Let tenor Jonas Kaufmann, conductor Antonio Pappano and journalist Thomas Voigt take you on a journey of discovery into the heart of one of Verdi’s greatest and most thrilling operas – Otello. Through personal insights and anecdotes, the trio explore, one act at a time, what it is like to perform and record Verdi’s masterpiece based on the Shakespearean tragedy.What is it like for the tenor to stand in the wings, awaiting his triumphant yet utmost demanding entrance scene, while the storm music rages on stage? How do you keep the spontaneity and truthfulness of a live performance, when you record the opera in a studio setting? Why does Otello’s wife Desdemona keep inadvertently inciting his jealousy leading to tragic consequences? Marvel at the beauty and power of Verdi’s music as Jonas explains how he believes the listener comes away with compassion for the ill-fated Otello at the end of the Opera. Ever since Jonas Kaufmann sung the secondary tenor role of Cassio in his American debut in 2001, he had dreamed of one day singing the “Mount Everest” of tenor roles. Finally that day came in June 2017 when he performed his first Otello at the Royal Opera House London with Antonio Pappano conducting. Two years later in the summer of 2019 they joined forces again to record the legendary role with the Orchestra e Coro dell’Accademia Nazionale de Santa Cecilia in Rome. The studio recording of Otello is available on Sony Classical https://jonaskaufmann.lnk.to/Otello .Antonio Pappano appears by kind permission of Warner Classics
All content for Discover Otello is the property of Jonas Kaufmann, Antonio Pappano, Thomas Voigt and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Let tenor Jonas Kaufmann, conductor Antonio Pappano and journalist Thomas Voigt take you on a journey of discovery into the heart of one of Verdi’s greatest and most thrilling operas – Otello. Through personal insights and anecdotes, the trio explore, one act at a time, what it is like to perform and record Verdi’s masterpiece based on the Shakespearean tragedy.What is it like for the tenor to stand in the wings, awaiting his triumphant yet utmost demanding entrance scene, while the storm music rages on stage? How do you keep the spontaneity and truthfulness of a live performance, when you record the opera in a studio setting? Why does Otello’s wife Desdemona keep inadvertently inciting his jealousy leading to tragic consequences? Marvel at the beauty and power of Verdi’s music as Jonas explains how he believes the listener comes away with compassion for the ill-fated Otello at the end of the Opera. Ever since Jonas Kaufmann sung the secondary tenor role of Cassio in his American debut in 2001, he had dreamed of one day singing the “Mount Everest” of tenor roles. Finally that day came in June 2017 when he performed his first Otello at the Royal Opera House London with Antonio Pappano conducting. Two years later in the summer of 2019 they joined forces again to record the legendary role with the Orchestra e Coro dell’Accademia Nazionale de Santa Cecilia in Rome. The studio recording of Otello is available on Sony Classical https://jonaskaufmann.lnk.to/Otello .Antonio Pappano appears by kind permission of Warner Classics
This week – ACT 1.
What is it like for the tenor to stand in the wings, awaiting his triumphant yet utmost demanding entrance scene, while the storm music rages on stage? Jonas Kaufmann explains how thrilling and overwhelming these opening phrases can be for the tenor! Antonio Pappano explains the challenges of drawing the dramatic line convincingly across time, even when the scenes are not recorded in chronological order. Plus much more!
Unfamiliar with the storyline of Otello? The opera takes place in a seaport of Cyprus, late 15th century when the island was under Venetian control. Act 1 plays out over one stormy night, as the Cypriots await the return of their victorious governor - the Moor Otello - and his fleet. His ensign Iago who secretly hates Otello for passing him over for promotion, is plotting against him by helping the young Venetian Roderigo to win over Otello’s new wife, Desdemona. Via his devious plot, Iago gets Cassio drunk and provokes a fight between him and Roderigo, with Cassio attacking the former governor Montano. Otello appears to restore order and admonishes his soldiers for their behavior. When he realizes that Desdemona has also been caught up in the disturbances, he revokes Cassio’s recent promotion. The act ends with a tender love scene between the reunited Otello and Desdemona.
The studio recording of Otello - with Jonas Kaufmann and Antonio Pappano (appearing by kind permission of Warner Classics) conducting the Orchestra e Coro dell’Accademia Nazionale de Santa Cecilia - is available on Sony Classical
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Discover Otello
Let tenor Jonas Kaufmann, conductor Antonio Pappano and journalist Thomas Voigt take you on a journey of discovery into the heart of one of Verdi’s greatest and most thrilling operas – Otello. Through personal insights and anecdotes, the trio explore, one act at a time, what it is like to perform and record Verdi’s masterpiece based on the Shakespearean tragedy.What is it like for the tenor to stand in the wings, awaiting his triumphant yet utmost demanding entrance scene, while the storm music rages on stage? How do you keep the spontaneity and truthfulness of a live performance, when you record the opera in a studio setting? Why does Otello’s wife Desdemona keep inadvertently inciting his jealousy leading to tragic consequences? Marvel at the beauty and power of Verdi’s music as Jonas explains how he believes the listener comes away with compassion for the ill-fated Otello at the end of the Opera. Ever since Jonas Kaufmann sung the secondary tenor role of Cassio in his American debut in 2001, he had dreamed of one day singing the “Mount Everest” of tenor roles. Finally that day came in June 2017 when he performed his first Otello at the Royal Opera House London with Antonio Pappano conducting. Two years later in the summer of 2019 they joined forces again to record the legendary role with the Orchestra e Coro dell’Accademia Nazionale de Santa Cecilia in Rome. The studio recording of Otello is available on Sony Classical https://jonaskaufmann.lnk.to/Otello .Antonio Pappano appears by kind permission of Warner Classics
