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[Tassie Devil]

COMPOSER: Verdi

Disc Title: Otello

Disc catalog: Opus Arte OA BD7041D Recording Date:  2006       Program Length: 142 + 10 mins extras mins  A live recording at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona

Video rating: 5/5      Audio type:  PCM 2.0 & PCM 5.1 No mention of bitrates      Audio rating: 5/5

Overall rating: 4/5

Summary comment: Very good production with some excellent singing

Author: Tassie Devil Date: April 19 2010

Detailed Comment: First up this production has thankfully not been "modernised".  The staging is minimal but very effective with good lighting and costuming. The chorus is excellent and I was captivated with the singing of Krassimira Stoyanova in the role of Desdomona and Lado Ataneli as Jago - two singers I am not familiar with.  However I was less entranced with Jose Cura playing and singing Otello.  To me he overacted for most of the opera and I did not find his voice terribly appealing until the final touching scenes.  These were performed very well by all, particularly Krassimira, and sucessfully projected the tragic pathos of the story.

So overall a very good production and you might not share my reaction to Jose Cura so might rate it even higher than here. There is now a choice between this BD and one conducted by Muti.  If you like Cura's voice you might prefer this version as the other one did get some negative reviews when performed at Salzburg in 2008 although others like it!. Some love Cure's voice, others do not so whether or not this Blu Ray opera appeals to you or not mainly hinges on this.