Final Dress Rehearsal Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 6:15 p.m.

at the Academy of Music

Opera Company of Philadelphiaand

The School District of Philadelphia

Present

Giuseppe Verdi’s

OTELLO

OperaPennsylvania’s standards in education call for students to show what they know and are able

to do. Children need to share what they have discovered or learned. Thus, the title of our program isSounds of Learning™. It reflects our belief that children must be actively engaged in sharing ideas.

The Sounds of Learning™ workbook and teacher guide will integrate with local core literacy curriculum in many ways. Just as opera is a uniquely integrated art, combining orchestra, voice, literature, drama, and dance, Sounds of Learning™ is an interdisciplinary program. The goal of the ActiveLearning sections is to have your children engaged in the process of self-teaching. They will be able toshow how they have gained insights into their learning by drawing, writing, and discussing the issuesmost relevant to them. In this way, students demonstrate what they can do with what they know.

We believe the family is the most important foundation to learning. Let your kitchen tablebecome a classroom where your children can build their knowledge of opera and the humanities. As youjoin in the teaching and learning process with your children, watch their eyes sparkle. Opera is a communal celebration, so too should be your children’s education.

In reading the libretto, we suggest that you and your family members take turns reading particular roles. Dr. Ellen Winner of Harvard’s Project Zero found that: “drama helps to buildverbal skills that transfer to new materials;” helps students in “reading readiness and achievement;” and“oral and written language development.” (Journal of Aesthetic Education, v34, #3/4, Fall/Winter, 2000.)

In preparing for the opera, we suggest you purchase one of EMI Records’ excellent recording ofthis opera.

Goals and Objectives of Sounds of Learning™• Improve literacy rates by using the opera’s libretto to teach courses across the curriculum• Understand the plot, characters, and their motivations• Learn something about the composer, and others involved in writing the opera• Know something of the historic and social context of the story• Know some key musical elements, recognize certain melodies, differentiate between voices• Understand the role music plays by expressing emotions and heightening the dramatic experience

• Understand the various elements of producing opera and the functions of those involved; e.g. conductor, director, set designer, technical crew, etc.

• Develop the ability to make judgments about the opera, production, and performance• Relate incidents in the opera to those of the present day

Best Practices in Arts Education is sponsored by Pennsylvania Alliance for Arts Education,Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

A Family Guide to

Contents Opera 101: Getting Ready for the Opera

2 Opera Company of Philadelphia3 Philadelphia’s Academy of Music4 Opera Etiquette 1015 Opera - Online!6 A Brief History of Western Opera

Relating Opera to History: The Culture Connection8 Giuseppe Verdi: Hero of Italy9 More than a Playwright: Arrigo Boito

10 City on the Sea: the Founding of Venice

11 GAME: Connect the Opera Terms

12 Bard of Stratford: William Shakespeare13 Words, words, words: Shakespeare’s Influence

on the English Language

Libretto and Production Information14 Getting Verdi Back to Work15 Otello: Plot Synopsis16 Otello: Libretto

Glossary 41

Tabl

e of

Check out our website for additional content! Here you’ll find moreinformation on the opera, its themes, lessons, and links to even morefascinating material. See page 5 for more details.

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Opera has played a vital part in Philadelphia’shistory. The first opera in Philadelphia that we knowof was the opera Midas in 1769. Ever since thenopera has been so popular in Philadelphia that therehave been several opera companies in the city at thesame time! In fact, the Opera Company ofPhiladelphia was created when the PhiladelphiaGrand Opera Company and the Philadelphia LyricOpera Company joined in 1975. Since then, the OperaCompany of Philadelphia has honored the city’soperatic traditions.

Each season the Opera Company presents five different operas with singers from allover the world. Three of the operas are given in thebeautiful, large-scale Academy of Music. With justunder 2,900 seats, the Academy is the OperaCompany’s home for grand opera. Two smaller, moreintimate operas are staged in the Perelman Theater.With about 600 seats, the Perelman, in the KimmelCenter for the Performing Arts, is perfect for chamberand modern operas.

Today, the Opera Company’s mission, or corepurpose, has three parts to it:

1: Deliver outstanding productions of classic operas,often giving them in creative and cutting-edge ways,and create exciting new operas that people inPhiladelphia’s socially and culturally varied area willlike.

We do this by hiring the best stage designers.Sets might be in the Company’s Production Center in

the Tacony area of Philadelphia. Sometimes theOpera Company partners with another company tobuild new sets and costumes, or rents a productionfrom another company.

The Opera Company supports creating newAmerican operas, too. In recent seasons four newoperas have been seen at OCP: Margaret Garner byRichard Danielpour, Cyrano by David DiChiera,Ainadamar by Argentinian composer OsvaldoGolijov, Tea: A Mirror of Soul by Chinese composerTan Dun, which premiered in February 2010.

2: Find the best young, up-and-coming singers andgive them the chance to sing with some of the bestsingers in the world

We find the brightest young singers in ourown backyard at two of the best opera schools in theworld - The Curtis Institute of Music and the Academyof Vocal Arts. Singers from both schools have sungright along side stars like Denyce Graves and NathanGunn.

3: Create informative student and adult programs thatwill introduce opera to newcomers and that both long-time and new opera fans will enjoy.

Each season over 5,000 students from theDelaware Valley attend the opera through the Soundsof Learning™ program. The Company also hosts community recitals and lectures, technology-basedinternet events, and more.

For over 30 years the Opera Company ofPhiladelphia has brought audiences outstandingproduction quality, artistry and educational opportunities. A strong blend of traditional and innovative programming will continue to ensure theexcitement of opera in Philadelphia.

ACTIVE LEARNING

1. Find out more about the Opera Company of Philadelphia at our website: www.operaphila.org

2. Want to learn more about the great history of opera in Philadelphia? Visit www.frankhamilton.org

Opera Company of Philadelphia

Soprano Ermonela Jaho and tenor Roger Honeywell in JunKaneko’s stylized production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.Photo: Kelly & Massa Photography

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Philadelphia’s

Academy of MusicYou will attend the opera at Philadelphia’s

Academy of Music, the country’s oldest grand operahouse still used for its original purpose - performingopera! It is a very grand opera house with a hugechandelier and four levels. Its design was based onthe famous La Scala opera house in Milan, Italy.

Finding the money to build an opera housein Philadelphia was difficult, but enough money wasraised by 1854. On October 13th a plot of land wasbought on the corner of Broad and Locust Streets tobuild the opera house.

Fifteen architects entered a competition tosee who would design the Academy in the fall of1854. On February 12, 1855 Gustav Rungé andNapoleon le Brun won the contest, which included a$400 prize. Within four months the ground-breakingtook place. The project was so important thatPresident Franklin Pierce, along with the governorand mayor, laid the cornerstone on July 26, 1855.

The Academy opened on January 26, 1857with a Grand Ball and Promenade Concert. The firstopera presented in the brand new opera house wasGiuseppe Verdi’s Il trovatore on February 25, 1857.Two of many operatic highlights throughout the theater’s history include the American premiere ofCharles Gounod’s opera Faust on November 18, 1863and a performance of Giacomo Puccini’s MadamaButterfly on February 14, 1907 with the composer in attendance.

Numerous presidents have visited theAcademy, including Ulysses S. Grant, TheodoreRoosevelt, and Richard Nixon. Prince Charles ofWales visited the Academy in 2007. Thousands ofworld-famous performers have appeared on its stage,such as Peter Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff,George Gershwin, Igor Stravinsky, Arturo Toscanini,Marian Anderson, Maria Callas, and LucianoPavarotti.

The Academy was made a Registered NationalHistoric Landmark in 1963. Since then, a fewchanges have been made to the structure. The“Twenty-First Century Project”, begun in 1996,replaced the stage floor, rigging system, and restoredthe historic ceiling. During 2008 the famous chandelier was rebuilt to how it looked in 1857. Allof these renovations have helped the Academyremain as grand as ever. We hope you find it grandas well!

Academy Facts› The auditorium seats 2,897; 14 columns support the Academy’s tiers; and the auditorium is encased within a threefoot thick solid brick wall.

› The Academy Chandelier is 25 feet high, 50 feet in circumference, almost 17 feet in diameter, and 3,500 poundsin weight. It has 23,000 crystals on it, which, if laid out, couldreach from Broad Street to Rittenhouse Square and back.

› The red and gold pattern on the Academy’s stage curtain simulates that of a pineapple, a Victorian-era symbolfor “welcome.”

› The first-ever indoor football game was held on theAcademy’s Parquet level on March 7, 1889 betweenUniversity of Pennsylvania and Riverton Club of Princeton. Athalftime, tug-of-war matches were held as entertainment.

› 1,600 people attended the first ever motion picture screening on February 5, 1870. The audience saw a coupledancing, a gymnastics routine and more during the silent film.

› Air conditioning was installed in the theatre 1959.

› There was no elevator for the general public in the Academy until 1990!

For more information on the Academy of Music, go to thelibrary and take out Within These Walls, by John FrancisMarion or go online to www.academyofmusic.org.

The Academy ofMusic’s restored chandelier.

Photo by Michael Bolton

Opera Etiquette 1014

There’s nothing quite as exciting as attending theopera in a professional theater like the Academy of Music.You will attending a dress rehearsal of Giuseppe Verdi’sopera Otello. Here’s what you’ll need to know aboutattending the opera!

Unlike actors on television or in the movies, performers onstage are very aware of the audience. Theywant to share their love of performing with you.Everything you do in the audience affects what happens on stage. You can show them how much youappreciate their work and the opportunity to come to therehearsal by being as quiet as possible. So, please refrainfrom talking out of respect for the cast, musicians, theentire production team, and everyone in the theater, andgive the artists and the production your full attention!

ACTIVE LEARNING The picture on this page shows several patrons and famousopera characters on their way to attend an opera at the theater. Now picture yourself in their shoes. On a separate piece ofpaper, write a few words on what you think the trip to theopera will be like. You may want to mention going to theAcademy of Music or attending the opera. What will you wear?How will you and your classmates act? At what time will youmeet your classmates? How many classmates will attend? Willyou have a special dinner before the opera? If so, where? Willthe opera be exciting and entertaining? Share your thoughtshere and compare your stories with your classmates.

Here’s a list of DOs and DON’Ts so that everyone in the theater can enjoy the opera:

Please Do...• Applaud after the arias; you can shout “Bravo!” for the

men and “Brava!” for the women.

• Enter and exit the theater in an orderly fashion.

• Please use the bathrooms before the rehearsal begins or at intermission.

• Turn off your cell phones and all electronic devices.

• Enjoy the rehearsal. You’ve worked too hard preparing for the rehearsal not to!

Don’t Forget...• No food, gum and beverages are allowed inside the

theater.

• Photographs or video footage may not be taken duringthe performance.

• No talking or whispering during the performance.

• No shoving, jumping, running, or spitting in the theater.

• Please obey the theater ushers and staff.

• Keep all objects to yourself. If you throw something, you might hurt someone and cause a disruption in performance.It is grounds for removal from the auditorium.

• MAKE YOUR SCHOOL PROUD!

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See rehearsal photos on our website athttp://www.operaphila.org/production/behind-scenes. Logon and see our Behind the Scenes area to see how aproduction develops from the first day of rehearsal toopening night!

Also, you can download extra copies of theSounds of Learning™ guide and past guides from thispage as well. All of this content is provided for free!

If you’re online, check out our myspace and facebook pages, too. Just search for Opera Company ofPhiladelphia!

OPERA – Online!

You might study music in your schools or privately. Where do you go if you want to learnmore about Otello, opera singers, opera-related topics and experience opera more frequently? Visit OCP’s website at:

operaphila.org/community/sol-prod1.shtml

Here you can find more information about Otello and allthe operas presented by the Opera Company atabsolutely no cost!

Opera Right in Your Email Inbox!

Another great way to learn more is to sign up for the freeweekly Sounds of Learning™ email list. Email your name,school and age to education@operaphila.org and eachweek we’ll send you an opera video “clip of the week”with famous opera singers singing great arias and ensembles all throughout the summer. Some will be funny,some will be thrilling, some will be dramatic, and all of it willbe exciting! Also included in the email will be the websiteof the week. We’ll feature links to singers’ websites, musiclinks, other great music and opera websites. You can build awhole library of video clips to go back to again and again!Share the clips and links with your family and friends.

Don’t forget to check out our Sounds of Learning™blog at http://operaphillysol.blogspot.com. The blog willallow you to discuss the opera with students throughoutthe tri-state area! Log onto the blog and share yourthoughts and views about the opera, the music, the set,the singers, the Academy of Music, coming to center cityPhiladelphia, the email list “clip of the week” andmore! Other students participating in Sounds ofLearning™ from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, andDelaware want to hear what you have to say! Post yourcomments by going to: http://operaphillysol.blogspot.com.

A Brief History of

Western OperaThese early operas were

performed in the courts of Italiannoblemen, but soon opera becamepopular with the general public.Europe at the time had a growing middle class witha taste for spectacular entertainment.

As opera’s popularity grew, so did the complexity of operas and the level of spectacle.Many opera houses had elaborate machinery thatcould be used to create special effects such as flyingactors and crumbling buildings. There was muchdebate about whether an excess of visual elements inopera detracted from the quality of the music anddrama. Some people even worried that too muchcomedy in opera could lead to immorality among thepublic!

During the period from about 1600 to 1750,the Baroque period in music, Italian opera spreadacross Europe. In fact the Italian style of opera wasso popular that even though other countries andregions often had their own traditions of musicaldrama, the Italian form was usually preferred.George Frederick Handel was a German-born composer who lived and worked in England, but hisoperas, such as Julius Caesar (1724), were written inthe Italian language and used an Italian style of

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Throughout its 400-year history opera hasbeen shaped by the times in which it was createdand tells us much about those who participated inthe art form as writers, composers, performers, and audience members.

The first works to be called operas were created in Italy at the end of the sixteenth century.They were inspired by a group of intellectuals knownas the Florentine Camerata who, like many thinkersof their time in the late Renaissance, admired the culture of the ancient Greeks. They proposed theinvention of a new type of musical theater thatwould imitate Greek drama’s use of music.

The result was a series of operas based onGreek myths, starting with Dafne by Jacopo Peri in1598. The most famous work of this early period isClaudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo (1607), based on the mythof Orpheus. These early operas had all the basic elements that we associate with opera today, includingsongs, instrumental accompaniments, dance, costumes,and scenery.

Claudio Monteverdi1567-1643

Theatrical performances that use music, song and danceto tell a story can be found in many cultures. Opera isjust one example of music drama.

A tense scene from Act II of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. (l-r: bass Richard Bernstein, baritone Simone Alberghini and sopranos Christine Brandes and Mary Dunleavy.)

music. The only nation to develop a national tradition to rival the Italian was France, where operasoften included ballets inserted into the story. Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Philippe Rameau are themost famous French Baroque opera composers.

By the middle of the seventeenth centuryEurope was changing. The growing middle class wasmore influential than ever, and people were startingto talk about new forms of government and organization in society. Soon the American andFrench Revolutions (1776 and 1789) would seek toestablish the first modern democracies.

Music was changing, too. Composers abandonedthe Baroque era’s complicated musical style andbegan to write simpler music with more expressivemelodies. Opera composers could write melodiesthat allowed characters to express their thoughts andfeelings more believably. One of the first operas touse this new style was Christoph Willibald Gluck’sOrfeo ed Euridice (1762).

