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recently seen this handkerchief in Cassio’s hand. 0 The Venetian ambassador, Lodovico, Desdemona, ADD £ Otello is roused to jealous fury and swears Emilia and the court enter. Lodovico hands Otello a Great Opera Performances vengeance. Iago kneels beside him and vows to assist message from the Doge. While reading it, Otello 8.111320-21 him. continues to mutter bitter asides at Desdemona. He has been recalled to Venice and Cassio appointed in his CD 2 place. While announcing that he will set sail the following morning, he flings Desdemona to the ground. 1 Opening announcement ! Desdemona sings of her misery, and in the ensuing VERDI 2 CDs 2 Spoken synopsis of Act III ensemble Iago promises Otello that he will kill Cassio. Otello dismisses the court and curses Desdemona. At Otello Act III: The great hall of the castle this point alone except for Iago, Otello succumbs to a fit of epilepsy. As Otello lies prostrate on the floor, Iago Ramón Vinay • Herva Nelli • Giuseppe Valdengo 3 There is an orchestral introduction. mocks the fallen Lion of Venice. 4 A Herald announces that the galley bringing the NBC Symphony Orchestra and Choruses Venetian ambassadors has been sighted. Otello @ Spoken synopsis of Act IV acknowledges this, but continues talking to Iago. Iago is Arturo Toscanini planning to lure Cassio into the hall and into talking Act IV: Desdemona’s chamber about Desdemona. Recorded in 1947 5 Desdemona enters and once more tries to persuade # Emilia helps Desdemona to prepare for bed. Otello to reinstate Cassio. Again claiming to have a $ Desdemona sadly recalls a song of unrequited love headache he asks Desdemona for the handkerchief sung by her mother’s servant, Barbara, the Willow which he gave her. When she is unable to produce it, he song. becomes violent, accuses her of adultery despite her % She gives a ring to Emilia, says farewell to her, prays protestations of innocence, and forces her out of the to the Virgin Mary, and goes to bed. hall. ^ Otello enters, places his sword by a lamp, uncertain 6 Alone he reflects on his misery. Iago enters and whether or not to extinguish it. He looks at Desdemona makes Otello hide behind a pillar. and puts out the light. He kisses the sleeping 7 Cassio enters and Iago banters with him about the Desdemona three times – on the third kiss she awakes. whore Bianca, but Otello believes them to be talking He taunts her with her alleged infidelity with Cassio, about Desdemona. Encouraged by Iago, Cassio which she vehemently denies. Otello tells her that produces the handkerchief which Iago had earlier Cassio is dead. Shocked, Desdemona pleads for her life planted in his room, and Iago ensures that Otello sees it. but to no avail: Otello strangles her. 8 While Cassio and Iago admire the handkerchief, & Emilia immediately enters with the news that Cassio Otello believes it to reveal treachery. A trumpet has killed Roderigo. Desdemona calls weakly from her announces the arrival of the Venetian galley and Cassio bed, and dies. Emilia cries for help and Lodovico, leaves. Cassio, Iago, and Montano enter. Iago is challenged by 9 A distraught Otello decides to kill Desdemona by Emilia, and his plotting revealed: he flees. poison but Iago suggests smothering her instead. Otello * Completely broken, Otello draws his dagger and pronounces Iago his captain. stabs himself as he seeks a final kiss from the body of Desdemona.

Keith Anderson

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Synopsis # Spoken synopsis of Act II

