Otello, Verdi and the Carolis institution: the show fascinates Piazza d'Italia
After last year's success, the idea of open-air opera is confirmed as a winner
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Othello's jealousy , evil personified in Iago, the vain defense of the innocent Desdemona, a noir atmosphere with a splash of magical rites. The director and set designer Alberto Gazale did very well in remaining faithful to a masterpiece, bringing out all its dramatic power with the synergistic help of singers, the orchestra of the de Carolis institution and the baton of Sergio Oliva. Almost 1,300 paying spectators and at least as many distributed in the parlor of Sassari were fascinated by " Othello ", Giuseppe Verdi's mature masterpiece written 16 years after "Aida" based on Shakespeare's tragedy, which was inspired by Cinzio's novella.
The stage set up by the designer Emilio Sonnu on the steps of Piazza d'Italia leading to the Provincial Palace allowed a good view from practically all angles . Opera for everyone, which reaches out to the people: an ambitious objective that the artistic director Gazale is pursuing with the enthusiastic collaboration of all the members of the organization, including the workers.
The good homogeneity of the cast contributed to the fluidity of the enjoyment of the opera, with the senior choir and the children's choir (prepared respectively by Francesca Tosi and Salvatore Rizzu) called upon not only to give a solid performance vocally, given Verdi's aptitude, but also to move the scene around the protagonists.
The Mexican tenor Hector Lopez Mendoza gave physicality to Otello, both in voice and temperament. The baritone Marco Caria (Jago) and the soprano Angela Nisi (Desdemona) outlined the other two characters of the "triangle" of protagonists: one with perfidy, the other with purity, both with confidence. The other cast members also performed well: Mauro Secci (Cassio), Nicolas Resinelli (Roderigo), Tiziano Rosati (Lodovico), Michael Zeni (Montano), Stefano Arnaudo (a herald) and Francesca Pusceddu (Emilia).
Applause also goes to Tony Grandi's lighting design and to the sound engineer Alberto Erre who had the complex task of amplifying the various components of the work in an open space with balance.