With the new democratic sentiments cameinterest in operas about common people in familiarsettings, rather than stories from ancient mythology.A good example is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (1786), in which a servant outsmarts a count. Several of Mozart’s operas remainamong the most popular today. They include Figaro,Don Giovanni (1788), Così fan tutte (1790), and TheMagic Flute (1791).

In the nineteenth century operas continued togrow more diverse in their subject matter, forms, and national styles. The Italian tradition continued in the bel canto movement. Operas written in thisstyle, which means “beautiful singing”, includedarias with intricate ornamentation, or combinationsof fast notes, in the melodies. The most famous belcanto composers are Vincenzo Bellini, GaetanoDonizetti and Gioacchino Rossini, whose The Barber ofSeville (1816) is one of the most beloved comic operas.

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Wolfgang AmadeusMozart1756-1791

Later in the century the Romantic Movement ledmany composers to take an interest their nationalidentities. As a result, operas in languages other thanItalian became more common, and new works oftenreflected pride in a country’s people, history andfolklore. Among the operas that show the growth ofnational traditions are Carl Maria von Weber’s DerFreischütz (Germany, 1821), Mikhail Glinka’s Ruslanand Lyudmilla (Russia, 1842) and Georges Bizet’sCarmen (France, 1875). In Italy Giuseppe Verdicomposed in a bold, direct style, and his operas,such as Nabucco (1842) and Macbeth (1847), oftenincluded elements of nationalism. In GermanyRichard Wagner took the Romantic style to theextreme in an ambitious series of operas known collectively as The Ring of the Nibelung (1876) based onNorse mythology.

In the twentieth century opera became evenmore diversified and experimental, to the point thatit sometimes became difficult to distinguish it fromother forms of musical theater. Some composerssuch as Giacomo Puccini (La bohème, 1896), ClaudeDebussy (Pelléas et Mélisande, 1902), Richard Strauss(Salome, 1905), and Benjamin Britten (Peter Grimes,1945) continued to write operas that were similar inmany ways to those of the nineteenth century.Others, horrified by the destructive effects of WorldWar I (1914-1919) and other aspects of modern life,created works with radically experimental and dissonant music. These operas often explored topicsthat were either disturbing (Wozzeck by Alban Berg,1925) or absurdist (The Rake’s Progress by IgorStravinsky, 1951). American opera also came into itsown in this century, beginning with GeorgeGershwin’s Porgy and Bess (1935) which incorporatedjazz and blues styles of music. In the latter part ofthe century a repetitive and hypnotic style known asminimalism was exemplified in Phillip Glass’sEinstein on the Beach (1976), a piece that would hardlybe recognized as an opera by earlier standards. Thelate twentieth century even saw a return to some ofthe traits of Romantic opera in works such as JohnCorigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles (1991).

Today, opera is a living art form in which bothnew works and those by composers of the past continue to be performed. It remains to be seen whatthe future of opera will be, but if history is any indication, it will be shaped by the creativity oflibrettists, composers, and other artists respondingthe changing times in which they live.

Bass Kevin Glavin gets a close shave from baritone RobertoDeCandia in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville.

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Giuseppe Verdi:

Hero of ItalyGiuseppe Verdi was born into the

dangerous period of the NapoleonicWars (1799-1815) at Le Roncole nearBusseto, Italy on October 10, 1813. His parents were Carlo Verdi and LuigiaUttini Verdi.

Verdi’s love of music was evident fromhis earliest years. One of his greatest joyswas listening to the old organ in thechurch near his home. He begged forpiano lessons and finally got his way in1821 when his father bought him an oldspinet. Verdi’s father arranged for his sonto study with the church organist. Fouryears later at the age of twelve, youngVerdi became the church organist when

his teacher took another post. Verdi soon began to studyin the nearby town of Busseto with the help of AntonioBarezzi, his father’s friend. Barezzi, a successful shopkeeper and amateur musician, agreed to put theyoung Verdi up in his home. In Busseto Verdi met thedirector of the local music school who had him copy theorchestral parts from scores by composers Franz JosephHaydn and Gioachino Rossini.

Verdi was very bright and a quick learner. Theschool’s director allowed him to take the podium of thelocal orchestra. Barezzi was so impressed with Verdi’sgifts that he helped arrange for Verdi to receive a scholarship to study in Milan. The conservatory judges didnot accept Verdi into the school. They thought he was tooold (at 18 years of age), didn’t play the piano well enoughand showed little musical promise. However, the directorof the Teatro alla Scala, the leading opera house in Italy,told him not to give up and encouraged him to study underMaestro Vincenzo Lavigna. Under his new teacher’stutelage, Verdi studied the works of Wolfgang AmadeusMozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.

At 21, Verdi was asked to take over a rehearsal ofHaydn’s Creation when the conductor became ill. He satat the piano and played with one hand while conductingwith the other. The musicians were so impressed with histalent that he was asked to conduct the performancesbefore Milan’s society. This success launched his career.

On May 4, 1836, Verdi married his benefactor’sdaughter, Margherita Barezzi. On November 17, 1839,his first opera, Oberto, premiered at La Scala and was amoderate success. The next few years, however, weretimes of deep sadness. Verdi’s two children died beforeeither reached the age of three, and then his wifeMargherita died in June 1840, a few months after the second child.

Verdi returned to Milan to complete a commissionhe’d received before his wife’s death to write a comicopera. This opera was a complete failure due partly to theextreme grief with which Verdi struggled while composingit. Deeply depressed and finding it hard to concentrate onhis work, Verdi was almost impoverished. He could onlyafford to eat one meal a day. One day while leaving a tavern he bumped into Bartolomeo Merelli, the operahouse director who had supported Verdi’s earlier work. Heasked Verdi to compose another opera. From this accidental meeting, the great opera Nabucco was born. Thenight the opera was premiered, March 9, 1842 in La Scala,the audience cheered Verdi, but he still could not smile.

Over the years, Verdi composed masterpiece aftermasterpiece. Some of his operas had a political nature andthus the censors were always checking his work. Verdibelieved in republican ideals and thought of GeorgeWashington as his personal hero. His music often contained political overtones. The song, “Va Pensiero”(Go Thought) from Nabucco became the revolutionaryhymn of Italy.

Verdi always remembered and loved his simplecountry heritage. He never forgot those less fortunate thanhimself. He supported other struggling artists financially,and upon his death willed all the royalties of his operas tosupport a home in Milan for aged opera singers, know todayas the Casa Verdi. This nursing home exists to this day.Verdi was more than an artist, he embodied the heart andsoul of Italy.

ACTIVE LEARNING

1. Want to learn more about Giuseppe Verdi? Visit his officialweb page at http://www.giuseppeverdi.it/ing/default.asp. You’llfind historic pictures, recordings and more!

2. Want to see excerpts from Verdi’s opera? Visit our youtubepage at www.youtube.com/user/operaphila to see severalvideo clips from OCP’s Verdi productions!

Giuseppe Verdi1813-1901

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Arrigo Boito was born in Padua, Italy onFebruary 24, 1842. His father, Silvestro Boito, painted miniatures and his mother, JózefinaRadolinska, was a Polish countess! He moved withhis mother to Venice when he was young after hisfather deserted his family. He received his first musical instruction from Luigi Plet and the brothersAntonio and Giovanni Buzzolla between the age offive and ten. Gifted in music, he enrolled in theMilan Conservatory in 1853 and studied under theopera composer and principal conductor at theTeatro alla La Scala, Alberto Mazzucato.

He later became part of an artistic group calledthe Scapigliature (Unkempt Ones) that tried to rejuvenate Italian culture which they felt was unsophisticated. They hoped that foreign influenceslike German Romanticism, French bohemians andAmerican gothic poetry could reinspire the creativityof Italian artists. At a banquet in 1863 Boito recitedhis notorious ode All’arte italiana (Italian Art), wherehe said that Italian art needed cleaning and had been“stained like the external walls of the brothel.” Thisdeeply offended composer Giuseppe Verdi, the master of Italian opera.

Meanwhile, composer Charles Gounod’s operaFaust was getting rave reviews at La Scala in 1862.This made Boito delay work on his own Faust-basedopera, Mefistofele. He resumed composing his operaagain in 1867. His original idea was to work on a pairof operas focusing on two of Faust’s loves, Margheritaand Elena, but he decided to fuse the two into theopera Mefistofele.

When the opera finally went into rehearsals inJanuary 1868, budget cuts forced Boito to rescore thetitle role of Faust, switching from the traditionallymore expensive tenor to a less expensive baritone.This was the first opera at La Scala for which the composer was the librettist. Late in rehearsal periodthe conductor wanted to makes some cuts and whenBoito refused, the inexperienced composer was leftto conduct his own work. The premiere ofMefistofele was a disaster and Boito withdrew hisscore after the second performance.

Around 1871 he began revising Mefistofele,restoring the part of Faust to tenor. On October 4th1875 Mefistofele was performed at the TeatroComunale, Bologna and in this form made its revivalat Milan in 1881.

Boito spent most of 1870 writinglibrettos. A supporter of his, Giulio Ricordi,learned that Verdi was interested in the subject Nerone and suggested that Boitogive his libretto to him but Verdi, still angryover Boito’s ode, refused to look at it. Afterthis, Boito returned to Nerone working aimlessly on it. In 1879, reconciliation withVerdi led to an idea of a possible collaboration on Otello.

Verdi was very impressed withBoito’s libretto. As a trial before embarkingon a large project, Verdi asked Boito torevise the libretto for his opera SimonBoccanegra. This was very successful soVerdi agreed to start on Otello. Verdi and Boito’sfriendship was sealed after the success of the firstperformance; it was a relationship that Boito regarded as “the climax of his artistic life.”

Their collaboration on Falstaff was also amajor success but in 1893, when Boito started tosketch libretto for Re Lear (King Lear), Verdi realizedhe was too old for the task. Boito remained a companion to Verdi until his death in Milan in 1901.

Boito published his five act libretto Neroneshortly after Verdi’s death, and after a push fromGiulio Ricordi, Boito began to compose the operascore. Boito died of heart disease on June 10, 1918,leaving the opera Nerone incomplete.

Famed conductor Arturo Toscanini, and musicians Antonio Smareglia and Vincenzo Tommasiniextensively revised the incomplete score and Neronepremiered six years after Boito’s death.

ACTIVE LEARNING

1. Arrigo Boito was well known as a librettist and composer.Go to your library and check out a CD of his opera Mefistofele.

2. Visit our website at www.operaphila.org/community andvisit the Sounds of Learning page for Otello to learn moreabout Boito.

More than a Playwright: Arrigo Boito

Arrigo Boito1842 – 1918

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Shakespeare’s play Othello is setin the city of Venice and on the island ofCyprus. Othello is a Venetian generalwho has been sent to govern the island.Throughout the opera he is referred toas “Lion of Venice,” “Lion of St. Mark,”or just as “the lion.” Shakespeare hadturned to Venice before, setting his 1589play The Merchant of Venice there. It’seasy to see why Venice is a captivatingsetting for his plays, especially as itshistory is so vibrant.

The Roman Empire was at itsheight during the 5th and 6th centuries.Many people fled to Venice to seekrefuge from oft-invading barbarians.Gradually, a real town emerged from acollection of communities to becomeone of the most unique cities in theworld.

As the Roman Empire began tocrumble, the city was seized by the Byzantine Empirebut kept its independence. The first ruler, called aDoge, Paoluccio Anafesto, was elected in 697 AD, giving way to a new form of government; theDogado.

In 828, two Venetian merchants stole the bodyof St. Mark the Apostle from Alexandria, Egypt andmoved it to Venice. Legend has it that the corpse wasput in a large basket and covered in herbs and swineflesh, which would have been offensive to Muslims.Those who asked about the basket’s contents weretold it was pork. Once aboard the ship, the stolenbody was hidden in the sails. During their trip a greatstorm arose in the open seas. It is said that SaintMark appeared to the captain and warned him tostrike all his sails immediately or the ship wouldcrash into hidden rocks. They did as told and sailedon in safety.

After crossing the Mediterranean and cruisingup the Adriatic, the grave robbers reached Veniceand handed their cargo over to the Doge. The localreligious and civic authorities quickly chose St. Markas Venice's patron saint. The apostle's traditionalsymbol, a winged lion became the logo of theVenetian Republic. Today it is known as the Lion ofSt. Mark. In 1094, the Basilica of San Marco was builtto house the remains of the saint.

Venetians were excellent sailors, creative merchants, and enthusiastic traders. By the end ofthe 11th century the city had a strong trade relationshipwith Byzantium. Between 1202 and 1204 Venice conquered Byzantium and eventually the islands inthe Aegean and Ionian Seas, which created theRepublic of Venice.

Venetian military power increased and the citydominated a large chunk of the Mediterranean Sea.After defeating Genoa in the Battle of Chioggia in1380, a peace treaty was declared in 1381. Veniceknew it was important to have a base on the mainland and began pursuing the cities of Padua,Vicenza, Verona, Brescia and Bergamo. The combined territory of Venice was given the nameSerenissima but as Serenissima continued to expandon the mainland, the Turks’ increasing authorityallowed them to capture Constantinople (previouslyknown as Byzantium) and a few cities on the Greekand Albanian coastlines.

Serenissima began to crumble in 1508 whenseveral European powers successfully joined togetherto form the League of Cambrai to take on Venice.After seven years of battle, Serenissima lost controlover the Mediterranean and later gave up Crete andthe Peloponnesus area to the Turkish Empire.

Venice’s political powers had decreased significantly when Napoleon invaded in 1797. Venicewas too weak to resist and a little time laterNapoleon gave the city to Austria. Austria lost control of the city in 1866 but the city did not recoverits independence and instead joined the Kingdom ofItaly.

Today Venice is almost entirely dependant onthe tourist industry, and continues to lose populationat an increasing rate since many Venetians can nolonger afford to live in the city, or prefer to migrateto the mainland where there are better amenities.

ACTIVE LEARNING1. Venice is famous for sinking! For centuries the water levels have risen around this city so that more and more of itis underwater. Read the article about the sinking city provided in the teacher manual. Do you think this will be asuccess and why? Can you think of any way in which youcould prevent the flooding or raise the city of Venice?

City on the Sea:

The Founding of Venice

A map of thestates of Italy circa1494. Venice is inthe upper left of

the image.

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Connect the

Opera Terms1. Opera Seria

2. Baritone

3. Opera

4. Ballet

5. Orchestra

6. Libretto

7. Duet

8. Aria

9. Soprano

10.Chorus

11.Act

12.Contralto

13.Tenor

14.Opera Buffa

15.Recitative

16.Bass

17.Overture

18.Verismo

A. Dance spectacle set to music.

B. Highest pitched woman’s voice.

C. Dramatic text adapted for opera.

D. Low female voice.

E. Comic opera.

F. A drama or comedy in which music is the essential factor; very little is spoken.

G. Opera with dramatic and intense plots.

H. Music composed for a singing group.

I. A composition written for two performers.

J. A group of musicians who play together on various musical instruments.

K. Highest pitched man’s voice.

L. A musical style used in opera and oratorio, inwhich the text is declaimed in the rhythm ofnatural speech with slight melodic variation.

M. Male voice between bass and tenor.

N. A piece of music originally designed to be played before an opera or musical play.

O. The term describing the realistic or naturalistic school of opera that flourished briefly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; libretti werechosen to depict a ‘slice of life’.

P. Deepest male voice.

Q. Elaborate solo in an opera or oratorio.

R. Main division of a play or opera.

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William Shakespeare was born the third of eightchildren to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden in 1564.His father was a merchant and a fine leather glove maker.His mother was from a family of land owners.