CD 1 Act II: A hall on the ground floor of the castle, Great Opera Performances separated from the garden by a glass-paneled door 1 Opening announcement 2 Spoken synopsis of Act 1 $ Cassio and Iago have been conversing and Iago Giuseppe assures Cassio that he will regain Otello’s esteem, Act I: A seaport with a castle in Cyprus during the especially if he asks Desdemona to intercede on his VERDI fifteenth century behalf. He advises Cassio to approach her in the garden (1813-1901) where she is strolling with Iago’s wife, Emilia. 3 A storm is raging. A crowd watches anxiously as the % As Cassio departs Iago gives vent to his ‘Credo’: he ship of Otello, the Governor of Cyprus and a Moor, tries believes in a cruel god who has made man in his own Otello to reach the shelter of the harbour. image. Death is nothing and heaven a lie. 4 The ship enters port safely and Otello exultantly ^ He watches as Cassio converses with Desdemona. Lyric Drama in 4 Acts • Libretto by Arrigo Boito (from Shakespeare) makes his triumphant entry. He announces his most & As Otello enters Iago appears to mutter words of recent military victory, before entering the castle concern. Pressed by Otello, Iago with apparent accompanied by his lieutenant, Cassio. The crowds Otello ...... Ramón Vinay reluctance hints at an illicit relationship between Cassio salute Otello as their leader. Iago, Otello’s ensign, tells and Desdemona. As Otello becomes distracted, Iago Desdemona ...... Herva Nelli Roderigo (who has travelled from Venice because of his warns him to beware of jealousy but to watch his wife Iago ...... Giuseppe Valdengo love for Otello’s wife Desdemona and whom Iago has carefully. promised to help to gain her) how he hates Otello for * Desdemona reappears in the garden, surrounded by Cassio ...... Virginio Assandri promoting Cassio over him. women and children who serenade her. Emilia ...... Nan Merriman 5 The crowds create a bonfire to celebrate. ( After they have dispersed, Desdemona intercedes on 6 Cassio is persuaded to drink by Iago. Cassio’s behalf with Otello. Otello claims to have a Roderigo ...... Leslie Chabay 7 Iago knows that Cassio cannot hold his liquor, and headache, but when Desdemona produces a Lodovico ...... Nicola Moscona encourages a brawl between him and Roderigo. handkerchief to soothe his brow, he flings it to the floor. 8 Montano, Otello’s predecessor as Governor of Montàno ...... Arthur Newman Emilia picks it up but Iago quietly takes it from her. Cyprus, enters to call Cassio to his duty as the captain of Given to Desdemona by Otello when they first met, it is the guard, and is shocked to see him drunk. Cassio a precious gift and one of which Iago is sure he can NBC Symphony Orchestra and Choruses draws his sword against Montano. Iago sends Roderigo make use in the future. Desdemona and Emilia depart. off to raise a general alarm. ) As Otello gets more distracted, Iago advises him to Arturo Toscanini 9 With the fighting at its height and the alarm bells think no more of his concerns. Otello flares up and tolling, Otello enters and demands to know how the accuses him of planting the idea of treachery in his quarrel has arisen. Iago disingenuously suggests that mind. Acts I & II broadcast on 6 December, 1947 Cassio is to blame. Aroused by the noise, Desdemona ¡ In a passionate outburst he foresees his memories Acts III & IV broadcast on 13 December, 1947 enters. Otello angrily tells Cassio that he is no longer his and triumphs shattered by the idea of Desdemona’s lieutenant. The crowd disperses. infidelity. He demands proof of this from Iago. Announcer: Ben Grauer 0 Otello turns to Desdemona and tells her how, like the ™ Iago tells him of how one night, sleeping beside night, his love for her banishes thoughts of violence. Cassio, he had heard him talk of Desdemona as though ! The two recall the growth of their love for each they were lovers. But this was only a dream. He can Thanks to Eugene S. Pollioni other. produce firm evidence: does not Otello remember an @ Otello is carried away by the intensity of the moment embroidered handkerchief which he gave to and seeks a kiss from Desdemona. They embrace and Desdemona? Otello can remember it – it was his first slowly enter the castle. pledge of love to her. Iago tells Otello that he has 8.111320-21 27 8.111320-21 111320-21 bk OtelloEU 12/18/07 4:06 PM Page 6

