Verdi’s “Otello” returns to the Gran Teatre Liceu de Barcelona directed by maestro Gustavo Dudamel.
For the first time, a staged opera directed by Gustavo Dudamel will be presented in Spain with a total of 11 performances. This meeting will be held at the Gran Teatre Liceu, after offering two performances of Il Trovatore in concert version in October this season.
From March 27 to 31 and April 6 to 14 an exceptional vocal cast leads the cast with Gregory Kunde and Jorge de León in the role of Otello, Krassimira Stoyanova and Eleonora Buratto as Desdemona and Carlos Álvarez and Zeljko Lucic representing the evil Jago.
The Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of the Gran Teatre del Liceu also delve into Verdi’s work, which this time will feature the baton of Dudamel to reel off a score full of intensity and emotions.
The production of the play is signed by the Bayerische Staatsoper, with the stage direction of Amélie Niermeyer. In this montage, premiered in Munich in 2018, the essence of Shakespeare’s text is shown and the focus is on the figure of Desdemona, underlining femicide and misogyny with glasses of modern realism.
Otello requires a high vocal level to interpret a demanding score, which will come to life with a luxurious cast led by tenors Gregory Kunde and Jorge de León, two long-distance Otellos, equipped with a firm and confident voice; both know the secrets of the character and know how to get the most out of it. The double cast for the crucial role of Jago falls to the Malaga baritone Carlos Álvarez, who will once again play one of his favorite roles, as well as the veteran Željko Lucic, a specialist in Verdian malignancies. Desdemona will be represented by two sopranos of different register, the Bulgarian Krassimira Stoyanova – a long-standing expert with great strength – and the dramatic lyric Eleonora Buratto, a singer with a delicate timbre that will shine in the most lyrical passages.
Conductor Gustavo Dudamel has recently been awarded the Grammy for best orchestral performance for the album Charles Ives: Complete Symphonies conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Despite the difficulties generated by the pandemic, the Liceu reinforces its commitment to offer quality programming with all security guarantees. The Teatre manages to present a production with a unique and exceptional artistic team on the current international scene.