As William grew, his father became an aldermanand later the mayor of their town, Stratford-upon-Avon.William attended the local grammar school where he studiedthe comedies of Plautus and Terence and the tragedies ofSeneca in Latin. It was during this time that his love of the theater was born.

In 1582 William married Anne Hathaway, who wasabout eight years his senior. Together they had three children:Susanna, 1583, and the twins Judith and Hamnet, 1585.

While there was work for William in Stratford-upon-Avon as an actor, the call of London, the capital ofhis craft, led him to take his family to the city in 1588. By1594 he had established himself as both a playwright andactor and was invited to join the company The LordChamberlain’s Men.

This group of actors performed at The GlobeTheatre, located on the South Bank of the Thames Riverin Southwark. To attend their performances, theater goershad to take the ferry across the river or travel across theLondon Bridge. When The Globe Theatre, which had athatched roof, burned down during a production ofShakespeare’s Macbeth, it became a tradition not to mention the name of the play backstage for fear of bad luck.

To this day it is referred to as “the Scottish play.” Later,under the patronage of King James I of England, thegroup was given an indoor theater known as TheBlackfriars. The group was then named The King’s Men.

Shakespeare’s plays were very popular with thepeople of London. While it was not customary to paymuch to a playwright for his work, Shakespeare was givena share of the profits from the sale of tickets. As a shareholderof the company, he became wealthy. He also took pleasurein acting in his creations. It is believed that he acted theroles of Adam in Much Ado about Nothing and the ghostof Hamlet’s father. His knowledge of stagecraft and thedemands of acting gave him a great insight into the dynamics of successful drama.

Although he wrote thirty-eight plays, we have nomanuscripts in his handwriting because he did not consider the writing of plays as literature. He would onlypublish them to correct errors in other editions of hisworks that were printed without his permission. In hisday, the concept of copyright did not exist. Anyone couldcopy the work of another person and publish it for profit.Shakespeare authorized the publishing of only half of hiswork known as “quarto” editions. For the remainder of hisplays, we depend upon his friends and colleagues for“folio” editions which were published several years afterhis death.

Shakespeare’s poetry is also very highly regarded.His sonnets are regarded as a very high form of poetry andhis work in this area earned him the epithet, “mellifluous andhoney-tongued Shakespeare” in 1598. His classical epics,Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece are considered two of the finest pieces of writing in theEnglish language. With his success, he returned toStratford-upon-Avon and purchased one of the finesthomes in town, New Place. Across the garden from hishome, he had another home built for his daughter Susanna

Bard of Stratford

William Shakespeare

Shakespeare was born in this half-timbered house in Stratford-upon-Avon. British Travel Association

The witches wreak havoc in the Opera Company ofPhiladelphia’s 2003 production of Verdi’s Macbeth.

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and her husband Dr. Hall. Whenever the plague wouldstrike and the theaters were closed, he would return hometo wait out the cycle of the disease. After writing TheTempest in 1610, he left London and retired to his country home. Six years later, the venerable “Bard ofStratford” died and was given a hero’s funeral.

So great were his plays that the field of opera hashundreds of scores written to them. Berlioz wrote hisBéatrice et Bénédict based upon Much Ado aboutNothing. Ralph Vaughn Williams’ opera, Sir John inLove, was based upon The Merry Wives of Windsor.Verdi’s Otello and Macbeth were based uponShakespeare’s plays of the same name and his Falstaff wasbased upon both King Henry IV and The Merry Wives ofWindsor. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has twenty-five operas based upon it, The Tempest has forty-sevenand A Midsummer Night’s Dream has forty-eight! Fewauthors can claim to have affected the culture of the worldmore than William Shakespeare, the “Bard of Stratford.”

Portrait of William Shakespeare, Bard of Stratford.

Words, words, words: Shakespeare’s influence on the English Language

When Shakespeare’s Hamlet is asked what he is reading, he responds with the famous line “Words, words, words.” Even 400 years after his death, WilliamShakespeare’s writings leave their mark on culture today. Considered the greatest writer in the English language,Shakespeare’s plays are filled with quotes, phrases and evenwords that are used in every day conversation. Listed beloware some of the famous phrases and words that Shakespeare originated. Do you recognize any of these?

As You Like It• Too much of a good thing

Hamlet • Neither a borrower nor a lender be • The lady doth protest too much

Henry IV, part 2• Eaten me out of house and home • Dead as a doornail

Henry VIII• For goodness sake

Julius Caesar• It was Greek to me

King John• Elbow room

Love's Labour's Lost• The naked truth

Macbeth• Knock, knock! Who’s there? • The be-all and the end-all • Sorry sight

Much Ado About Nothing • Done to death

Othello• Neither here nor there• Wear my heart on my sleeve

Romeo and Juliet• You kiss by the book

The Merchant of Venice• Love is blind• My own flesh and blood

The Merry Wives of Windsor• Laughing-stock

The Taming of the Shrew • An eye-sore • Kill ... with kindness

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What do you do if you're 58 years oldand are the most famous, the most popularand the wealthiest composer in all of Italyand all you want to do is work on yourfarm? After the wildly successful premiereof his opera Aida (written in honor of theopening of the Suez Canal) Verdi decidedthat it was time to end his amazingly successful career.

Not everyone was supportive ofVerdi's early retirement. His publisher,Guilio Ricordi was convinced that Verdi hadmore to say as a composer and didn't wanthis prodigious talent to go to waste.

Ricordi knew that Verdi was at his best whenhe was inspired by a great libretto. The publisherthought if Verdi could be paired with just the rightlibrettist, Verdi's entire being would be compelled towrite another opera. Ricordi knew that Verdi lovedShakespeare’s plays. He thought that the brilliantyoung librettist and sometime composer Arrigo Boitocould be just the person to inspire him.

Ricordi, conductor Franco Faccio, and Boitojoined Verdi as his home for dinner one summerevening in 1879. The topic of a new opera based onShakespeare's Othello with Boito as a potential librettist was discussed.

Verdi was only mildly interested. He wanted tostay at his farm and fix up the land and the house.As far as he was concerned his composing careerwas over. Plus, Verdi was a little suspicious of Boito.

30 years younger than Verdi, Boito was a bit ofan upstart. He was part of an informal artistic reformmovement whose members called themselves theScapigliature, or the Unkempt Ones. These reformiststhought Italian art had not kept up with the times,had become too predictable and lacked innovation.Boito thought Italian composers should embracenew methods and styles created in Germany, Franceand elsewhere. Boito wrote “perhaps the man isalready born who will elevate the art of music in allits chaste purity above that altar now befouled likethe walls of a brothel.

Verdi, understandably, took this very publicattack very personally and Verdi responded saying,“If I too among the others have soiled the altar, asBoito says, let him clean it and I will light the firstcandle.” Plus, Verdi had seen Boito's operaMefistofele and was significantly unimpressed, commenting “He aspires to originality but succeedsonly at being strange."

If Otello was going to happen, Boito was goingto have to impress Verdi. A few days after the dinnerat Verdi's home, Boito had an audience with theItalian giant and brought with him an outline forOtello's libretto.

Verdi liked it but still wasn't sold on the idea.Ricordi thought if he could just get the two to worktogether, the results could be phenomenal. Verdi hadnever been happy with his 1857 opera SimonBoccanegra. Ricordi suggested that the two worktogether to revise the opera with Ricordi acting as apeacemaker between the two opinionated artists.

The premiere of the revised Simon Boccanegrain 1881 was a smashing success. Boito's revisionproved his talent. Verdi decided to press go on Otello.

Boito had given Verdi the Otello libretto in1879. Verdi suggested some revisions which Boitoincorporated, but Verdi didn't start composing theopera until five years later. Boito's libretto for Otellomay have been the greatest libretto Verdi ever had towork with. That said, Verdi took his time setting thelibretto to music. He had no deadlines, no impending opening, plus he was in his 70s and hada farm to tend. Boito remained patient.

Word got out that Verdi was writing a newopera and the world's greatest singers, conductorsand opera houses clamored to be part of this historicevent. The opera would premiere at La Scala in Milanand the cast would include Italy's greatest dramatic tenor Francesco Tamagno as Otello, thegreat French singing actor Victor Maurel as Iago andsoprano Romilda Pantaleoni as Desdemona.

Details on the opera were kept as secretive aspossible and Verdi reserved the right to cancel thepremiere up to the last minute. Yet, the world premiere of the opera on February 5, 1887 was sucha success that there were 20 curtain calls at the endof the opera.

Getting Verdi

Back to Work

Italian tenorFrancesco Tamagnowho sang the titlerole in Otello at the

opera’s world premiere .

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ACT IAs a violent storm rages off the coast of the island ofCyprus, its citizens await the return of their Governor,Otello, the Moorish general of the Venetian army. Otelloarrives safely and announces that he has defeated theTurks. Iago, Otello’s ensign, and Rodrigo discuss their unhappiness with the current state of things. Iago is resentful because Otello had promoted his rival Cassioinstead of him, and Rodrigo is unhappy because he is inlove with Otello’s new wife Desdemona. Iago plots hisrevenge and promises to help Rodrigo at the same time.Later at a bonfire gathering Iago coerces Cassio to intoxication, toasting Otello and his new bride. He thenprovokes Rodrigo to duel with the drunken Cassio.Montano is wounded when he tries to break up the fightand the noise from the brawl brings Otello out of the castle, demanding an explanation. Iago feigns ignoranceand the blame falls on Cassio, who Otello strips of hisrecent promotion when he sees that the fight has upsetDesdemona. Otello dismisses the crowd and, left alone,Otello and Desdemona declare their love for each other.

ACT IIIago convinces Cassio that he should seek Desdemona’shelp in getting his position back, saying that she has influence over her husband. Left alone, Iago declares hiscredo that he was created wicked by a cruel god. Otelloenters and Iago draws his attention to Cassio talking with hiswife and plants the seeds of jealousy, which grow whenDesdemona later pleads Cassio’s case. Thinking that his irritation is a sign of illness, Desdemona tries to wipeOtello’s brow, but he throws her handkerchief to theground. After Desdemona’s attendant Emilia, who is Iago’swife, goes to retrieve it, Iago demands that she give himthe handkerchief. After the women leave, Iago furtherflames Otello’s fury by saying that he has heard Cassio utterDesdemona’s name in his sleep and that he has seen Cassiocarrying her handkerchief. Otello vows vengeance andIago promises that he will help him and find further proofof Desdemona’s infidelity.

ACT IIIIago tells Otello that further proof of Desdemona andCassio’s affair is forthcoming. Desdemona enters andagain pleads that he reinstate Cassio. Angered by her insistence on the subject, Otello hints at his suspicions butshe fails to understand. When he demands to see her handkerchief and she again brings up Cassio, he openlyaccuses her infidelity and calls her a courtesan. She

tearfully declares herinnocence but Otellosends her away. Leftalone, Otello ragesthat he would havepreferred that heavenafflict him with anything but this. Hehides when Iago andCassio enter. Iago flashes the handkerchiefthat he previouslystole and leads Cassiointo a discussion ofhis mistress Bianca insuch a way that heknows Otello willth i n k t h e y a r ediscussing Desdemona. As trumpets announce the arrivalof a Venetian dignitary, Otello vows to kill his wife thatnight. The ambassador Lodovico enters with papers callingOtello back to Venice and naming Cassio as governor.Otello breaks into rage and throws Desdemona to theground. As the shocked onlookers try to console her,Otello orders everyone to leave. Succumbing to his fit ofanger, Otello collapses to the floor and Iago gloats overhim, ironically calling him the Lion of Venice.

ACT IVAs Emilia helps her prepare for bed, Desdemona is filled withforeboding. She sings a tale of a maiden forsaken by herlover. She bids Emilia farewell and then says her eveningprayers before climbing into bed. Otello sneaks into the roomand kisses his sleeping wife. When she wakes, he tells her to prepare for death. Despite Desdemona’s adamant declarations of innocence, Otello strangles her. Emilia knockswith news that Cassio has killed Roderigo in accordance withIago’s plot. When she finds the dying Desdemona, Emilia’scries bring Cassio, Lodovico, and Iago into the room. WhenIago’s treachery is revealed, he is able to escape from theroom. Realizing his horrible mistake, Otello stabs himself anddies over Desdemona’s lifeless body.

Otello

Plot Synopsis

Tenor CliftonForbis asOtelloPhoto: KarenAlmond

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ACT ONEThe action takes place in Cyprus, at the end of the fifteenthcentury. Outside the castle, with the sea-walls and sea inthe background. An inn with a pergola. It is evening. A thunderstorm is raging.

CYPRIOTSA sail! A sail! A standard! A standard!

MONTANO’Tis the winged Lion of St. Mark!

CASSIONow the lightning flash reveals it.

CYPRIOTSA fanfare! A fanfare! The cannon has roared.

CASSIOIt is the General’s ship.

MONTANONow she is engulfed, anon is tossed skywards.

CASSIOHer prow rises from the waves.

SOME CYPRIOTSVeiled by mist and water, the lightning flash reveals her.

ALLFlashes! Crashes! Whirlpools! Howling winds and thunder’s mighty roar! Air and water shake together,shaken is the ocean-floor! (A large group of Cypriotwomen enters from the back.) Black-browed and blind, aspirit wild of chaos cleaves the air.

WOMEN (shrieking)Ah!

ALLGod shakes the sullen sky about like sable drapery.

WOMENAh!

ALLAll is smoke! All is fire! The dense and dreadful fog burstsinto flame, and then subsides in greater gloom. Convulsedthe cosmos, glacial surges the spectre-like north-wind, andtitanic trumpet-calls sound fanfares in the sky! (turningtowards the quay with gestures of fear and supplication)God, the splendor of the tempest! God, the sandbank’s lur-ing smile! Save the treasure and the standard of theVenetian enterprise! Thou, who guidest stars and fortunes,Thou, who rulest earth and sky, grant that in a tranquilocean may the trusty anchor lie.

IAGOThe main mast’s broken off!

Otello

LibrettoFinal Dress Rehearsal — Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 6:15 p.m. at the Academy of MusicLibretto courtesy EMI Records, Ltd.

Otello, a Moorish general.................................................................................................................Clifton Forbis, tenorDesdemona, his wife .............................................................................................................Norah Amsellem, sopranoIago, Otello's ensign....................................................................................................................Mark Delevan, baritoneEmilia, wife of Iago and maid of Desdemona...........................................................Margaret Mezzacappa, mezzo-sopranoCassio, Otello's captain.....................................................................................................................Jason Collins, tenorRoderigo, a gentleman of Venice.........................................................................................................Cody Austin, tenorLodovico, ambassador of the Venetian Republic.................................................................................Jeremy Milner, bassMontano, former Governor of Cyprus..................................................................................................Joseph Baron, bass

Venetian soldiers and sailors; and Cypriot townsfolk and childrenDirector................................................................................................................................................Robert B. DriverConductor.............................................................................................................................................Corrado RovarisSet Design.....................................................................................................................................................Paul ShorttCostume Designer..................................................................................................................................Richard St. ClairLighting Designer........................................................................................................................................Drew BilliauChorus Masterer..................................................................................................................................Elizabeth Braden

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RODERIGOHer prow is dashing on that rock!

ONLOOKERSO help! O help!

IAGO (to Roderigo)May the ocean’s seething belly be his tomb!

ONLOOKERSSafe! He’s safe!

SAILORS (from on board the ship)Lower the tenders! All hands to the ropes! Steady! Pullon the oars! To shore! (distant thunder) To the quayside!To the landing!

ONLOOKERSHurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! (Othello enters, ascending thesteps from the shore to the ramparts followed by a numberof soldiers and sailors.)

OTHELLORejoice! The Turkish pride is buried in the deep. Oursand heaven’s is the glory. After our arms the storm hasconquered it.

ONLOOKERSHurrah for Othello! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Victory!Victory! (Othello enters the castle followed by Cassio,Montano and the soldiers.) Victory! Victory! Destruction!

Destruction! Dispersed, destroyed, engulfed they plummeted into the raging deep! Victory! Victory!Victory! Victory! Destruction! Destruction! etc. Theirrequiem shall be the sharp scourge of the spray, the swirlof the whirlwind, the scent of the sea. Victory! Victory!Dispersed, destroyed, etc. Hurrah! (Distant thunder. Thestorm is passing away.) Spent is the tempest’s fury.

IAGO (aside to Roderigo)Well, Roderigo, what think you?

RODERIGOOf drowning myself.

IAGOOnly an idiot drowns himself for love of a woman.(While the ship is being unloaded and weapons and baggage are being carried from her into the castle, somecitizens emerge from behind the fortress carrying branchesto make a bonfire which, by th e light of torches held bythe soldiers, they construct to one side of the ramparts.The crowd gathers around, excited and curious.)

RODERIGOHow to win I know not.

IAGOCome, keep your wits about you, await the ministry oftime; the beautiful Desdemona, who in your secretdreams you so adore, will soon begin to abhor the murky

Paul Shortt’s set designfor Act I of Otello. Youcan see the ships’ sails inthe background.

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kisses of that thick-lipped savage. Good Roderigo, yourfriend sincere I have professed myself, and I could neverdo more for you than in your present need. If the frailvow of a woman be not too hard a knot for my witsand all the tribe of hell to untie, I promise that thewoman shall be yours. Listen, though I make show ofloving him, I hate the Moor. (Cassio enters and joins agroup of soldiers.) Here comes one reason for my hatred,look. (pointing to Cassio) That curled captain usurps myplace, the place that I by a hundred well-fought battleshave richly earned; such was Othello’s will, and I remainhis Moorish Lordship’s ancient! (Puffs of smoke begin torise from the wood with increasing density.) But just assure as you are Roderigo, so sure it is, that if I were theMoor I should not want an Iago about me. If you heedmy counsel… (Still talking, Iago leads Roderigo furtheraway. Flames begin to leap up from the fire, and theCypriots gather round it, singing. Meanwhile, the tavernservants decorate the pergola with lanterns. Soldiers gather round the tables, drinking and talking.)

CYPRIOTSFire of rejoicing! The jovial flame by its glow compelsnight to depart. It leaps and sparkles, crackles and flares,bright radiance invading the heart! Drawn by the firelight, shadowy faces flit in ever-mutating rings,now like maidens singing sweetly, now like moths withflamy wings. Palm and sycamore burn together, the bridesings with her own true love, on golden flame and happychorus blow ardent zephyrs from above, etc. The fire ofrejoicing flames but a moment! Gone in a moment arepassion’s fires! Glowing, fading, throbbing, wavering, thelast flicker leaps and expires. (The fire dies down gradually: the storm has ceased completely.)

(Iago, Roderigo, Cassio and a group of soldiers are gathered around a table on which wine has been placed.)

IAGORoderigo, let’s drink ! (to Cassio) Give me your cup, Captain!

CASSIOI’ll drink no more.

IAGO (raising the jug towards Cassio’s cup)Swallow this mouthful.

CASSIO (removing his cup)No.

IAGOBut look! All Cyprus has gone mad today! This is a nightof rejoicing, so…

CASSIOEnough. My head’s on fire already after drinking one cup.

IAGOCome, you must drink again. To the marriage of Othelloand Desdemona!

CYPRIOTSHurrah!

CASSIO (raising his glass and sipping the wine)She makes this isle the fairer!

IAGO (aside to Roderigo)Listen to him.

CASSIOWith her charm and radiance she conquers every heart.

RODERIGOYet she is so modest.

CASSIOYou, Iago, will sing her praises,…

IAGO (aside to Roderigo)Listen to him. (aloud to Cassio) I am but a critic.

CASSIO… yet she paragons description.

IAGO (aside to Roderigo)Beware of this Cassio.

RODERIGOWhat do you fear?

IAGO (to Roderigo)He prattles with too much enthusiasm, spurred on byvigorous youth, and is a subtle knave who’ll prove a hindrance to you. Take care…

RODERIGOAnd so?

IAGOIf he should get drunk he is lost! Make him drink. (to thetavern servants) Some wine here, lads! (Iago fills threeglasses: one for himself, one for Roderigo, one for Cassio.The servants circulate among the guests with jugs of wine;the crowd draws closer and looks on with curiosity.)

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IAGO (with glass in hand, to Cassio)Come wet your whistle! Drink deep, gulp it down beforesong and glass both disappear!

CASSIO (with glass in hand, to Iago)This true manna of the vine with charming visionsclouds the mind.

IAGO (to everyone)Who has ever succumbed to the Bacchic ode strange andfantastic, come, drink with me, drink with me, drink,drink, etc. … come, drink with me!

RODERIGO, CYPRIOTS, SOLDIERSWho has ever succumbed, etc. he drinks with you,…

IAGODrink, drink…

RODERIGO, CYPRIOTS, SOLDIERS… drinks with you…

IAGO (to Roderigo, indicating Cassio)One more sip and he’s tight as a drum.

RODERIGO (to Iago)One more sip and he’s tight as a drum.

IAGO (to all)When I get drunk the world vibrates! I challenge theironic Deity and fate!

CASSIO (drinking some more wine)Like a melodious lute I quiver; pleasure cavorts aroundmy path!

IAGOWho has ever succumbed, etc.

RODERIGO, CYPRIOTS, SOLDIERS, THEN IAGOWho has ever succumbed, etc.

IAGO then RODERIGOOne more sip and he’s tight as a drum.

IAGO (out loud, to all)From the potent flagon cowards fly…

CASSIO (interrupting)I’m not afraid to bare my soul! … (drinks)

IAGO (interrupting)… who have evil thoughts to hide.

CASSIOI fear not, I fear not the truth …(staggering)

IAGOWho has ever succumbed… to the Bacchic… Drink withme, drink with me.

CASSIO… I fear not the truth, and I drink, and I drink and Idrink, and…

IAGOAh! Drink with me! Some Bystanders (laughing)Aha, aha, etc.

CASSIOThe cup…

IAGO (to Roderigo)He’s drunk as a lord…Away, provoke him to an argument; he’s full of quarrel, will strike you, generaluproar will ensue! Think, that by doing thus you can disturb the happy Othello’s first night of love.

CASSIOThe brim… of the cup… (his voice thickening even more)The brim… of the cup… the brim…(The others are laughing at him.)

RODERIGO (aside, replying to Iago)And ’tis that that spurs me on.

CASSIO… is pur… pur…purple-stained …

RODERIGO, CYPRIOTS, SOLDIERSAh, aha, aha, aha! Drink, drink with me, etc.

IAGODrink, drink!

RODERIGO, IAGO, CYPRIOTS, SOLDIERSDrink, drink, drink with me!

CASSIOI drink drink, drink with you! (They all drink.)

This section is Track 1 on the music CD. Brindisi: “Inaffia l’ugola! Trinca, tracanna”

20

MONTANO (coming from the castle, to Cassio)Captain, the watch awaits you on the platform.

CASSIO (staggering)Let’s go then!

MONTANOWhat’s this I see?

IAGO (to Montano, approaching him closely)Every night in like manner does Cassio prelude sleep.

MONTANOOthello shall know about it!

CASSIOLet’s go the platform.

RODERIGO and MEN (laughing)Ah! ah!…

CASSIOWho laughs?

RODERIGO (provoking him)I laugh at a drunkard!

CASSIODefend yourself! (flinging himself at Roderigo) Scoundrel!

RODERIGO (defending himself)Drunken rogue!

CASSIOKnave! No one can save you now!

MONTANO (separating them by force andturning to Cassio) Hold your hand, sir, I pray you.

CASSIO (to Montano)I’ll crack your head in two if you seek to interfere!

MONTANOWords of a drunkard…

CASSIOA drunkard? (He draws his sword. Montano draws histoo. A furious fight ensues. The crowd draws back.)

IAGO (aside to Roderigo)Go to the port; with all the strength you have cry out:Revolt! Revolt! Go! Spread tumult, horror through thetown, let the bell sound the alarm! (Roderigo runs off.Iago quickly turns to the two combatants.)Gentlemen, cease this barbarous brawl!

WOMEN (fleeing)Let’s away!

IAGOHeavens! Montano’s bleeding fast! What a furious fight!

WOMENLet’s away! Let’s away!

IAGOHold!…

MENHold!…

WOMENThey’re killing each other!

MENPeace!

IAGONo one can stop this brawling now! (to the bystanders)Cry the alarm! They are possessed by Satan!

MENTo arms! To arms!

WOMEN, THEN ALLHelp! Help! etc.

MENTo arms! To arms!

WOMEN, THEN ALLHelp! etc. (Meanwhile the tocsin is pealing; the fightcontinues and the women flee. Othello enters followed bytorchbearers. The bell falls silent.)

OTHELLODown with your weapons! (The combatants stop fighting.) How now! What is the matter here? Am Iamong Saracens? Or has the Ottomites’ rage infected youwith homicidal fury towards each other? Honest Iago, forthat love you bear me, speak.

IAGOI do not know… Here all were courteous friends butnow, and cheerful too … and then quite suddenly, as ifan evil planet had appeared and cast a spell of witchcrafton men’s minds, swords out and tilting furiously at eachother. Would I had severed these feet before theybrought me here!

21

OTHELLOHow comes it, Cassio, you are thus forgot?

CASSIOYour mercy… pardon me…I cannot speak…

OTHELLOMontano…

MONTANO (supported by a soldier)I am wounded…

OTHELLOWounded! Now by heaven my blood begins to boil! Ah!Anger puts to flight our guardian angel! (Desdemonaenters. Othello quickly goes to her.) What? My gentle

Desdemona too has had her dreams disturbed on youraccount? Cassio, you have lost your captaincy. (Cassiolets his sword fall and Iago picks it up.)

IAGO(handing the sword to one of the soldiersand speaking aside) Oh! What a triumph for me!

OTHELLOIago, go about the frightened town with this patrol,restore the shattered peace. (Iago leaves.) Someone helpMontano. (Montano is helped into the castle.) Let everyone return to his own house. (with an imperious gesture)I shall not leave this place until I see the battlementsdeserted. (All depart. Othello makes a sign to thetorchbearers who accompanied him to return to the castle. He and Desdemona remain alone.)

OTHELLONow as the darkness deepens all harsh sounds die away,and now my turbulent heart finds peace in this embraceand calm refreshment. Let cannons roar and all the worldcollapse if after the immeasurable wrath comes thisimmeasurable love!

DESDEMONAMy splendid warrior! What anguish, what deep sighs andhigh hopes have strewn the path to our glad union!Oh, how sweet to murmur thus together! Do you remember? You used to tell me of your life in exile,of violent deeds and suffering long endured, and I wouldlisten, transported by the tales that terrified, but thrilledmy heart as well.

OTHELLOI would describe the clash of arms, the fight and violentthrust toward the fatal breach, the assault, when hands,like grisly tendrils, clung to bastions amid the hissingdarts.

DESDEMONAThen you would lead me to the glaring desert, to scorching sands, the country of your birth; and then youwould relate your sufferings, tell me of chains and slavery’s agony.

OTHELLOSoftened was your lovely face by tears, your lips bysighs, when I my story told; upon my darkness shone aradiance, heaven and all the stars in benediction!

DESDEMONAAnd I descried upon your dusky temples genius’ etherealbeauty shining there.

OTHELLOYou loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I lovedyou that you did pity them.

DESDEMONAI loved you for the dangers you had passed, and youloved me that I did pity them.

OTHELLOAnd you loved me…

DESDEMONAAnd you loved me…

OTHELLO… and I loved you… that you did pity them.

DESDEMONA… that I did pity them.

OTHELLOLet death come now, that in the ecstasy of this embrace Imeet my hour of hours! (The storm clouds have nowcompletely disappeared. There are stars in the sky and onthe rim of the horizon can be seen the azure disc of therising moon.) Such is the rapture of my soul, I fear thatnever more to me may be vouchsafed to know such blissin all the hidden future of my fate.

DESDEMONAMay heaven dispel all cares and love change notthroughout the changing years.

OTHELLOTo that prayer of yours may all the heavenly host reply‘‘amen’’!

This section is Track 2 on the music CD. Love Duet: “Già nella notte densa”

22

DESDEMONA‘‘Amen’’ be the reply!

OTHELLO (leaning against the parapet)Ah! Joy floods my breast so piercingly that I must lay medown and pant for breath… A kiss…

DESDEMONAOthello!

OTHELLO… a kiss… another kiss! (rising and looking at the sky)

The blazing Pleiades sinks beneath the waves.

DESDEMONAThe night is far advanced.

OTHELLOCome… Venus is radiant!

DESDEMONAOthello! (Clasped in each other’s arms they go towardsthe castle.)

ACT TWOA large chamber on the ground floor of thecastle. Glazed arches and a terrace divide thechamber from the gardens beyond.

IAGO (on the near side of the terrace, to Cassio,on the far side) Don’t torment yourself. Heed what I say,and soon you’ll be restored to the frolicsome embrace ofmistress Bianca, proud captain with your golden hiltand decorated sword-belt.

CASSIODon’t flatter me.

IAGOListen carefully to me. You must be aware thatDesdemona is now our general’s general; he lives for her

alone. Do you beseech her that her gentle spirit mayintercede for you, and your pardon is assured.

CASSIOBut how shall I speak to her?

IAGOIt is her custom in the afternoon to stroll in the shade ofthose trees with my wife. Wait for her there. The way toyour salvation now lies open; go to it! (Cassio walksaway. Iago watches him.) Go to it! Your end I seealready. You are driven by your daemon and I am thatdaemon, and I am dragged along by mine, the inexorableGod in whom I believe. (walking away from the terracewithout another glance at Cassio, who has now vanishedamong the trees)

I believe in a cruel God who created me in his imageand who in fury I name. From the very vileness of agerm or an atom, vile was I born. I am a wretch becauseI am a man, and I feel within me the primeval slime.Yes! This is my creed! I believe with a heart as steadfastas that of the widow in church, that the evil I thinkand that which I perform I think and do by destiny’sdecree. I believe the just man to be a mocking actorin face and heart; that all his being is a lie, tear, kiss,glance, sacrifice and honor. And I believe man the sportof evil fate from the germ of the cradle to the worm ofthe grave. After all this mockery then comes Death.And then?… And then? Death is nothingness, heaven anold wives’ tale.

This section is Track 3 on the music CD. Iago’s Credo: “Credo in un Dio crudel”

A charismatic vocal force, American baritone Mark Delavan issought after by opera houses throughout the United States andabroad and will be making his Opera Company of Philadelphiadebut singing the role of Iago. Mr. Delavan’s repertoire spans

over 40 roles which he’s sung inopera houses all over the worldincluding the Metropolitan Opera,San Francisco Opera, Los AngelesOpera, Royal Opera House, CoventGarden, Berliner Staatsoper,Bayerische Staatsoper, Lyric Opera ofChicago, New York City Opera, Santa Fe Opera and WashingtonNational Opera, to name a few.

