Meeting expectations, or not

MadridIn 2016 the Teatro Real opened the season withOtello, and the same production by David Adlen, with Gregory Kunde and Ermonela Jaho as Otello and Desdemona, and George Petean as Iago, the third wheel and main character in the piece. For the occasion and as the opening of the current season, David Adlen returns alongside the most emerging female star in the world of opera, Asmik Grigorian, in the role of the quintessential victim of gender-based violence. A story that, two hundred years after it was immortalized by William Shakespeare and one hundred and forty since it was musically endorsed by Giuseppe Verdi, is more relevant than ever, or perhaps it has always been the same. Therefore, as a declaration of principles, if this is the case, it's not bad, especially if the cast has enough caliber, although sometimes an immense and indisputable work, such as this one, with a top-level cast, is not enough to meet expectations, not even nine years ago.

It's very likely that the problem with this translation lies in the dramatic resolution, because if it's repeated with another leading trio it becomes clear that the lack of chemistry, which I don't know exactly what it means, must be discarded. On the other hand, Grigorian is sublime, impeccable, I would say, in each and every one of his interventions, managing at all times to convey the character's state of mind. Brian Jagde has many of the necessary characteristics to bring the Moor of Venice to life, especially due to his prodigious, basically voluminous voice. But the third leg doesn't reach everything that an Iago implies. A role full of nuances and with so many references of a superb quality that it is always a handicap, which makes the story somewhat unbalanced. To begin with, with a I believe in a cruel god plan, which fails to convey the overdose of perfidy and villainy of the villain par excellence. Nor did they do so in the cabaletta shared in the second act with the protagonist who gives the work its title, with Pray forever. It should be said that in This first and second act don't help much, nothing, choreography of such poor quality that it is not even debatable for being ridiculous, as ridiculous is the "zarzuela" attire of a character as unnecessary as Roderigo. The heart, powerful in its first intervention, A candle! A candle! or exquisite with Fuocco di gioiai, She maintained her high standard throughout the performance, while Nicola Luisotti was the maestro who provided the intensity and color to such a rich, complex, and memorable score. However, it must be said that the diva's presence and performance alone make the performance more than worth it.