Notes on Otello
by Greg Waxberg
As Verdi’s second opera based on a Shakespeare play, Otello conveys the composer’s tremendous veneration for the Bard’s writing. Although Otello—with its plot that focuses on jealousy and revenge and depicts a tragedy that results from blind trust—is best known as an adaptation of Othello, the opera’s roots can be traced further back in history.
Shakespeare adapted the plot from “Un Capitano Moro” (“A Moorish Captain”), a story in Hecatommithi, Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio’s collection of novellas published in 1565. In the story’s first sentence, the narrator introduces the Moor, a resident of Venice who has repeatedly demonstrated military prowess and, for that reason, is highly regarded by the Duke.
The story also introduces Disdemona, who has been moved by the Moor’s heroism and falls in love with him; the Ensign, a wicked, deceitful, manipulative person who disguises his true feelings with artful language and actions; the Captain, a close friend of the Moor whom Disdemona treats kindly; the Ensign’s wife and their three-year-old daughter; and the Captain’s mistress.
Among the differences between “Un Capitano Moro” and Othello are vague descriptions for which Shakespeare created names, characters, and scenes to supply information. For example, the story references Disdemona’s parents in one sentence; Shakespeare condensed and developed them into the more active character of Brabantio, Desdemona’s father. The opening scenes of Act I, set in Venice, relate Brabantio’s bewilderment of how she could have possibly fallen in love with Othello and his accusation that Othello must have used witchcraft. The character of Roderigo was also invented, as were the names Othello, Iago (the Ensign), Cassio (the Captain), and Emilia (the Ensign’s wife).
Shakespeare also created the storm at sea and modified the spelling of Desdemona’s name, how her handkerchief is taken (in the story, the Ensign steals it from her; in the play, Emilia picks it up and Iago forces it from her), the scene of Desdemona’s murder (in the story, the Ensign beats her with a sand-filled stocking; in the play, Othello smothers her in bed), and its aftermath (in the story, false accusations lead to the Moor’s torture and murder and the Ensign’s torture and death; in the play, Othello stabs himself).
The major similarities between the story and the play, besides the main characters, include the Ensign scheming against the Captain and the Moor; the Captain striking a man with his sword; the Moor removing the Captain’s rank; Disdemona trying to intercede with the Moor on the Captain’s behalf; the Moor demanding proof of the Ensign’s claims of Disdemona’s infidelity; the crucial role of the handkerchief; and the Ensign inducing the Captain into gossip to deceive the Moor.
Verdi had no intention of writing another opera after the world premiere of Aida in 1871, but publisher Giulio Ricordi and the librettist (and composer) Arrigo Boito had other ideas. They knew that Verdi had a long-standing desire to write a successful opera based on a Shakespeare play and they knew that his operas were popular with the public, so they broached the idea and Boito began to write the libretto.
Various scenes and lines in the play were cut to avoid an overly long opera. The most conspicuous omission is Act I, which takes place in Venice and explains the courtship between Othello and Desdemona. Thus, the opera takes place in Cyprus and starts with Othello’s Act II; when the curtain rises, Otello has already been named commander of the troops in Cyprus and defeated the Turks. Another partial omission is Bianca, Cassio’s mistress—although she does not appear in the opera, she is mentioned by name.
Further scenes were adapted, including: Act II, Scene 1 (the storm that opens the opera); Act II, Scene 3 (extending from “Roderigo, beviam!” to Cassio’s demotion, plus Iago advising Cassio that Desdemona can influence Otello); Act III, Scene 3 (extending from Iago’s first line of intrigue, “Cio m’accora” to the end of the second act); Act III, Scene 4 (the confrontation between Otello and Desdemona about the handkerchief and Cassio); Act IV, Scenes 1 and 2 (almost all of Act III); and Act IV, Scene 3 and both scenes of Act V (almost all of Act IV, including Desdemona’s “Willow Song”).
