As part of this seminar for local educators and operas lovers, I will  speak about the historical context for Verdi’s final dramatic opera, Otello (1887), which the composer completed after a 16-year self-imposed withdrawal from opera composition. We will explore Verdi’s extraordinary gift for vocal characterization and nuance, particularly in the roles of Desdemona and Iago who represent the moral poles of the narrative.

The powerhouse cast is led by LA Opera Artist in Residence Russell Thomas in the title role, Rachel Willis-Sørensen in her company debut as the doomed Desdemona, and Igor Golovatenko as the sadistic Iago, whose sadistic plotting drives the narrative to its tragic final scene.