Otello Listening Guide

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The tracks listed below correspond to the complimentary Listening Guide CD provided to school group bookings only.

Not coming to the opera but looking to explore Otello in the classroom? The excerpts below can be found in the recording from Decca, featuring the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna State Opera Chorus, the Vienna Children’s Chorus under conductor Herbert von Karajan, with Mario del Monaco as Otello, Renata Tebaldi as Desdemona, and Aldo Protti as Iago.

Track # Musical Connection Musical elements Strategies for excerpt to the story and significance Listening

1 “Una vela! Una There is a storm The opera does not have an overture (an How does this introduction vela!” (“A sail! and the people orchestral introduction that precedes the set the tone for the opera? A sail!) of Cyprus await opera). It instead opens with an orchestral Hint: think in terms of the arrival of their “thunder clap”, depicting the storm in music, number of voices, governor, Otello, which Otello’s ship is returning home. number of people on from battle with the Verdi uses the full forces of the orchestra stage, themes/moods in Turks. and chorus to vividly portray the storm. the story, etc. The effect is chaotic: loud cannon shots and lighting sounds from the orchestra interject the singers’ panicked “play-by- play” of what is happening to Otello’s ship on the stormy sea. The chorus, thinking that the ship is doomed to sink, sing a great plea to the heavens to protect their governor and his crew [2:34 - 3:26].

2 “Esultate” Otello arrives and Otello’s opening line is one of the most Otello’s powerful entrance (“Rejoice”) declares victory in difficult opening lines in all of opera, has qualities of a grand battle. The crowd requiring the tenor (highest male voice finale (large chorus, rejoices. type) to sing in an awkward part of the powerful orchestra, voice and with great power. In these few explosive singing from the seconds, Otello establishes his character soloist). Why would Verdi as a strong and fearless leader. start the opera in such a grand way?

Canadian Opera Company ~ Education and Outreach ~ Otello Study Guide 2009/2010 ~ coc.ca ~ 416-306-2392 Track # Musical Connection Musical elements Strategies for excerpt to the story and significance Listening

3 “Già nella notte After the crowds While this is some of the most tender In this excerpt Otello not densa” (“Now have cleared music in the opera, it does not sound only sings of his love for in the silent away, Otello and like a typical love duet. There are no Desdemona but about darkness”) Desdemona are left soaring, passionate melodies. Instead, his pride in his victorious on stage and recall there are austere and etheral qualities conquests. Do you think how they fell in love. to the music. Otello’s larger-than-life that Otello is truly in love qualities come through in the music, with Desdemona or is he as does Desdemona’s vulnerability more in love with himself and innocence. This is accentuated at and the position he has the very end of the duet. Otello’s final achieved? note engulfs Desdemona’s line, almost overwhelming her. Verdi is setting up the dynamic between the two: Otello is big and gruff, despite the tenderness in this love duet, while Desdemona is frail in comparison. The duet ends with Otello thrice begging for “un bacio”, a kiss, from his beloved Desdemona: it is on these kisses that the tragedy will come to an end.

4 – 6 “Era la notte, Iago takes most As Iago describes overhearing Cassio Think of a time when Cassio dormia” of Act II to talking to Desdemona in a dream, the someone has purposely (“It was night, convince Otello music is quiet and mysterious. Iago’s tried to deceive you or Cassio lay that Desdemona sweet and innocent melody directly when you’ve tried to trick sleeping”) is cheating on contrasts the vision that he is describing someone. What happens him, and with the of Desdemona’s and Cassio’s betrayal. to your voice in these captain, Cassio. By This gives it a sinister quality and allows instances? Does it go the end of the Act, Iago to slowly draw Otello into his lies. higher or lower? he has succeeded. When he says that he saw Desdemona’ handkerchief in Cassio’s hand, he emphasises his name. This sends Otello into a fury and he explodes with anger. He cries out for blood and vengeance (“sangue” is Italian for “blood”, 1:42 - 1:46). This “explosion” of emotion is echoed in the furious orchestral music. The act ends with a triumphant cry for revenge, requiring very high and big singing from the tenor. The huge scope of the music reflects Otello’s larger than life persona and the extent of his rage. The orchestral finish of the act is both heroic and sinister. Iago and Otello singing in unison at the end of the piece symbolizes Iago’s malevolent influence and his success in deceiving Otello.

