvanovksy. Viewers were able to witness interviews with the cast members and see the crew members at work, taking apart the set to create a new scene.

Renowned conductor

Those watching the live transmission were also given a priceless look at the renowned Russian conductor Semyon Bychkov at work in the orchestra pit.

Whether it was due to the familiarity of the Shakespearean tragedy or the lure of the alternative content concept which Palace Amusement has adopted is yet to be determined, but the turnout for Verdi's Otello far surpassed the inaugural screening of the Met Opera in Jamaica with L'Elisir D'Amore.

CEO of Virgen Advertising Limited, Colleen Brown-Jackson, told The Gleaner she was pleased with the turnout, considering hurricane Sandy's recent onslaught on the island.

"There was a lot of buzz surrounding Otello, and so we are hoping for an even greater turnout for the encore screenings." Jackson added.

The encore screenings will take place at 11 a.m. on November 3 at Palace Multiplex in Montego Bay and on November 4 at Odeon Cineplex in Mandeville and Palace Cineplex in Liguanea.

The next live transmission at Carib 5 will be The Tempest, another of Shakespeare's many plays, on November 10.