We saw Otello at the Met this week.  Thank goodness we basically agreed on this one.  I was starting to worry we might be artistically incompatible as a couple.  

Elizabeth – For our latest adventure at the Met we were sitting in the rear orchestra.  Now, I don’t know if it was our seats or the production, but I had a very difficult time hearing.  It seemed that many of the singers’ voices were not big enough for Verdi’s Otello. 

At times there were large groups of people on stage but only one person singing and I could not tell who was singing.  I started to wonder if I needed to get my hearing checked.  There was one point where the Met titles implied Emilia was singing, but I couldn’t hear a peep.  But it felt like the music called for more vocal size from all the singers.

Then again, the one person coughing in Grand Tier for most of the second Act was adding to the difficulty in hearing.  Seriously, it got so bad that people all around me were starting to talk (not whisper) about the cougher during the performance.  Isn’t there some sort of protocol at the Met for this?  Shouldn’t the ushers have pulled this person after a certain point?  Are they allowed to pull audience members for excessive coughing?

The production itself was striking, particularly the disparity between the dark scenery during the tempest of the first act and the bright light of the courtyard in the second act.  It was also odd in that the second act didn’t have many bright moments, but it was SO bright.  Perhaps hinting at Iago’s ability to blind people to his true motivations?  Or maybe I’m just reading too much into it.  

Verdi’s music, as always, is gorgeous and rich.  I do wish I could have heard all of the singers all of the time in order to get Verdi’s full intended effect.

Shawn – I enjoyed this Otello.  Although, I can’t be completely sure how much of my enjoyment was the actual performance and how much was my rediscovering my love for the opera.  It is great, holy cow.  I had forgotten how much I like it.  I listen to certain, specific selections from Otello often but have not heard it in its entirety for some time.  Possibly since childhood.  I have room for 7 full operas on my iPhone (plus selections) with all of my other music so those 7 get played in a loop a lot, creature of habit that I am.  Macbeth, Tosca, Faust, Don Carlo, Barber, Don Giovanni and Mefistofele.  I may switch one out for Otello now. 

In the Met’s current production I found the set, while beautiful, to be pretty static, beyond the ship opening.  Just dead open spaces without motion or energy of any kind.  Open space can be fine and, as I said, beautiful, but without more going on onstage it felt a little stale at times.  I do greatly prefer Iago’s pants in this production to the pants from the Zefferelli production of my childhood.  No matter how great the singing my tiny, prepubescent brain was always distracted by Iago’s bloomy pants. 

This was the second cast of the season as we did not see the Renee Fleming version earlier this year.  But I was there to see how Hampson fared.  Hampson’s acting always carries the day for me.  Specific and commanding.  He opened like a Figaro, a bit airy, and I thought uh-oh this is going to be too light, but his twist into serpentine villainy was all the more shocking for his light beginning. 

Some of the voices seemed wrong for the parts.   But as with Don Carlo, my ear is accustomed to different kinds of voices singing the leads so I am biased.

I couldn’t hear the Emilia at all sometimes.  The Act 2 quartet often shifted audibly into a trio, and for intervals a soprano aria.  We were in row AA orchestra center just under the Parterre, this can warp sound I think.  Although we’ve sat under it on either side of the house before and I didn’t perceive sound issues.  Regardless, seats or singers I couldn’t hear some singers at some times.  But between Hampson’s acting and new and improved Iago Pants I had an enjoyable evening.

–Elizabeth Frayer and Shawn E Milnes