7 “Dio! mi potevi Otello’s only aria. This aria starts very quietly, reflecting Is Otello genuinely scagliar tutti i Here he speaks Otello’s vulnerability. When he talks convinced that mali” (“God! directly to God, about Desdemona, he sings his most Desdemona should Thou couldst confessing that he exposed and emotionally anguished pay with her life for her have rained could have tolerated music. As he decides that she must pay alleged betrayal? How upon my head”) all kinds of pain for her treachery, listen to the ominous has your perception of except for his wife’s strings in the orchestra and the gradual Otello changed based on betrayal. At the build-up as Otello realises that she the music? end, he decides must die. The music at the end is heroic that he must kill without being joyful. He cries out on a Desdemona and high note “what joy!” but immediately cries out for joy. descends to a low note and sings “what horrible torment”. In a stroke of genius right before Otello’s final lines, Iago enters to announce Cassio’s arrival but he does so just as Otello as about to finish his aria. Normally, the composer would let the singer finish the aria before moving on, but here Verdi deliberately has Iago interrupting Otello’s most private moment at the climax of his aria.

8 – 10 “A terra!... si… Act III finale: Otello This is a “concertante finale” -- a typical An audience could hardly nel livido fango” has just insulted Italian opera convention where time be able to follow every (“ Down!... Desdemona in stops and all the characters on stage single word sung by every yes… in the livid front of the entire express their individual situations, single character in this slime”) court and the usually joined by the chorus behind finale. Why would Verdi visiting Venetian them. The challenge is to bring together choose to write so many ambassador. all the characters’ various emotions voices singing different Desdemona sings and situations with one big sweeping text all at once? What about her confusion melody. The smooth line of the main kind of an atmosphere at her treatment melody is contrasted with Iago’s little does it create? at the hands of conversations, especially when he urges her husband and Roderigo to action. Verdi wrote a melody other voices join in. that is both tragic yet, when taken up Iago continues his by the chorus, heroic in quality, befitting scheming, urging the grandeur of the occasion. Iago’s Roderigo to kill solo music reflects his evil nature -- the Cassio, while telling music is violent and full of malevolence. Otello that he’ll As we hear the off-stage chorus sing take care of Cassio “Glory to the lion of Venice” (referring to himself. Cassio Otello), Iago spits out “Here’s your lion!” contemplates his while gesturing towards Otello passed future. Roderigo out on the ground. The orchestral music is conflicted about that concludes the act starts off full what he should do. fanfare with the trumpets but then turns Suddenly, Otello very sinister, reflecting Iago’s continued bursts out and tells dominance. everyone to leave.

He collapses and Iago stand over his body, enjoying his triumph.

11 – 12 Mia madre Otello has After the high drama and violence of Desdemona tells the sad aveva una instructed the previous acts, this aria is remarkably story of her mother’s povera ancella Desdemona to serene, but despite its great beauty, maid Barbary in the (“My mother preparing for bed there is an underlying sadness and Willow Song. Barbary had a poor and wait for him. urgency to it. What makes this aria falls in love and her maidservant”) And she prepares remarkable is that Verdi incorporates lover, having gone mad, for bed, she sings Desdemona’s mundane bed-time rejects her. Griefstricken, the famous aria, routines into the aria. So, while she’s Barbary dies of a also known as singing the song, she also asks Emilia broken heart. This aria the Willow Song, to undo her hair or put away her ring. foreshadows the tragic which her mother’s These little instructions are interspersed end of Desdemona, a maid used to sing. with the song. The end of the aria is fate which she has come particularly telling. Desdemona says to accept. farewell to Emilia like she does every night. But then she realises that she may never see her again, so she embraces Emilia and repeats her farewell, instead this time she sings an anguished high note. The musical difference between the two “farewells” is remarkable though the words are similar. The aria then transitions into a second aria, Desdemona’s prayer, “Ave Maria”.

Canadian Opera Company ~ Education and Outreach ~ Otello Study Guide 2009/2010 ~ coc.ca ~ 416-306-2392