In his spare time the Princeton, New Jersey native enjoys woodcarving, country and western music, Tom Clancy novels and themovie Beetlejuice, among others.

Mr. Delavan earned a Bachelor of Music degree from OralRoberts University. He was a national finalist of theMetropolitan Opera auditions and an Adler Fellow with the SanFrancisco Opera. When not performing, Mr. Delavan residesoutside of New York City with his wife and children.

Photo: Christian Steiner

23

(Desdemona appears, walking in the garden with Emilia.Iago darts to the terrace, on the other side of which Cassiois standing.)

(to Cassio) There she is!… Cassio… it’s up to you! Now’sthe moment. Rouse yourself… Here comes Desdemona.(Cassio goes towards Desdemona, bows to her and stepscloser.) He’s made a move; he bows and approaches her.Now let Othello be brought hither!… Satan, assist myenterprise! Now they speak together… and, smiling, sheturns her lovely face to him. (Cassio and Desdemona areseen walking up and down in the garden.) I need but asingle ray of such a smile to drag Othello to his doom.Away… (starting to walk quickly away, then stoppingsuddenly) But fate plays into my hands. Here he comes…to my post, to work!

(He takes up a position by the terrace and stands theremotionless, his eyes fixed upon Cassio and Desdemona.Othello enters; Iago pretends not to have seen him andspeaks as if to himself.)

I like not that…

OTHELLO (approaching Iago)What are you saying?

IAGONothing… You here? An idle word escaped my lips.

OTHELLOThe man now leaving my wife, is that Cassio?(They both turn away from the terrace.)

IAGOCassio? No… that man gave a guilty start on seeing you.

OTHELLOI believe it was Cassio.

IAGOMy lord…

OTHELLOWhat is it?

IAGODid Cassio, in the early days of your courtship, not knowDesdemona?

OTHELLOHe did. Why do you ask?

IAGOA thought crossed my mind, whimsical, but without malice.

OTHELLOTell me your thought, Iago.

IAGODid you confide in Cassio?

OTHELLOHe would often carry a gift or note to my bride.

IAGOIndeed?

OTHELLOAy, indeed. Do you not think him honest?

IAGO (imitating Othello)Honest?

OTHELLOWhat are you hiding from me?

IAGOWhat am I hiding, my lord?

OTHELLO‘‘What am I hiding, my lord?’’ By heaven, you echome!… The inner chamber of your brain harbours someterrible monster. Indeed, I heard you saying even now,‘‘I like not that!’’ What did you not like? You mentionedCassio then did contract and purse your brow together.Come, speak if you love me!

IAGOYou know that I love you.

OTHELLOSpeak then without concealment or ambiguity.Speak as you think, and give your worst of thoughtsthe worst of words!

IAGOEven if my heart were in your hand that thought youwould not know.

OTHELLOAh!…

IAGO (coming very close to Othello andspeaking in an undertone)Beware, my lord, of jealousy! ’Tis a spiteful monster,livid, blind, with her own venom self-poisoned, with avivid wound upon her bosom.

24

OTHELLOO misery! No! I have no use for baseless doubts. Beforedoubt comes enquiry, after doubt comes proof, after theproof – Othello has his supreme laws – away with loveand jealousy together.

IAGO (with greater urgency)A statement such as that breaks the seal upon my lips.I speak not yet of proof, but, bounteous Othello, look toit, for often natures that are free and noble do not suspect deception: look to it. Observe well Desdemona’sspeech; a word could restore trust or reaffirm suspicion.

DISTANT VOICESWhereso’er you turn your gaze light shines, hearts areafire, whereso’er you walk cascades of blossoms fill theair. Here among lilies and roses, as if to an altar chaste,fathers, children and matrons, come with serenades.

IAGO (in an undertone as before)Here she comes… Observe her well!

(Desdemona reappears in the garden, on the far side ofthe great central arch; she is surrounded by women of theisland, children and Cypriot and Albanian sailors, whoapproach to offer flowers, branches of blossom and othergifts. Some accompany their own singing on the ‘guzla’, akind of mandolin, others play on small harps which hangaround their necks.)

GROUP AROUND DESDEMONAWhereso’er you turn your gaze light shines, hearts areafire, whereso’er you walk, cascades of blossoms fill theair. Here among lilies and roses, as if to an altar chaste,fathers, children and matrons come with serenades.

CHILDRENWe proffer lilies, tender flowers, by angels borne to heavenly bowers, which ornament the gleaming mantleand gown of the Madonna gentle and her holy veil.

MEN AND WOMENWhile on the breezes wing aloft the accents gay, the nimble mandolin accompanies the lay.

SAILORS (offering trinkets of coral and pearl toDesdemona)For you these shells and pearls and dyes we culled fromcaves beneath the brine. Desdemona with our gifts wouldwe bedeck like an image in a shrine.

WOMEN (scattering leaves and flowers)Take this flowery harvest we strew from our kirtles uponthe ground for you, in showers upon the ground. TheApril air the bride’s golden hair doth in a shimmeringaura of dew, sunlit, surround.

ALLWhereso’er you turn your gaze, light shines, hearts areafire; whereso’er you walk, cascades of blossoms fill theair. To this bower of lilies and roses, as if to an altar chaste,fathers, children and matrons come with serenades.

DESDEMONAThe sky is shining, breezes dance, flowers scent the air…

OTHELLO (gently moved)That song subdues my heart!

DESDEMONA… In my heart the songs of joy, love, hope I hear.

IAGO (aside)Beauty and love are in sweet harmony.

CHILDREN, MEN AND WOMENMay you be happy!…

OTHELLOIf she be false to me…

DESDEMONAJoy and love sing in my breast!

OTHELLO…then Heaven mocks itself!

IAGO…But I’ll untune the strings that make this music!

CHILDREN, MEN AND WOMEN… May you be happy! Farewell! Here Love is lord!

Designer Paul Shortt’s set model for Act II of Verdi’s Otello

25OTHELLOThat song subdues my heart.

IAGO (under his breath)I’ll untune the strings that make this music!(Desdemona kisses the heads of some of the children, several women kiss the hem of her gown and she presentsa purse to the sailors. The group disperses. Desdemona,followed by Emilia, enters the chamber and approachesOthello.)

DESDEMONA (to Othello)A man that languishes in your displeasure has sent mewith a suit.

OTHELLOWho is’t you mean?

DESDEMONACassio.

OTHELLOWas it he who spoke with you just now under thosetrees?

DESDEMONAIt was he, and his grief so moved me by its sinceritythat he deserves forgiveness. For him I intercede, for himI plead. Forgive him.

OTHELLONot now.

DESDEMONADo not deny me. Forgive him.

OTHELLONot now!

DESDEMONAWhy does your voice sound harsh? Are you not well?

OTHELLOMy temples throb.

DESDEMONA (taking out her handkerchief andmaking as if to bind Othello’s temples)The troublesome fever will away if with this soft linenI bind your head.

OTHELLO (throwing the handkerchief to the ground)I have no need of that.

DESDEMONAYou’re vexed, my lord.

OTHELLOLeave me alone! (Emilia picks up the handkerchief.)

DESDEMONAIf I in ignorance, my lord, have you offended, O say thesweet and happy word of pardon.

OTHELLO (aside)Haply because I am not practised in the deceitful arts oflove…

DESDEMONAYour loving bride am I, humble and submissive; butsighs fall from your lips, your eyes are fixed on theground. Look in my face and see how love is thereexpressed! Come, let me lighten your heart…

OTHELLO… or for I am declined into the vale of years, or that mycomplexion is of this dusky hue, and that I am not practised in love’s deceitful arts…

IAGO (aside, to Emilia)Give me that handkerchief you picked up just now!

EMILIA (to Iago)What mischief’s in your mind? I can read your face.

IAGOYou resist in vain when I command!

EMILIAYour wicked envy well I know.

IAGOFoolish suspicion!

EMILIAA faithful guardian is my hand…

IAGOGive me that handkerchief!

EMILIA… a faithful guardian is my hand!

IAGO (seizing Emilia’s arm savagely)My hand is poised o’er you in anger!

EMILIAYour wife am I, not your slave!

IAGOThe unchaste slave of Iago are you!

26EMILIAMy heart forewarns me of some calamity.

IAGODo you not fear me?

EMILIACruel man!

IAGOGive me…

EMILIAWhat would you?

IAGOGive me that handkerchief!

EMILIACruel man! (Iago snatches the handkerchief from Emilia.)

DESDEMONA… let me soothe your pain!

EMILIACruelty and cowardice have clawed a victory.

OTHELLO… she is lost and I am mocked…

DESDEMONALook in my face and see how love is there expressed!

OTHELLO… and my heart is broken and trampled in the mire I seemy dream of bliss!

EMILIAMay God ever keep us safe from all danger!

IAGOMy hands already grasp the threads; now, Iago,to weave the web!

EMILIACruelty and cowardice have clawed a victory!

OTHELLOShe is lost and I am mocked…

DESDEMONASay the sweet and happy word of pardon!

OTHELLOHence! I would be alone.

IAGO (covertly, to Emilia who is about to leave)Say nothing of this. You understand? (Desdemona andEmilia leave. Iago makes a pretense of leaving through thedoor at the back, but when he reaches it he stops.)

OTHELLO (sinking exhausted upon a stool)Desdemona false!…

IAGO (at the back, looking surreptitiously at the handkerchief, then replacing it carefully in his doublet) With these threads shall I weave the proof of the sin oflove. It shall be hidden in Cassio’s lodging.

OTHELLO… Monstrous thought!

IAGO (looking fixedly at Othello)My poison does its work.

OTHELLO… False toward me! Toward me!!!

IAGOSuffer and roar!

OTHELLOMonstrous! Monstrous!

IAGO (having approached Othello, good-naturedly) Think no more of it.

OTHELLO (taken by surprise)You! Hence! Avaunt! You have lashed me to the cross!Alas!… More monstrous than the most monstrous abuseof abuse itself is suspicion. Of her stolen hours of lust(and stolen from me!) had I no presentiment in mybreast? I was contented, merry… Nothing knew I as yet;I found not on her sweet body which I so love or on herlying lips Cassio’s ardent kisses! And now!… And now…

Now, and forever farewell, sacred memories, farewell,sublime enchantments of the mind! Farewell, shiningbattalions and victories, the flying arrow and the flyingsteed! Farewell to the standard triumphant and holyand the shrill fife that sounded to reveille! Pride, pompand circumstance of war, farewell! Farewell, Othello’sglory’s at an end!

IAGOBe calm, my lord.

OTHELLOVillain! Be sure to find a proof secure that Desdemona’sunchaste… Stay! Do not flee! It would avail you nought!Bring me the sure, the ocular proof! Or on your headaccumulate and fall the bolts of my terrible wakenedwrath! (He seizes Iago by the throat and hurls him to thefloor.)

IAGOO heavenly grace defend me! (rising) May heaven protectyou! I am no longer your ensign. The world may be mywitness that honesty is dangerous. (He turns as if to leave.)

27OTHELLONo… stay. You may be honest.

IAGO (by the door, making a pretense of leaving)’Twere better had I been a charlatan.

OTHELLOBy the world! I believe Desdemona to be loyal and believeher not to be so; I think that you are honest and think youdisloyal… I’ll have some proof! I must have certainty!

IAGO (moving towards Othello)My lord, curb your anxieties. What proof would satisfyyou? To see them clasped together?

OTHELLOOh! Death and damnation!

IAGOThat would be a difficult undertaking; but of what assurance are you dreaming if the filthy deed itselfforever must escape you? But yet if reason be the guideto truth I may propose a circumstance so strongthat it will lead you near to certainty. Listen.

(approaching close to Othello)It was night, Cassio lay sleeping, I was close by him.Inbroken phrases he was revealing an inward enchantment.Slowly, slowly his lips were moving in the abandon ofpassionate dreams; then he did speak with faint murmuringvoice: “Sweet Desdemona! Let us hide our loves. Let usbe wary! I am quite bathed in heavenly ecstasy!” Thepleasure of his dream intensified; softly enraptured, heseemed to almost kiss the inner vision, then did he say:“I curse the cruel fate that gave thee to the Moor.” Andthen the dream was changed into blind lethargy.

OTHELLOO monstrous guilt!

IAGOI told you but a dream.

OTHELLOA dream that reveals a fact.

IAGOA dream that may give substance to another circumstance.

OTHELLOAnd which is that?

IAGOHave you not sometimes seen a handkerchief embroideredwith flowers in Desdemona’s hand, of finer stuff than lawn?

OTHELLOThat is the handkerchief I gave her, first token of mylove.

IAGOThat handkerchief I saw – I am sure of it – yesterday inthe hand of Cassio!

OTHELLOO, that God had given him a thousand lives! One is toopoor a prey for my revenge! Iago, my heart is ice.Banished be the spirits of mercy. All my fond love thusdo I blow to heaven. Watch me…’tis gone! In its snakycoils the hydra has entwined me! O, blood, blood, blood!

OTHELLO (He kneels.)Now, by yond marble heaven! By the jagged lightningflash! By Death, and by the dark death-dealing oceanflood! In fury and dire compulsion shall thunder-boltssoon rain (raising his hands to the sky) from this handthat I raise outstretched! (He starts to rise; Iago preventshim.)

IAGO (kneeling also)Do not rise yet! Witness, you sun that I gaze on, which

lights me and which animates the broad earth and thespiritual expanse of the whole universe, that to Othello Ido consecrate ardently heart, hands and soul eventhough on bloody business his will be bent!

OTHELLO, IAGO (raising their hands to heavenin an oath-taking gesture)Now, by yond marble heaven! By the jagged lightning-flash, etc. God of vengeance!

This section is Track 4 on the music CD. Brindisi: “Sì, pel ciel marmoreo guiro!”

28ACT THREEThe great hall of the castle. On the right a broad colonnade.This colonnade is adjacent to a hall of smaller proportions. Aterrace at the far end.

A HERALD (from the colonnade, to Othellowho is with Iago in the hall)The harbour watch has signalled the arrival of theVenetian galley which brings the ambassadors to Cyprus.

OTHELLOGood. (He makes a sign to dismiss the herald. Theherald leaves.) (to Iago) Continue.

IAGOI will bring Cassio here, and cunningly will lure him onto gossip. (indicating the embrasure on the terrace)Hidden there, you can observe his manner, his words,his gibes, his gestures. Have patience, or the proof willescape you. Here comes Desdemona. ‘Twere expedient todissemble …I’ll leave you. (He starts to walk towards thedoor, then stops and returns to say one last word toOthello.) The handkerchief…

OTHELLOGo! I would most gladly have forgot it.(Iago goes out. Desdemona enters by the door on the left.)

DESDEMONA (still standing near the door)God keep you happy, my husband, sovereign of my soul!

OTHELLO (going to meet Desdemona andtaking her hand in his)Thank you, my lady. Give me your ivory hand. Warmmoistness bedews its soft beauty.

DESDEMONAIt knows not yet the imprint of sorrow or of age.

OTHELLOAnd yet here lurks the plausible devil of ill counsel, whoemblazons the ivory beauty of this little claw-like limb.With soft deceit he poses as prayer and pious fervour…

DESDEMONAAnd yet with this same hand I gave my heart to you. ButI must speak again to you of Cassio.

OTHELLOI have that pain again; bind you my forehead.

DESDEMONA (unfolding a handkerchief)Here, my lord.

OTHELLONo! I would have the handkerchief that I gave to you.

DESDEMONAI have it not about me.