For several years, from the late 1870s until the mid-1880s, Verdi did not begin composing Otello, although he was providing Boito with feedback about the text. At the same time, he was overseeing rehearsals of Aida for a revival in Paris (1880), revising Simon Boccanegra from its original 1857 version for a production at Milan’s La Scala (1881), and revising the 1867 French version of Don Carlos as the Italian Don Carlo, also for La Scala (1884).
Just as Verdi decided to take up Otello, he almost abandoned it because he read a newspaper article that quoted Boito as saying “[Verdi] had at first taken up the subject reluctantly, but then, once the libretto was finished, he felt regret that he could not be the composer destined to set it to music.” Upset that people might think he forced Boito to write the libretto and that Boito would not be satisfied with his efforts, Verdi was prepared to return the libretto.
Boito was outraged at being misquoted and wrote to Verdi to explain what happened. During a party, a journalist suggested to Boito that “Othello would have also been a subject for you [to compose].” Boito said he never thought about Othello for himself, but realizing that could be interpreted to mean he did not like the subject, he clarified that, in his opinion, Othello, as a masterpiece of tragedy, would not translate well as a “lyrical expression.”
“I added that I would never have believed it possible to transform the Shakespeare tragedy into a good libretto until I actually did this job for you, Maestro, and with you,” Boito wrote in his letter. “[This writer attributed] to me a wish whose motive offends me and that is precisely the opposite of my great wish, which is to hear your music to a libretto I wrote only for the joy of seeing you pick up your pen again through my efforts, for the glory of being your working companion, for the ambition of hearing my name linked with yours, and our names with that of Shakespeare, and because that subject and my libretto are yours by sacred right of conquest.” Boito implored Verdi not to abandon the project. Verdi appreciated this letter and responded that Otello had been discussed too much, he was too old, and he did not know what progress he would make, if any.
An outcome of this misunderstanding, in addition to the collaboration being saved, was the addition of Iago’s Credo in Act II. Boito found peace only by writing more text and explained to Verdi that he wrote a “villainous Credo” because he felt the need. Verdi’s response? “Bravo. This Credo is very beautiful: very powerful and Shakespearean in every way.”
Another addition, the finale of Act III, was a major sticking point for the composer. Verdi wanted a large, extended ensemble because “the colossal power of the drama requires it,” so Boito expanded the scene with the Venetian dignitaries (from Act IV, Scene 1 of the play) as an ensemble that blends lyricism, led by Desdemona, with two dramatic dialogues led by Iago—first with Otello, then with Roderigo.
However, Verdi wanted a dramatic conclusion after Otello insults Desdemona and said the curtain should fall or Boito should invent a scene, such as a surprise attack by the Turks, that would prompt Otello to promise another victory. At the same time, Verdi wondered if there would be justifiably “serious objections” to this scenario, and Boito responded that, yes, the objections would be serious. This proposed scene would destroy the mood that Shakespeare had created, interfere with Iago’s complete influence over Otello, and detract from the inevitable tragedy of Otello and Desdemona. “In other words,” Boito wrote, “we have found the end of an act, but at the expense of the effect of the final catastrophe.” Thus, Boito adapted more lines from Act IV, Scene 1 of the play to depict Otello—his mind racing with thoughts of the handkerchief and Iago’s initial line of intrigue—fainting and Iago gloating.
In 1886, Verdi officially entitled the opera Otello. Iago is the demon who propels the action, he reasoned, “but Otello is the one who acts. It would seem hypocrisy not to call it Otello. I prefer them to say ‘He chose to wrestle with the giant and was crushed’ rather than ‘He wanted to hide behind the title of Iago.’”
When composing, one of Verdi’s ingenious methods was to musically link the fury of nature with the fury of Otello. Immediately after the crescendo that begins the storm, there are five chords. These five chords, although orchestrated slightly differently the second time, are repeated toward the end of Act II when Otello declares, referring to Cassio, “Ha! God grant him a thousand lives! One is a poor prey to my fury.”