advertising, as the greatest conductor alive. This process once again as Otello. His singing of this rôle with CD 1 75:17 # Spoken synopsis, Act II 3:10 was to be further emphasized by the introduction of Toscanini launched his international career: he went on long-playing records in 1948 and the swift appearance of to appear in both Italian and German repertoire in Broadcast 6 December 1947 Act II 33:46 longer, generally complete, works in the record Bayreuth, Buenos Aires, London, Paris, Salzburg, and catalogue. RCA and NBC’s promotion of Toscanini was Vienna, singing under conductors such as Furtwängler 1 Opening announcement 1:49 $ Non ti cruciar 2:19 further intensified with the broadcasting on the new and Beecham. He returned to singing baritone rôles in (Iago, Cassio) medium of television of two of the concerts in the NBC 1962, and last sang in public in 1974. 2 Spoken synopsis, Act I 2:35 Symphony Orchestra’s 1947-48 season. It was during Singing opposite Vinay was Giuseppe Valdengo % Credo in un Dio crudel (Iago’s Credo) 4:27 this season of NBC concerts that the performances of (1914-2007) as Iago. He studied violin, oboe and singing Act I 33:57 (Iago) Otello heard on this recording, which were spread over at the Turin Conservatory, and after singing subsidiary two evenings though not themselves televised, took rôles, made his début as a principal in Rossini’s The 3 Una vela! 4:16 ^ Eccola 1:22 place.. Barber of Seville at Parma in 1936. He first appeared at (Chorus, Montano, Cassio, Iago, Roderigo) (Iago) The recording has been described by one of La Scala, Milan, in 1938. He sang Sharpless in Puccini’s Toscanini’s biographers, Joseph Horowitz, as the most Madama Butterfly at the New York City Center Opera in 4 Esultate! 4:43 & Ciò m’accora 4:03 successful of his opera recordings for NBC, and ‘the one 1946, the same year in which he made his début at the (Otello, Chorus, Iago, Roderigo) (Iago, Otello) that comes closest to recapturing Toscanini’s Metropolitan Opera, with which he was to enjoy a long revolutionary impact in the pit.’ The reasons for this are and distinguished relationship. In addition to Otello, he 5 Fuoco di gioia! 2:44 * Dove guardi splendono 4:49 several: Verdi’s unremitting dramatic thrust in this opera also took the principal baritone rôles in Toscanini’s (Chorus) (Chorus, Iago, Desdemona, Otello) suits ‘the Savanarola fury of Toscanini’s late years’; the broadcasts and recordings of Aida and Falstaff. He cast is the best of the seven operas that NBC broadcast; returned to Italy in 1956, and retired from the stage in 6 Roderigo, beviam! 1:15 ( D’un uom che geme 4:40 and Toscanini is unremitting not only in his observation 1966, after which he taught and wrote a book entitled ‘I (Iago, Cassio, Chorus, Roderigo) (Desdemona, Otello, Iago, Emilia) of Verdi’s most detailed dynamic markings (after all the sang with Toscanini’. composer had himself commented upon them to him), Toscanini cast in the rôle of Desdemona Herva 7 Inaffia l’ugola! 3:52 ) Desdemona rea! 1:40 but in his vivid dramatic grasp of Shakespeare’s timeless Nelli (1909-1994). Born in Florence, she attended a (Iago, Cassio, Roderigo, Chorus) (Otello, Iago) tragedy. To quote Horowitz once again: ‘He [Toscanini] convent school, before her family moved when she was tightens the screw implacably, plotting a continuous twelve to Pittsburgh, where she studied at the Pittsburgh 8 Capitano, v’attende 1:22 ¡ Ora e per sempre addio 3:32 descent toward a calamity greater than its victims.’ Even Music Institute. She made her operatic début as Santuzza (Montano, Cassio, Iago, Roderigo, Chorus) (Otello, Iago) more immediate is the recollection of the distinguished in Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana in 1937 with violinist Felix Galimir, who played in the NBC Brooklyn’s Salmaggi Opera, with which she was also to 9 Olà! Che avvien? 3:27 ™ Era la notte 3:56 Symphony Orchestra for these performances: ‘Those appear in La Forza del Destino and Il Trovatore. She (Otello, Iago, Cassio, Montano) (Iago, Otello) were some of the great performances: I think I will never sang Santuzza for the New City Center Opera in 1947, hear anything like that Otello.’ the year in which she successfully auditioned for 0 Già nelle notte 1:41 £ Sì, pel ciel 6:09 Cast in the title rôle was the Chilean singer Ramón Toscanini. Following Otello she sang in his broadcasts (Otello, Desdemona) (Otello, Iago) Vinay (1911-1996), who started his career as a baritone, and recordings of Aida, Falstaff, Un Ballo in maschera reverted to tenor and then moved back to baritone. Born and the Verdi Requiem. She subsequently pursued a ! Quando narravi 2:57 in Chillán, Chile, he was educated in France before his busy career throughout America, and appeared at the (Desdemona, Otello) family moved to Mexico City. Here he studied voice Metropolitan Opera regularly between 1953 and 1961 in with José Pierson, and made his début as Don Alfonso in a variety of rôles for dramatic soprano. She gave her last @ Venga la morte! 4:30 Donizetti’s La Favorita. After further study with René operatic performance in 1962, and later earned a (Otello, Desdemona) Maison, he appeared as a tenor for the first time in 1944, considerable reputation as a chef. the year in which he also first sang Otello. He made his début with the New York City Center Opera in 1945 and David Patmore at the Metropolitan Opera during the following year,

