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Your ideal Otello

Del monaco

Del monaco

Del Monaco
One of my very favourite operas is Verdi's Otello. Not only a fantastically dark score, but a great libretto. There have been many famous recordings, including Toscanini,Kleiber, Serafin and Levine, but so few have the ideal cast. If you could summon your dream team, who would be in your ideal cast?
For conducting duties I would take Toscanini. He has a great affinity with the composer and a visceral, deeply felt approach to the score. As Iago, I would take Tito Gobbi, a master at portraying the devious Iago and at the top of his game on the Serafin recording.
For Desdemona I love the sincerity of Nelli and Tebaldi, but I'm more moved by Scotto for her very human performance.
The Otello is a more difficult choice. There's Domingo, a fine modern Otello with many good recordings under his belt. Then there's Vickers,an intense yet vulnerable general.His Grimes performance has a similar intensity. What about Del Monaco, an elemental and electrifying performance where his robusta is most effective. Martinelli? Great but a poor recording and I don't feel his voice has travelled well. For me, it is Ramon Vinay. Dark, intense and we'll inside the role and spontaneous in his live recording.
So, Vinay , Scotto, Gobbi and Toscanini.
Who would be in your dream team?
 
I have the Karajan - Tebaldi - Del Monaco on Lp and although I haven`t heard many other recordings I find it hard to imagine a better team.
The three discs are auto coupling which makes for a bit of juggling when playing.
 
The role fit Del Monaco like a glove and I do love Karajan's conducting. Tebaldi is a favourite of mine and she sings beautifully but she is perhaps a touch too regal, especially in the famous Willow song. I think Scotto and Nelli shade her here. I think Nelli's singing of the Willow song and prayer is unsurpassed. Such pathos.
 
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