During the storm, Verdi calls for thunder, lightning, and three low notes on the organ; the organ stops immediately before the first conversation between Iago and Roderigo (a parallel to the play, which begins with Iago and Roderigo talking). The power of the storm is also conveyed when the full chorus cries “Dio, fulgor della bufera!” (“God, see us here in the storm!”) joined by the orchestra playing “tutta forza.” The storm seems to be eclipsed by Otello’s first word, one of the great entrances for any operatic character, when he proclaims “Esultate!” (“Rise in glory!”)
The drinking scene provides wonderful melodies as Iago sings “Chi all’esca ha morso” and the chorus repeats him. In addition to Iago’s malice toward Cassio, this scene also displays Verdi’s mastery at writing music that depicts Cassio becoming progressively inebriated. When Otello silences the chaos and demands that “Honest Iago” tell him what happened, Iago refers to a madness that bewitched everyone’s judgment.
Following Cassio’s demotion and the clearing of the stage, tender music is heard for the first time, leading to the ethereal love duet “Già nella notte densa.” This duet describes the dangers that Otello experienced as a younger man, the pity that Desdemona felt for him upon hearing of his adventures, and the love that Otello felt for her because of her pity—feelings that led to their courtship. The duet contains the famous theme associated with “un bacio” (“a kiss”), carried mainly by the strings and woodwinds.
Verdi’s orchestration at the beginning of Act II, consisting of low strings, could describe Iago’s contemplation as he prepares to wreak havoc on Otello. This same motif, played even more harshly, follows his conversation with Cassio and precedes the line “I am your demon.” Then, the orchestra, playing full force, introduces the theme of Iago’s Credo, a melody that is repeated to accompany the line “This is my faith” and repeated several more times, much quieter and slower, during his admission of evil.
The second act also includes the significant theme of Iago warning Otello to beware of jealousy, a melody that will return to introduce Act III, when Otello’s anger with Desdemona explodes. Act II ends with a tremendous duet of vengeance between Otello and Iago, “Sì, pel ciel.”
Perhaps the most crucial moments in the third act are the duet between Otello and Desdemona—at the end of which he accuses her of being a whore, accompanied by a severe drum roll—and the later scene of Otello throwing Desdemona to the ground, confirming that he is convinced of her infidelity. This scene of disgrace is underscored by massive orchestral chords. Desdemona, reflecting on what has transpired, sings a passage that climaxes in a full chorus, which so exasperates Otello that he suddenly tells everyone to flee from him and curses Desdemona. At this point, with only Iago remaining, he faints. Following Iago’s declaration that “Here is your Lion [of Venice],” the orchestra brings down the curtain with another series of chords.
The tragedy of the finale, after Otello murders Desdemona and stabs himself, is the return of the “kiss” melody from the Act I love duet. When it was first played, Otello and Desdemona could not have been happier. Now, it marks the final time that Otello will ever attempt to kiss his innocent wife.
Before Otello’s premiere at La Scala, which took place on February 5, 1887, Verdi wanted complete control over the production, and the theater accepted all of his conditions: the promotional poster would not advertise the date; all rehearsals were to be closed; Verdi had the right to withdraw the opera even after the final dress rehearsal; and the first performance could not take place without his permission.
On that momentous night, Franco Faccio conducted a cast that included Francesco Tamagno as Otello, Romilda Pantaleone as Desdemona, and Victor Maurel as Iago. “The opera was a great success,” wrote
The New York Times on February 6, 1887, declaring “the finale of the third act is stupendous.” At the premiere, the Act I chorus “Fuoco di gioia” and Desdemona’s “Willow Song” were encored, and Verdi received twenty-six curtain calls and was presented with a crown of laurels. Clearly, the public still loved him, and a final opera would cap his career—the comedy
Falstaff, another nod to the Bard of Avon.
High-definition video projection screens will be featured on the balcony level for this performance. 
