Reviews
Otello - Filarmonica de Jalisco

With the Philharmonic Orchestra of Jalisco in the pit and Marco Parisotto on the podium of Teatro Degollado, I enjoyed the triumphant return of one of the most demanding operas of the verdian catalogue, Otello, that has not been performed in Mexico for more than 30 years, Musically, the result was exceptional.

The roles were cast without concessions. None of the practices of casting the soprano who is friendly with the conductor or the baritone who says he is taking opera to the provinces as we suffer in the Blanquito. Here they brought Issachah Savage, an extraordinary black tenor that besides singing well he looked the part of Otello; Maija Kovaleska moved us with her Desdemona, Harold Meers was Cassio and we had the privilege that before she went back to New York to sing at the Metropolitan Opera we heard our great Cassandra Zoe Velasco sing her first Emilia. 

But the one who stole the show was Michael Chioldi, a superb baritone whose large, and very well-toned voice as well as his huge and intense histrionic capacity gave us an Iago that would have delighted Verdi himself, who on more than one occasion thought that this opera should have been named for this character.

 

Lázaro Azar, Sotto Voce
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