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CD 2 75:04 0 Viva il Leon di San Marco! 5:03 Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) (Lodovico, Otello, Desdemona, Emilia, Broadcast 13 December 1947 Iago, Roderigo, Chorus) Otello 1 Opening announcement 1:26 ! A terra!…sì…nel livido fango 9:42 The idea for a libretto based on Shakespeare’s tragedy The second cellist in the orchestra of La Scala for (Desdemona, Emilia, Cassio, Roderigo, Othello, to be written by the Italian critic and composer that first performance was Arturo Toscanini. During the 2 Spoken synopsis, Act III 1:25 Lodovico, Chorus, Iago, Otello) Arrigo Boito and to be set to music by the pre-eminent rehearsals Verdi had leaned over to him and asked him Italian composer of the late nineteenth century, ‘to play louder’ in the passage for four cellos at the end Act III 39:41 @ Spoken synopsis, Act IV 2:59 Giuseppe Verdi, was first suggested by Verdi’s of the first act. Seven years later, and now successfully publisher Giuseppe Ricordi. Initially Verdi was launched on a career as a conductor, Toscanini gave 3 Introduction 1:06 Act IV 29:30 extremely resistant to the idea, commenting to Boito Otello at Pisa in 1894, and following his appointment as when he brought him a sketch: ‘Write the libretto. It will conductor at La Scala in 1898, presented it once again to 4 La vedetta del porto 1:11 # Era più calmo? 3:24 come in handy for yourself, for me or for someone else.’ the Milanese audience as one of the opening productions (Herald, Otello, Iago) (Emilia, Desdemona) Despite continuing protestations, he received the of his second season, the other being Wagner’s completed libretto on 18th November 1879, read it and Siegfried. His working methods at this time are vividly 5 Dio ti giocondi, o sposo 9:12 $ Mia madre aveva una povera ancella 6:31 accepted it. But he was not to write a note of music for it described by none other than Wagner’s widow, Cosima, (Desdemona, Otello) (Willow Song) for another five years. writing to Toscanini following her son Siegfried’s visit (Desdemona, Emilia) During this period Verdi worked with Boito on the to hear him conduct Tristan und Isolde in Milan in 1901: 6 Dio! Mi potevi scagliar 3:44 revision of his earlier opera Simon Boccanegra, ‘My son stressed the meticulous zeal which you brought (Otello, Iago) % Ave Maria 6:28 demonstrating his immense practicality when he wrote to the orchestral preparations and the excellent result (Desdemona) to his colleague: ‘…you are aiming here at an obtained by this zeal, along with your ability as 7 Vieni, l’aula è deserta 3:40 unobtainable perfection. I do not aim so high and so am conductor. He also told me that the singers knew their (Iago, Cassio, Otello) ^ Chi è là? 3:11 more optimistic than you, and by no means in despair. I rôles perfectly and delivered them with passion and (Desdemona, Otello) admit the table is shaky, but if we adjust the legs a little I enthusiasm.’ 8 Questa è una ragna 1:47 think it will stand up.’ Verdi began work on Otello in Toscanini’s career as the finest Italian conductor of (Iago, Cassio, Otello) & Calma come la tomba 3:09 March 1884, completing the outline score by October his generation continued throughout the first half of the (Otello, Emilia, Desdemona, Cassio, Iago, 1885. During the following year he scored it for twentieth century. In 1937 David Sarnoff, the head of the 9 Come la ucciderò? 1:18 Lodovico, Montano) orchestra and made some revisions: the final full score Radio Corporation of America, needed to project an (Otello, Iago, Chorus) was sent to Ricordi in December 1886. The first image of public service for his radio station, NBC, to * Nium mi tema 9:48 production was quickly mounted at Milan’s La Scala ward off potentially damaging Congressional (Otello, Cassio, Lodovico, Montano) opera house, with the première taking place on 5th investigation into its commercial nature. He thus February 1887, under the baton of the leading conductor vigorously backed Samuel Chotzinoff’s idea of luring of the period, Franco Faccio. The reception given to the Toscanini back to New York, following his departure Producer’s Note new work was ecstatic: Verdi had to take twenty curtain during the previous year as chief conductor of the New calls, with all of the audience on its feet, waving hats and York Philharmonic Orchestra, with the promise of a new The source for this reissue is a set of 16 inch lacquer-coated aluminium discs which were recorded nominally at handkerchiefs in its excitement. When he left the theatre, orchestra created especially for him. Toscanini accepted 33rpm. The sound on these discs is astonishing and, for the most part, they are amazingly quiet. I used a light his carriage was pulled by adoring admirers and he was the proposal: his first concert with this new orchestra, application of CEDAR to reduce occasional crackle but I employed no digital de-noising techniques for fear of serenaded until five in the morning. The general mood the NBC Symphony Orchestra, given and broadcast on compromising the overall sound. I should also mention that I have made no attempt to “enhance” the sound of these was summed up by a contemporary cartoon in a Christmas Day 1937, elicited high critical praise and broadcasts by adding artificial reverberation. The broadcasts are presented here in their entirety with applause and all humorous Milan journal, in which Otello was portrayed significant public response. The threats to NBC from of Ben Grauer’s announcements included. My only intervention is that I have patched from rehearsals to correct as singing: ‘Un bacio, un bacio, ancora un bacio / a Congress receded. Thereafter New York was to be three obvious mistakes during the performance, an unsung line by Iago in Act I, and two flubbed entrances in Act II. Verdi, al Boito e al Facio.’ (Quoting Otello in the final Toscanini’s principal theatre of activity, and by 1947 he act, ‘A kiss, a kiss, and once more a kiss, to Verdi, Boito was being emphatically promoted by RCA through radio Ward Marston and Faccio.’) and gramophone recordings, and their associated 8.111320-21 4 5 8.111320-21 111320-21 bk OtelloEU 12/18/07 4:06 PM Page 4