OTHELLODesdemona, woe if you should lose it! Woe! A powerfulsibyl devised the magic web of it: within it there reposesthe high witchcraft of a talisman. Take heed! To lose it,or give it away, were perdition!

DESDEMONASpeak you the truth?

OTHELLOI speak the truth.

DESDEMONAYou frighten me!…

OTHELLOWhat!? Have you lost it then?

DESDEMONANo…

OTHELLOFetch it.

DESDEMONAIn a little while… I shall fetch it…

OTHELLONo, now!

DESDEMONAYou are making sport of me! Thus you put me from mysuit for Cassio; your thought is cunning.

OTHELLOBy heaven! My soul is roused! The handkerchief…

DESDEMONACassio is your very dearest friend.

OTHELLOThe handkerchief!

This section is Track 5 on the music CD. Otello-Desdemona confrontation: “Dio ti giocondi, o sposo”

29

DESDEMONATo Cassio, to Cassio extend forgiveness…

OTHELLOThe handkerchief!

DESDEMONAGreat God! I hear a note of menace in your voice!

OTHELLORaise your eyes!

DESDEMONAHorrible fancy!

OTHELLO (seizing her forcibly under the chin andby the shoulders so that she has to look at him)Look in my face! Tell me who you are!

DESDEMONAOthello’s faithful wife.

OTHELLOCome, swear it, damn yourself…

DESDEMONAOthello esteems me honest.

OTHELLOUnchaste do I esteem you.

DESDEMONAGod help me!

OTHELLOHasten to your damnation, swear that you are chaste.

DESDEMONA (meeting Othello’s eyes)I am chaste.

OTHELLOSwear it and damn yourself!

DESDEMONAHorror-struck, I gaze into your stern and terrifying eyes,I hear a fury in your words but do not comprehend them.Look at me! My face, my soul I show you; my strickenheart search well… I pray to heaven for you with thesemy tears; for you these burning drops I shed upon theground. Behold the first tears ever wrung from me bysuffering. The first tears!

OTHELLOIf your daemon were to see you now he’d take you foran angel and not seize you.

DESDEMONAThe Eternal sees my innocence!

OTHELLONo! Hell sees it!

DESDEMONAYour justice, I implore, my lord!

OTHELLOAh! Desdemona! Away! Away! Away!

DESDEMONAYou also weep?! and groaning stem the anguish of yourheart! And am I then the innocent motive of these tears!What sin have I committed?

OTHELLOAnd would you ask? The blackest of crimes upon the lilyfairness of your brow is written.

DESDEMONAAlas!

OTHELLOWhat? Are you not a common courtesan?

DESDEMONAHeaven! No … no … by the baptism of the Christianfaith!

OTHELLOWhat?

DESDEMONAAh! I am not the thing expressed by that horrendousword! (Othello’s mood changing suddenly from the mosttowering rage to an even more terrifying ironiccalm, he takes Desdemona’s hand and leads herto the door by which she had previously entered.)

OTHELLOGive me your ivory hand again, I would make amends.I took you (forgive me if my thought displeases you)for that common courtesan that married with Othello.(With a movement of his arm alone, Othello pushesDesdemona out of the door without losing his composure.Then, in the very depths of despair, he returns to the middle of the hall.)

30

God! Thou couldst have rained upon my head everyaffliction of poverty and shame, made of my heroic battle-honors a heap of ruination and a lie … and Ishould have borne the cruel cross of torment and disgrace with patience and resigned me to the will ofheaven. But – oh tears, oh pain! – to rob me of thatvision in which my soul was garnered joyfully! That sunhas been snuffed out, that smile, that ray which gives melife and happiness! Mercy, thou immortal rose-lippedcherubin, cover at the last thy holy face with the horridmask of hell! Ah! Damnation! Let her first confess hercrime, then die! Confession! Confession! (Iago enters.)The proof!…

IAGO (pointing to the door)Cassio is here!

OTHELLOHere?! Heaven! Oh joy!

(recoiling)Oh horror! Torture most foul!

IAGORestrain yourself! (rapidly leading Othello to the back ofthe hall on the left, where there is a recess on the terrace)Hide. (As soon as Iago has led Othello onto the terrace, heruns to the end of the colonnade. There he meets Cassio,who is hesitating to enter the hall.) (to Cassio) Come; thehall’s deserted. Enter, O Captain.

CASSIOThis honorable name still rings hollow for me.

IAGOTake heart; your cause is in such hands that victory iscertain.

CASSIOI had thought to have found Desdemona here.

OTHELLO (hidden)He spoke her name!

CASSIOI looked to speak further with her to ask if I am pardoned.

This section is Track 6 on the music CD. Otello’s monologue: “Dio! mi potevi scagliar”

Clifton Forbis sings the very heavy,demanding and dramatic tenors roles likethe title roles in Otello, Samson andDelilah, Tristan and Isolde and more.The tenor is a leading artist with theMetropolitan Opera, Opéra National deParis, Canadian Opera Company, and Teatro alla Scala and willbe making his debut with the Opera Company of Philadelphiaas Otello.

Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Mr. Forbis comes from a musicalfamily. His father was a conductor and his mother a musicteacher. Singing opera is a pretty demanding career, as you’reaway from home a lot. Mr. Forbis works about seven to eightmonths out of the year, but he tries to get home for at leastthree weeks in between engagements.

Mr. Forbis is a graduate of the Juilliard Opera Center and ofSouthern Methodist University.

IAGOWait for her; (leading Cassio to the first pillar of thecolonnade) and meanwhile, seeing that you never tirein the recital of mad and merry tales, tell me a littleabout her whom you love.

CASSIOOf whom?

IAGOOf Bianca.

OTHELLO (aside)He smiles!

CASSIOWhat nonsense!

IAGOHer charming eye has you in thrall.

CASSIOYou make me laugh.

IAGOHe laughs who wins.

CASSIO (laughing)In such exchanges, truly, he wins who laughs! Ah, ah!

31

IAGO (laughing)Ah, ah!

OTHELLO (on the terrace)The villain mocks me, his scorn is mortal to me. Oh God,restrain the torment in my heart!…

CASSIOI am already sated with kisses and reproaches.

IAGOYou make me laugh!

CASSIOO fleeting love!

IAGOAnother beauty beckons with her charms. Have I hit themark?

CASSIOAh, ah!

IAGOAh, ah!

OTHELLO (as before)The villain mocks me, his scorn is mortal to me. Oh God,restrain the torment in my heart!

CASSIOYou have hit the mark. Yes, I confess it. Listen.

IAGOSpeak softly. I am listening. (Iago leads Cassio to a placefurther away from Othello).

CASSIOIago, you know my lodging… (The words are lost.)

OTHELLO (coming cautiously a little nearerto overhear the conversation)Now he recounts the manner, the place and time…

CASSIO… by an unknown hand… (The words are lost again.)

OTHELLOI cannot hear the words …alas!… and I would hearthem! To what am I come!

CASSIO… a fine embroidered handkerchief.

IAGO’Tis strange! ’Tis strange!

OTHELLOIago beckons me. (emerging with caution and hidingbehind the pillars)

IAGOBy an unknown hand? Nonsense!

CASSIOTruly. (Iago signs to him to speak softly.) How I long toknow who it might be.

IAGO (aside, glancing quickly towards Othello)Othello is looking. (to Cassio) You have it with you?

CASSIO (taking Desdemona’s handkerchieffrom his doublet) Look.

IAGO (taking the handkerchief)What a miracle! (aside) Othello listens. He approacheswith wary steps. (to Cassio, playfully) Fine cavalier, inyour abode angels lose their haloes and their veils.(putting his hands behind his back so that Othello can seethe handkerchief)

OTHELLO (looking closely at the handkerchief behindIago’s back, remaining hidden behind the pillar)’Tis the one! ’Tis the one! Destruction and death!

IAGO (aside)Othello is listening.

OTHELLOAll is gone, love and grieving both. Nothing more cantouch my heart.

IAGO (eyeing Cassio, indicating the handkerchief)This is a cobweb in which your heart falls, complains, isentangled and dies. You admire it too much,you look atit too much; beware of vain and false ravings.

CASSIO (looking at the handkerchief which hehas taken again from Iago) Fair miracle, wrought by theneedle, which caught rays of light by changing the linenso fair, whiter and lighter than snowflakes, and brighterthan clouds which are woven from heaven’s sweet air!

IAGOThis is a cobweb in which your heart falls, complains, isentangled and dies.

32

CASSIOFair miracle …

IAGOThis is a spider’s web, etc.

OTHELLO (hidden behind the pillar and casting glancesfrom time to time at the handkerchief in Cassio’s hand)Betrayal, betrayal, betrayal, the proof, the terrifying proofthou displayest to the sun!

IAGOToo much you’re admiring, etc. Ah, beware, this is a spider’s web, etc.

CASSIO… whiter and lighter, etc. Miracle… fair miracle!

OTHELLOBetrayal! …

IAGOToo much you admire it!

OTHELLO… betrayal! (returning to the terrace)

IAGOBeware! Beware! (Distant trumpets are heard. Othersanswer them from the castle. A cannon shot.) That is thesignal to announce the arrival of the Venetian trireme.(Trumpets sound from different directions) Listen. All thecastle’s trumpeters reply. If you do not want to meetOthello here, go now.

CASSIOFarewell.

IAGOGo. (Cassio leaves hurriedly through the back end.)

OTHELLO (coming up to Iago)How shall I kill her?

IAGODid you perceive well how he laughed?

OTHELLOI saw!

IAGOAnd the handkerchief?

OTHELLOI saw it all.

VOICES IN THE DISTANCEHurrah! To the shore! To the landing-place!

OTHELLOShe is condemned!

DISTANT VOICESHurrah!

OTHELLOGet me some poison for tonight.

IAGOPoison, no…

DISTANT VOICESLong live the Lion of St. Mark!

IAGO… rather suffocate her, there in her bed, even the bedwhere she has sinned.

OTHELLOYour sense of justice pleases me.

IAGOAs for Cassio, I shall see to him.

OTHELLOIago, from this moment I name you my captain.

IAGOMy General, I give you thanks. Here come the ambassadors. Do you receive them. But to avoid suspicion Desdemona should come before these lords.

OTHELLOYes, bring her here.

(Iago leaves by the door on the left; Othello goes towardsthe far end of the hall to receive the ambassadors. Trumpetssound again, Iago re-enters with Lodovico, the herald,Desdemona with Emilia, dignitaries of the VenetianRepublic, ladies and gentlemen, soldiers, trumpeters andthen Cassio.)

MEN AND WOMENHurrah! Hurrah! Long live the Lion of St. Mark! Hurrah!Hurrah! Long live the Lion of St. Mark!

LODOVICO (holding a rolled-up parchment inhis hand) The Duke and senators of Venice greet the triumphant hero of Cyprus. I place in your handsthe ducal document.

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OTHELLO (taking the parchment and kissingthe seal) I kiss the seal of sovereign majesty. (opens itand reads)

LODOVICO (going up to Desdemona)My lady, may heaven keep you in its care.

DESDEMONAMay heaven heed your prayer.

EMILIA (aside to Desdemona)How sad you look!

DESDEMONA (aside to Emilia)Emilia! There’s a great shadow fallen upon Othello’smind and upon my destiny.

IAGO (to Lodovico)Signor, I am very glad to see you.

LODOVICOIago, what’s the news?… I do not see Cassio amongst you.

IAGOOthello is angered with him.

DESDEMONAI think he will be restored to favor.

OTHELLO (continuing to read; rapidly asideto Desdemona) Are you sure of that?

DESDEMONAMy lord?

LODOVICOHe reads, and speaks not to you.

IAGOPerhaps he will be restored to favor.

DESDEMONAIago, I hope so; you know what real affection I have forCassio…

OTHELLO (still reading, but speakingfeverishly under his breath to Desdemona)Restrain your babbling tongue…

DESDEMONAForgive me, my lord…

OTHELLO (flinging himself at Desdemona)Devil, be silent!

LODOVICO (preventing Othello from strikingDesdemona) Stop!

A photo of designer Paul Shortt’s set model for Act III of Otello.

34

MEN AND WOMENOh horror! Oh horror!

LODOVICOI dare not believe that my eyes have truly seen.

OTHELLO (to the herald)Send Cassio to me! (The herald leaves.)

IAGO (aside to Othello)What would you do?

OTHELLO (aside to Iago)Watch her as he enters.

MEN AND WOMENAh! Unhappy bride!

LODOVICO (approaching Iago and speaking tohim aside) Is this then the hero? Is this the warrior ofsuch noble daring?

IAGO (to Lodovico, shrugging his shoulders)He’s that he is.

LODOVICOExplain what you mean.

IAGOIt is better to hold one’s tongue.

OTHELLO (who has been watching the door fixedly)Here he is! ’Tis he! (Cassio appears.) (to Iago:) Watchhim well. (aloud, to the company:) My lords!… TheDuke… (aside to Desdemona, who is weeping:) oh well-painted passion (to the company:)… has recalled meto Venice.

RODERIGO (aside)Unjust fate!

OTHELLOAnd as my successor in Cyprus elects he who stood bymy standard – Cassio.

IAGO (surprised, in a fierce aside)Death and the devil take it!

OTHELLO (continuing his speech and showingthe document) The ducal command is our law.

CASSIO (bowing to Othello)I will obey.

OTHELLO (rapidly to Iago, nodding towards Cassio)You see?…The villain does not seem well pleased.

IAGONo.

OTHELLO (to the company)The ship’s crew and garrison… (aside, to Desdemona) Proceed you in your tears (aloud) … the ships and castle, I leave in charge of mysuccessor.

LODOVICO (pointing to Desdemona whoapproaches Othello supplicatingly) Othello, pritheecomfort her, or you will break her heart.

OTHELLO (to Lodovico and Desdemona)We shall embark tomorrow. (He seizes Desdemona infury. She falls.) (to Desdemona) Down!… And weep!(Othello, in his act of violence, has thrown the documentto the ground; Iago picks it up and reads it, taking carenot to be seen. Lodovico and Emilia sympathetically support Desdemona.)

DESDEMONADown!… yes… in the livid slime stricken… I lie… Iweep…chilled by the icy touch of death upon my soul. And onceupon a time my smile would quicken hope and kisses,and now… I have anguish in my face and agony in myheart! That sun so calm and bright that brings joy to skyand sea, can never dry the bitter drops of my pain!

EMILIA (aside)Innocent of heart, no word of hate she speaks, no gesturemakes, but locks her pain within her heart with sorrowful restraint.

CASSIO (aside)Fate hangs upon the hour! A flash of lightning shows iton my path; the highest prize that fate affords is offeredto my passive hand.

RODERIGO (aside)Darkness falls upon my world, mist shrouds my destiny;that angel sweet and golden-haired vanishes from my path.

LODOVICO (aside)His funerary fist he shakes and pants with rage, she herethereal face turns weeping to the sky. To see such tearsas these Pity itself might sigh, and a stirring of compassion melt an icy heart.

WOMEN (to Othello)Have pity!… Have pity!

MEN…’Tis strange!

35

EMILIAThe tears fall silently upon her sorrowing cheek... no, hewho weeps not for her has no pity in his heart.…

(Iago draws close to Othello who has collapsed onto achair.)

IAGOA word with you.

OTHELLOWhat is it?

IAGOMake haste! Let your vengeance be swift! Time flies.

OTHELLOYou speak truly.

IAGOAngry words are idle gossip. Act! Aim at the objective,that alone! I shall deal with Cassio. He shall pay for hisintrigues, and hell shall swallow up his guilty soul!

