Verdi - Otello / Karajan, Vickers, Freni, Berlin Philharmonic

Rating:
Summary: Listen to it with your eyes closed
Review: While there is no question that Vickers is one of the greatest interpreters of Otello since Ramon Vinay, this DVD is an absolute disgrace. Musically, it is exellent in every aspect, all voices are strong throughout. But I prefer a far more dramatic presentation of what in my opinion is Verdi's masterpiece, AND THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT IT!!!! The Acting is deplorable. Glossop as Iago is the only one who really saves this entire farce. Vickers hobbles around like one clumsy log from one set to another. His interpretation, though vocally powerful in nonetheless too stoic, remote, and unapproachable and his makeup is laughable beyond belief. Mirella Freni, although in exellent voice is a terrible actress and does not convey Desdemona's sorrow and anguish enough to even tolerate this performance. She sings as if she were a statue with little to no emotion. The sets look like cheap cardboard cutouts, as do the costumes. Call me crazy, but my absolute favorite is the lavishly authentic and dramatically compelling Zeffirelli DVD which everyone else seems to despise. The music may be cut, but Otello is about dramatic intensity more so than beauty. If you insist on Having a complete version of this opera on DVD, get the Domingo/Kanawa/Covent Garden production, but leave this Vicker's joke alone!!!!!