This is reckoned to be Verdi's supreme masterpiece. He'd had a long layoff from composing but Boito, who had helped with the rewrite of Simon Boccanegra, presented him with the libretto taken from Shakespeare's play. I'd afraid I find the play rather boring, perhaps due to the way it is performed today. However, Verdi's opera is riveting from the storm that opens to the death scene. The operatic master at the height of his powers.
There are many notable recordings out there. However, many fall short in one way or another. For me the chief character in the drama is Iago (Verdi even thought of calling it Iago), and unless his sinister and evil machinations are foremost as a thread running through, a major point of the opera is lost. The recent version at the ROH even had Iago starting the whole thing off - a great theatrical point.
So what are your favourite versions you would recommend?
There are many notable recordings out there. However, many fall short in one way or another. For me the chief character in the drama is Iago (Verdi even thought of calling it Iago), and unless his sinister and evil machinations are foremost as a thread running through, a major point of the opera is lost. The recent version at the ROH even had Iago starting the whole thing off - a great theatrical point.
So what are your favourite versions you would recommend?