OTHELLOWho will pluck it from him?

IAGOI myself.

OTHELLOYou?

IAGOI have sworn.

OTHELLOSo be it.

IAGOYou shall hear more tonight.

CASSIOThat which lifts me up so high is a storm-driven tidal wave.Reeling Fortune presses hard upon the swift heels of time.

WOMENMortal care weighs sullenly upon these souls who writhein long-drawn agony.

MENThis black man has a graveyard air, a sightless shadowsits within of death and terror made! His nails tear at hisfearsome breast! His eyes are fixed upon the ground. Nowhis dusky fist he shakes at heaven, raising his shaggy facetowards the darts of the sun.

IAGO (Turning his attention to Roderigo.)Your dreams will be upon the seas tomorrow, and youon the bitter shore!

RODERIGOAh, misery!

IAGOAh stupidity! Stupidity! If you will, you may hope yet;come, show yourself a man! Gird your loins, and listen.

RODERIGOI hear you.

IAGOThe ship departs at first light. Now Cassio is governor.However, if some accident should befall him, Othellomust linger here. Your hand on your sword! When it isdark I’ll supervise his steps and watch his destinationand the hour, the rest is up to you. I will be near. A-hunting we will go! Arm yourself for the fray!

RODERIGOYes! I have sold you my honor and faith. (The voices ofIago and Roderigo become lost among the others.)

WOMENO cruel sight! He struck her! That saint-like face, so paleand gentle, is mutely bowed, and weeps and dies. Inheaven do the angels shed such tears as these whenbefore them, lost, the sinner lies.

RODERIGO (walking away from Iago)The die is cast! Undaunted, I await the final outcome,hidden destiny. Love spurs me on, and yet my path isplagued by death’s dark planet, avid, menacing.

IAGO (aside, watching Roderigo)Go, chase the rainbow! Your enfeebled senseis by a web of lying dreams enmeshed. Follow thescheme my shrewd, swift wit presents, deluded lover, Ifollow but myself.

OTHELLO (rising and turning on the crowdwith menacing fury) Hence, avaunt!

ALLHeaven!

OTHELLO (hurling himself upon the crowd)All flee Othello!

IAGO (to everyone)He is assailed by some enchantment that deprives him ofhis wits.

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OTHELLOWhoever does not remove himself is in rebellion againstme!

LODOVICO (trying to drag Desdemona away)Come with me.

MEN (in the distance)Hurrah! (Fanfares are heard in the distance.)

DESDEMONA (tearing herself away from Lodovico andrunning to Othello) My lord!

OTHELLOMy soul, I curse you!

MEN AND WOMENOh horror! (Overwhelmed by horror, all leave the hall;Desdemona leaves supported by Lodovico and Emilia. Iagoand Othello remain alone.)

OTHELLOI alone cannot flee myself! Blood!… O vile thought!(becoming breathless) I like not that! (convulsively, raving) To see them clasped together… The handkerchief! The handkerchief! O! O! O! (faints)

IAGO (aside)My poison’s working.

MEN (within)Long live Othello!

IAGO (listening to the cries)His victory is hailed…

MENHurrah! Hurrah!

IAGO… for the last time.

MENHurrah!

IAGO (eyeing Othello stretched on the groundunconscious) Who can stop me crushing this headbeneath my heel? Men (nearer) Hurrah! Long liveOthello! Hail to the Lion of Venice!

(standing erect and, with a loathsome gesture of triumph, pointing to the inert Othello)

Behold the Lion!

This section is Track 7 on the music CD. Willow Song: “Era più calmo?...Mi parea.”

ACT FOURDesdemona’s bedroom.A bed, a prie-dieu, a table, a mirror and some chairs. A lighted lamp hangs before the image of the Madonna abovethe prie-dieu. On the right is a door. It is night.

(Emilia helps Desdemona prepare for bed.)

EMILIAWas he calmer?

DESDEMONAHe seemed so to me. He commanded me to go to bed andthere await him. Emilia, I pray you, lay upon my bed mywhite wedding nightgown. (Emilia does so.) Listen. If Ishould die before you, lay me to rest in one of those veils.

EMILIAPut such thoughts from you.

DESDEMONAI am so sad, so sad. (seating herself mechanically beforethe mirror) My mother had a poor maidservant, she wasin love and pretty; her name was Barbara; she loved aman who then abandoned her. She used to sing a song,the song of “The Willow”. (to Emilia) Unbind my hair.This evening my memory is haunted by that old refrain.

“She wept as she sang on the lonely heath, the poor girlwept, O Willow, Willow, Willow! She sat with her headupon her breast, Willow, Willow, Willow! Come sing!Come sing! The green willow shall be my garland.”

(to Emilia) Make haste; Othello will soon be here.

“The fresh streams ran between the flowery banks, shemoaned in her grief, in bitter tears which through her eyelids sprang her poor heart sought relief. Willow!Willow! Willow! Come sing! Come sing! The green willowshall be my garland. Down from dark branches flew thebirds towards the singing sweet. Sufficient were the tearsthat she did weep that stones her sorrow shared.”

(to Emilia, taking a ring from her finger) Lay this ring by.(rising) Poor Barbara! The story used to end with thissimple phrase: “He was born for glory, I to love…”

(to Emilia) Hark! I heard a moan. (Emilia takes a step ortwo.) Hush... Who knocks upon that door?

EMILIA‘Tis the wind.

DESDEMONA“I to love him and to die. Come sing! Come sing!

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Willow! Willow! Willow!”

Emilia, farewell. How mine eyes do itch! That bodesweeping. Good night. (Emilia turns to leave.) Ah! Emilia,Emilia, farewell! Emilia, farewell! (Emilia returns andDesdemona embraces her. Emilia leaves.)

(kneeling at the prie-dieu)Hail Mary, full of grace, blessed amongst wives andmaids art thou, and blessed is the fruit, o blessed one,of thy maternal womb, Jesu. Pray for those who kneelingadore thee, pray for the sinner, for the innocent and forthe weak oppressed; and to the powerful man, who alsogrieves, thy sweet compassion show. Pray for him whobows beneath injustice and ‘neath the blows of cruel destiny; for us, pray thou for us, pray for us always, andat the hour of our death pray for us, pray for us, pray!

(She remains kneeling and, with her head bowed on theprie-dieu, repeats the prayer silently, so that only the firstwords and the last are audible. )

Hail Mary ... and at the hour of our death. Hail! Amen!(She rises from her knees and goes to bed.)

This section is Track 8 on the music CD. Ave Maria

Soprano Norah Amsellem makes herdebut with the Opera Company ofsinging the role of Desdemona in Otellofor the first time. She’s known for thedramatic intensity and emotion shebrings to her work and the beauty ofher voice. She has performed with thegreatest orchestras and conductors, andthe most prestigious theaters all overthe world: Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, London’s Royal Opera,Covent Garden and many others.

Born in Paris, France, the soprano started her musical studies atage five when she started playing the harp and piano. At the ageof eight, she joined the prestigious French children’s choir“Maitrise de Radio France” with whom she performed with manygreat artists. During that time, she participated in recordings forfilm versions of Bizet’s Carmen and Puccini’s La bohème. As achild she also recorded various solo roles with the Maitrise deRadio France. She received her end of studies diploma inClassical harp and musical formation, and then went on to graduate school in Princeton, USA, where she obtained aBachelor of Arts and was a member of the Metropolitan Opera’sLindemann Young Artist Development Program.

(Othello enters by a secret door, places a scimitar on thetable, and pauses before the light, undecided whether toextinguish it. He looks at Desdemona. He puts out thelight. The scene is illuminated only by the light from theprie-dieu. Othello, driven by a sudden burst of fury,approaches the bed; there he pauses. He gazes atDesdemona who is sleeping. He kisses her three times. Atthe third kiss, Desdemona awakens.)

DESDEMONAWho’s there? (raising herself) Othello?

OTHELLOAy! … Have you prayed tonight?

DESDEMONAI prayed…

OTHELLOIf you remember some sin you have committed that hasyet to be forgiven from heaven, beg for it now.

DESDEMONAWhat mean you?

OTHELLOBe brief! I would not kill your spirit.

DESDEMONATalk you of killing?

OTHELLOI do.

DESDEMONAThen God have mercy on me!

OTHELLOAmen.

DESDEMONAAnd you have mercy too!

OTHELLOThink on your sins.

DESDEMONAMy sin is love.

OTHELLOFor that you die!

DESDEMONABecause I love you you would kill me?

Photo by: Cosimo Magliocca

38

OTHELLOCassio is your love!

DESDEMONANo! By my life and soul!

OTHELLOThat handkerchief which I gave you you gave to him.

DESDEMONAIt is not true!

OTHELLOI saw it in his hand.

DESDEMONAI am not guilty!

OTHELLOConfess!

DESDEMONAI swear it!

OTHELLOTake heed of perjury. Think that you are on your deathbed.

DESDEMONABut not to die.

OTHELLOTo die now.

DESDEMONAGod help me! I do not love Cassio. Send for him hither…let him speak.

OTHELLOHis mouth is stopped for ever.

DESDEMONAWhat!… is he dead?

OTHELLODead.

DESDEMONA,I am undone, and he betrayed!

OTHELLOAnd you dare to weep for him?

DESDEMONAOthello, do not kill me…

OTHELLOYou strive in vain.

DESDEMONALet me live… longer, let me live longer,let me live!

OTHELLODown, fall, down, fall, strumpet!

DESDEMONAMercy!

OTHELLODie!!

DESDEMONALet me live tonight…

OTHELLONo!

DESDEMONAOne hour…

OTHELLONo!

DESDEMONAAn instant.

OTHELLONo!

DESDEMONABut while I say one prayer.

OTHELLOIt is too late! (He smothers her.)

DESDEMONAAh! …

(A knocking is heard at the door on the right.)

OTHELLO (contemplating the inert form ofDesdemona) As quiet as the grave.(further knocking at the door)

EMILIA (without)Unlock the door!

OTHELLO (starting)Who is there? Who knocks?

39

EMILIA (knocking again)O, good my lord, I do beseech that I may speak withyou… Unlock the door!

OTHELLO (opening the door)Emilia! What’s the matter?

EMILIA (entering)Yonder’s foul murder done! Cassio has killed Roderigo!

OTHELLOAnd Cassio?

EMILIALives.

OTHELLOCassio lives!!

DESDEMONA (from the bed)Falsely… falsely killed…

EMILIA (running towards the bed)What cry is that?… O horror!

DESDEMONAA guiltless death I die…

EMILIAGreat God! Who did this deed?

DESDEMONANobody… I myself… Commend me to my lord… A guiltlessdeath I die… Farewell… (dies)

OTHELLOO liar! ’Twas I that killed her.

EMILIAMurderer!

OTHELLOShe was Cassio’s whore. Ask Iago else.

EMILIAIago?

OTHELLOIago.

EMILIAO dolt! And you believed him?

OTHELLO (about to strike Emilia)Dare you deny it?

EMILIAI fear you not.

OTHELLO (seizing her)Take care!

EMILIAHo there! Help, ho! Help! (freeing herself she runs towardthe door, crying out) Othello has killed Desdemona!

(Lodovico, Cassio and Iago enter, followed later byMontano and some armed men.)

CASSIO, IAGO, LODOVICOWhat cries are these! (seeing Desdemona) O horror, horror!

EMILIA (to Iago)Iago, disprove this vile murderer. Did you believeDesdemona was false? Speak!

IAGOSuch I believed her.

OTHELLOThat handkerchief that I had given her she gave to Cassio.

EMILIAO heavenly powers!

IAGO (to Emilia)Hold your tongue!

EMILIANo, I will reveal all!

IAGOHold your tongue!

EMILIANo! He tore that handkerchief from my hand by force.

CASSIOAnd in my lodging I found the handkerchief.

MONTANO (entering and pointing to Iago)Roderigo revealed the man’s devilish plot as he died.

OTHELLO (to Iago)Ah! Vindicate yourself!

IAGO (fleeing)No!

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LODOVICOStop!

MONTANOAfter him! (Several leave to pursue Iago.)

CASSIO, LODOVICOSeize him!

OTHELLO (with a bound, reaching and grasping hissword) And has the heaven no more thunder bolts?

LODOVICOGive me the sword!

OTHELLOWould you dare?

OTHELLOLet no one fear me though he see me armed. Here is myjourney’s end … Oh! Glory! Othello’s day is done.(Letting his sword fall to the ground, he goes to the bedand gazes at Desdemona.) And thou… how pale thouart! And weary, and mute, and beautiful, pious creature,born ‘neath an evil star. Cold, even like thy chastity, andgathered into heaven. Desdemona! Desdemona! Ah!…Dead! Dead! Dead! (furtively producing a dagger from hisrobe) I have another weapon! (stabs himself)

CASSIOAh, stop!

LODOVICO, MONTANOO bloody period!

OTHELLOBefore I killed thee, wife, I kissed thee thus. Nowdying… in the shadow where I lie… a kiss… anotherkiss… ah!… another kiss… (dies)

Translation Avril Bardoni_ 1978 Decca Music Group Limited.All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission of EMIClassics, Ltd.

This section is Track 9 on the music CD. Otello’s death scene: “Niun mi tema”

41Glossary

Underlined words are used in the libretto and are underlined in the libretto as well.

act (akt) n. one of the main divisions of a play or opera.abhor (ab-hawr) v. to regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly; loathe; abominate.allegro (uh-leg-roh) adv. musical term for fast and lively.alto (al-toh) n. the range of the female voice between mezzo-soprano and contralto.ambiguity (am-bi-gyoo-i-tee) n. doubtfulness or uncertainty of meaning or intention: to speak with ambiguity.andante (ahn-dahn-tey) adv. a musical term meaning in moderately slow time.antagonist (an-tag-o-nist) n. an adversary or opponent of the main character or protagonist in an opera,play, or other drama.ardent (ahr-dnt) adj. having, expressive of, or characterized by intense feeling; passionate; fervent: an ardent vow; ardent love. aria (ahr-ee-uh) n. an operatic song for one voice.avaunt (uh-vawnt) adj. away; hence.Bacchic (bak-ik) adj. Greek & Roman Mythology of or relating to the god Bacchus.bar (bahr) n. a division of music containing a set number of beats.baritone (bar-i-tohn) n. the range of the male voice between tenor and bass.bass (beys) n. the lowest male singing voice.bastion (bas-tee-uhn) n. A projecting part of a fortification ; the safest part of a fort, ship etc.beat (beet) n. the basic pulse of a piece of music.cavort (kuh-vawrt) v. to behave in a high-spirited, festive manner; make merry.charlatan (shahr-luh-tn) n. a person who pretends or claims to have more knowledge or skill than he or she possesses; quack.chord (kord) n. a group of notes played at the same time in harmony.chorus (kawr-uhs) n. 1. a group of singers. 2. a piece of music for these.chronological (kron-oh-loj-i-kuhl) adj. a method of arrangement that puts events in order of occurrence.cherubin (cher-uh-bim) n. an order of angels.cleave (kleev) v. to adhere closely; stick; cling. (usually fol. by to)colonnade (kol-uh-neyd) n. a series of regularly spaced columns supporting an entablature and usually one side of a roof.consecrate (kon-si-kreyt) v. to make or declare sacred; set apart or dedicate to the service of a deity.contralto (cuhn-tral-toh) n. the lowest female singing voice.convulsively (kuhn-vuhl-siv) adv. producing or accompanied by convulsion: convulsive rage.cosmos (koz-muhs) n. the world or universe regarded as an orderly, harmonious system.dissemble (dih-sem-buhl) v. to give a false or misleading appearance to; conceal the truth or real nature of.delude (dih-lood) v. to mislead the mind or judgment of; deceive: His conceit deluded him into believing he was important.dolt (dohlt) n. a dull, stupid person; blockhead.enfeebled (en-fee-buhl) adj. weakened, not well, or below par.enmesh (en-mesh) v. to catch, as in a net; entangle: He was enmeshed by financial difficulties.ethereal (ih-theer-ee-uhl) adj. extremely delicate or refined: ethereal beauty.expedient (ik-spee-dee-uhnt) adj. conducive to advantage or interest, as opposed to right.fanfare (fan-fair) n. a flourish or short air played on trumpets or the like.flat (b) (flat) adj. a half-step lower than the corresponding note or key of natural pitch.forte (f) (for-tay) adv. loudly.fortissimo (ff) (for-tee-see-moh) adv. a musical term for very loud.funerary (fyoo-nuh-rer-ee) adj. of or pertaining to a funeral or burial.furtive (fur-tiv) adj. taken, done, used, etc., surreptitiously or by stealth; secret.gird your loins idiom preparing to do something difficult or dangerous.hindrance (hin-druhns) n. an impeding, stopping, preventing, or the like.hydra (hahy-druh) n. Classical Mythology - a water or marsh serpent with nine heads, each of which, if cut off, grew back as two.inexorable (in-ek-ser-uh-buhl) adj. unyielding; unalterable: inexorable truth; inexorable justice.intercede (in-ter-seed) v. to attempt to reconcile differences between two people or groups; mediate.