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Synopsis # Spoken synopsis of Act II

Keith Anderson

8.111320-21 8 CMYK NAXOS Historical 8.111320-21 Giuseppe ADD 2 CDs VERDI Playing DISC PROHIBITED. BROADCASTING AND COPYING OF THIS COMPACT TRANSLATIONS RESERVED. UNAUTHORISED PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, RIGHTS IN THIS SOUND RECORDING, ARTWORK, TEXTS AND ALL (1813-1901)

& Time

2:30:21 8.111320-21

2008 Naxos Rights International Ltd. Otello

Otello ...... Ramón Vinay Arturo Toscanini was the second cellist in the orchestra of La Scala, Desdemona ...... Herva Nelli Milan, for the triumphant first performance of Verdi’s Otello on Iago ...... Giuseppe Valdengo 5th February 1887. Sixty years later Cassio ...... Virginio Assandri he led a radio broadcast of Otello spread over two evenings that is Emilia ...... Nan Merriman considered by many to be the most successful of his opera recordings Roderigo ...... Leslie Chabay for NBC. Described by one of Toscanini’s biographers, Joseph NBC Symphony Orchestra and Choruses Horowitz, as ‘the one that comes VERDI: Otello Arturo Toscanini closest to recapturing Toscanini’s revolutionary impact in the pit’, Acts I & II broadcast on 6 December, 1947 this December 1947 recording is remarkable for Toscanini’s Acts III & IV broadcast on 13 December, 1947 dramatic grasp of Shakespeare’s Announcer: Ben Grauer timeless tragedy, and his scrupulous observation of Verdi’s most detailed dynamic markings. CD 1 75:17 CD 2 75:04 1 Opening announcement 1:49 1 Opening announcement 1:26 Vinay • Nelli • Valdengo • Toscanini Toscanini • Valdengo • Nelli Vinay 2 Spoken synopsis, Act I 2:35 2 Spoken synopsis, Act III 1:25 3-@ Act I 33:57 3-! Act III 39:41 # Spoken synopsis, Act II 3:10 @ Spoken synopsis, Act IV 2:59 MADE IN $-£ Act II 33:46 #-* Act IV 29:30 GERMANY

Audio Restoration Producer: Ward Marston 8.111320-21 www.naxos.com

A detailed track list can be found in the booklet Cover Image: Stage design by Giovanni Zuccarelli NAXOS HistoricalNAXOS for the première of Verdi’s Otello (Milan, 1887)