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jovial (joh-vee-uhl) adj. endowed with or characterized by a hearty, joyous humor or a spirit of good-fellowship.key (kee) n. the basic note of the main scale used in a piece of music. In the key of G, for example, G isthe fundamental note; the music often returns to it and comes to rest on it.kirtles (kur-tl) n. a woman's loose gown, worn in the Middle Ages.knave (neyv) n. a man of humble position.largo (lahr-goh) adv. a musical term meaning in slow time and dignified style.leitmotiv (lahyt-mo-teev) n. a melodic passage or phrase associated with a specific character, situation, orelement.libretto (li-bret-oh) n. the words of an opera or other long musical.malice (mal-is) n. desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness: the malice and spite of a lifelong enemy.manna (man-uh) n. divine or spiritual food.mast (mast) n. a spar or structure rising above the hull and upper portions of a ship or boat to hold sails, spars, rigging, booms, signals, etc., at some point on the fore-and-aft line, as a foremast or mainmast.major (mahy-jer) adj. music in a major key uses a major scale, in which the first three notes are the keynote followed by intervals of a tone and then another tone (for example, C, D, E). It often has a cheerful,strong sound.mire (mahyuhr) n. a tract or area of wet, swampy ground; bog; marsh.minor (my-ner) adj. music in a minor key uses a minor scale, in which the first three notes are the keynote followed by intervals of a tone and then a semitone ( for example A, B, C). It often has a sad, melancholic sound.Moor (mor) n. a Muslim of the mixed Berber and Arab people inhabiting NW Africa.natural (nach-er-uhl) adj. a note that is neither flattened nor sharpened.octave (ok-tiv) n. a note that sounds twice as high in pitch as another, is an octave above the other note,and has the same letter naming it.ocular (ok-yuh-ler) adj. of, pertaining to, or for the eyes: ocular movements.opera (op-er-uh) n. a play in which the words are sung to musical accompaniment.orchestra (awr-keh-struh) n. a large body of people playing various musical instruments, including stringed and wind instruments.overture (oh-ver-chur) n. an orchestral composition forming a prelude to an opera or ballet.paragon (par-uh-gon) n. a model or pattern of excellence or of a particular excellence.perdition (per-dish-uhn) n. a state of final spiritual ruin; loss of the soul; damnation.pergola (pur-guh-luh) n. an arbor formed of horizontal trelliswork supported on columns or posts, over which vines or other plants are trained.pianissimo (pp) (pee-ah-nees-ee-moh) adv. a musical term meaning very softly.piano (p) (pi-an-oh) 1. adv. a musical term meaning softly. 2. n. keyed percussion instrument first namedpianoforte because it could play both softly and loudly.pious (pahy-uhs) adj. characterized by a hypocritical concern with virtue or religious devotion; sanctimonious.pleiades (ply-uh-deez) n. Classical Mythology . seven daughters of Atlas and half sisters of the Hyades, placed among the stars to save them from the pursuit of Orion. One of them (the Lost Pleiad) hides, either from grief or shame.prelude (prel-yood) n. a preliminary to an action, event, condition, or work of broader scope and higher importance.prie-dieu (pree-dyoo) n. a piece of furniture for kneeling on during prayer, having a rest above, as for a book.presto (pres-toh) adv. a musical term meaning very fast.prithee (prith-ee) interj. pray thee.proffer (prof-er) v. to put before a person for acceptance; offer. prow (prou) n. the forepart of a ship or boat; bow.rampart (ram-pahrt) n. a broad elevation or mound of earth raised as a fortification around a place and usually capped with a stone or earth parapet.requiem (rek-wee-uhm) n. the Mass celebrated for the repose of the souls of the dead.reveille (rev-uh-lee) n. a signal, as of a drum or bugle, sounded early in the morning to awaken military personnel and to alert them for assembly.rogue (rohg) n. a dishonest, knavish person; scoundrel. scimitar (sim-i-ter) n. a curved, single-edged sword of Oriental origin.scale (skayl) n. a series of notes arranged in descending or ascending order of pitch.

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semitone (sem-i-tohn) n. a half step or half tone, an interval midway between two whole tones.sharp (#) (shahrp) n. any note a semitone higher than another note. Also, slightly too high in pitch.sibyl (sib-uhl) n. any of certain women of antiquity reputed to possess powers of prophecy or divinationsoprano (so-prah-noh) n. the highest female or boy's singing voice.stage (stayj) n. a platform on which a public performance is given before an audience.staging (stay-jing) n. the presentation or production on the stage.sullen (suhl-uhn) adj. persistently and silently ill-humored; morose.symphony (sim-foh-nee) n. a long musical composition (usually in several parts) for a full orchestra.synopsis (si-nop-sis) n. a summary, a brief general survey.talisman (tal-is-muhn) n. a stone, ring, or other object, engraved with figures or characters supposed to possess occult powers and worn as an amulet or charm.tempest (tem-pist) n. a violent windstorm, esp. one with rain, hail, or snow.tone (tohn) n. 1. an interval equal to two semitones. 2. the sound quality of an instrument or voice.tocsin (tok-sin) n. a signal, esp. of alarm, sounded on a bell or bells. transmute (trans-myoot) v. to change from one nature, substance, form, or condition into another; transform. trireme (trahy-reem) n. a galley with three rows or tiers of oars on each side, one above another, used chiefly as a warship. tumult (too-muhlt) n. violent and noisy commotion or disturbance of a crowd or mob; uproar.usurp (yoo-surp) v. to seize and hold (a position, office, power, etc.) by force or without legal right.verismo (vuh-riz-moh ) n. realism in opera.vale (veyl) v. valley.vouchsafe (vouch-seyf) v. to grant or give, as by favor, graciousness, or condescension: to vouchsafe a reply to a question.whimsical (hwim-zi-kuhl) adj. erratic; unpredictable: He was too whimsical with regard to his work.zephyr (zef-er) n. a gentle, mild breeze.

From Dictionary.com. Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.

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Pennsylvania’s public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum

potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to:

Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening 1.1. Learning to Read Independently GRADE 5 D. Identify the basic ideas

and facts in text using strategies (e.g., prior knowledge, illustrations and headings) and information from other sources to make predictions

about text. 1.1.8. GRADE 8 E. Expand a reading vocabulary by identifying and correctly using idioms and words with literal and figurative

meanings. Use a dictionary or related reference. 1.1.11. GRADE 11 H. Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading. Read a variety of

genres and types of text. Demonstrate comprehension. 1.2. Reading Critically in All Content Areas GRADES 5, 8, 11. A. Read and under-

stand essential content of informational texts and documents in all academic areas. 1.3. Reading, Analyzing and Interpreting Literature GRADE

5 E. Analyze drama as information source, entertainment, persuasion or transmitter of culture. 1.3.8. GRADE 8 E. Analyze drama to determine

the reasons for a character’s actions, taking into account the situation and basic motivation of the character. 1.3.11. GRADE 11 E. Analyze

how a scriptwriter’s use of words creates tone and mood, and how choice of words advances the theme or purpose of the work. 1.4. Types of

Writing GRADES 5, 8, 11. GRADE 5 A. Write poems, plays and multi-paragraph stories (GRADES 8 & 11 - and short stories). 1.4.5, 8, 11.

C. Write persuasive pieces (Review of Opera Experience, p. 78). 1.5. Quality of Writing GRADES 5, 8, 11 A. Write with a sharp, distinct focus.

1.6. Speaking and Listening GRADES 5, 8, 11. B. Listen to selections of literature (fiction and/or nonfiction).C. Speak using skills appropri-

ate to formal speech situations. E. Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations. F. Use media for learning purposes. 1.8.

Research GRADES 5, 8, 11. A. Select and refine a topic for research. B. Locate information using appropriate sources and strategies. C. Organize,

summarize and present the main ideas from research.

Academic Standards for Mathematics 2.1. Numbers, Number Systems and Number Relationships 2.1.8. GRADE 8 A. Represent and use num-

bers in equivalent forms (e.g., integers, fractions, decimals, percents, exponents, scientific notation, square roots). 2.2. Computation and

Estimation 2.2.5. GRADE 5 A. Create and solve word problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers. 2.5

Mathematical Problem Solving and Communication 2.5.11. GRADE 11 A. Select and use appropriate mathematical concepts and techniques

from different areas of mathematics and apply them to solving non-routine and multi-step problems.

Academic Standards for Science and Technology 3.1. Unifying Themes 3.1.10. GRADE 10 E. Describe patterns of change in nature, physical

and man made systems. •Describe how fundamental science and technology concepts are used to solve practical problems (e. g., momentum,

Newton’s laws of universal gravitation, tectonics, conservation of mass and energy, cell theory, theory of evolution, atomic theory, theory of rel-

ativity, Pasteur’s germ theory, relativity, heliocentric theory, gas laws, feedback systems). 3.2. Inquiry and Design GRADE 7 Apply process

knowledge to make and interpret observations. GRADE 10 Apply process knowledge and organize scientific and technological phenomena in

varied ways. GRADE 12 Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness and adherence to relevant science processes. 3.3. Biological

Sciences 3.3.10. GRADE 10 D. Explain the mechanisms of the theory of evolution. 3.7. Technological Devices 3.7.7. GRADE 7 E. Explain basic

computer communications systems. Describe the organization and functions of the basic parts that make up the World Wide Web. (Check

operaphila.org to see photos of the rehearsals and sets.) See Teacher’s Guide for additional science lessons.

Academic Standards for Civics and Government 5.2. Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship 5.2.12. GRADE 12 C. Interpret the causes of

conflict in society and analyze techniques to resolve those conflicts.

Academic Standards for Geography 7.1. Basic Geographic Literacy 7.1.6. GRADE 6 A. Describe geographic tools and their uses. •Basis on

which maps, graphs and diagrams are created. 7.3. The Human Characteristics of Places and Regions 7.3.6. GRADE 6 B. Explain the human

characteristics of places and regions by their cultural characteristics.

Academic Standards for History 8.2. Pennsylvania History 8.2.9. GRADE 9 8.2.12. GRADE 12 Pennsylvania’s public schools shall teach, chal-

lenge and support every student... skills needed to analyze the interaction of cultural, economic, geographic, political and social relations to. A.

Analyze the... cultural contributions of individuals... to Pennsylvania history from 1787 to 1914. • Cultural and Commercial Leaders (e.g.,

Academy of Music architects Napoleon Le Brun & Gustav Rungé, opera star Marian Anderson). 8.3. U.S. History 8.3.9 GRADE 9 B. Identify

and analyze primary documents, material artifacts and historic sitesimportant in United States history from 1787 to 1914. • Historic Places (e. g.,

Academy of Music). 8.4. World History 8.4.6 GRADE 6 A. Identify and explain how individuals and groups made significant political and cul-

tural contributions to world history. 8.4.12. GRADE 12 C. Evaluate how continuity and change throughout history has impacted belief systems

and religions since 1450 C.E.

Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities 9.1. Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music,Theatre and Visual Arts A.

Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities. I. Know where arts events, performanc-

es and exhibitions occur and how to gain admission. 9.2. Historical and Cultural Contexts C. Relate works in the arts to varying styles and genre

and to the periods in which they were created (e.g., Renaissance, Classical, Modern, Post-Modern, Contemporary...). D. Analyze a work of art

from its historical and cultural perspective. E. Analyze how historical events and culture impact forms, techniques and purposes of works in

the arts. F. Know and apply appropriate vocabulary used between social studies and the arts and humanities.

Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Standards

The School District of PhiladelphiaSchool Reform CommissionRobert L. Archie Jr., Esq., Chairman

Denise McGregor Armbrister, member

Joseph A. Dworetzky, member

Amb. David F. Girard-diCarlo, Ret., member

Johnny Irizarry, member

Dr. Arlene C. AkermanSuperintendent of Schools

Pamela BrownInterim Chief Academic Officer

Dennis W. Creedon, Ed.D.Administrator, Office of Creativeand Performing Arts

Opera Company of PhiladelphiaRobert B. DriverArtistic Director

Corrado RovarisJack Mulroney Music Director

David B. DevanExecutive Director

Michael BoltonDirector of Community Programs

The Opera Company of Philadelphia is supportedby major grants from The William PennFoundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, and TheLenfest Foundation.

Additional support is provided by theIndependence Foundation and the Horace W.Goldsmith Foundation.

The Opera Company of Philadelphiareceives state arts funding supportthrougha grant from the PennsylvaniaCouncil on the Arts, a state agencyfunded by the Commonwealthof Pennsylvania.

Sounds of Learning™ was established by a

generous grant from The AnnenbergFoundation.

Dedicated funding for the Sounds ofLearning™ program has been provided by:

$20,000 to $49,999Hamilton Family Foundation

Lincoln Financial Group Foundation

Presser Foundation

Universal Health Services

$10,000 to $19,999The ARAMARK Charitable Fund at the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program

Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Memorial Fund

Eugene Garfield Foundation

GlaxoSmithKline

The Hirsig Family Fund

Morgan Stanley Foundation

$5,000 to $9,999Alpin J. & Alpin W. Cameron Memorial Trust

Bank of America Charitable Foundation

Deluxe Corporation Foundation

Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation

$1,000 to $4,999Citizens Bank Foundation

Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation

Louis N. Cassett Foundation

McLean Contributionship

Quaker Chemical Foundation

Written and produced by:Opera Company of PhiladelphiaCommunity Programs Department©20101420 Locust Street, Suite 210Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A. 19102Tel: (215) 893-3600, ext. 6102460Fax: (215) 893-7801www.operaphila.org/community

Michael BoltonDirector of Community Programsbolton@operaphila.org

Aedín LarkinCommunity Programs Internlarkin@operaphila.org

Special thanks to:

Robert B. Driver

Dr. Dennis W. CreedonCreator, Sounds of Learning™Curriculum Consultant

Laura Jacoby

Tullo Migliorini

Maureen LynchOperations Manager, Academy of Music

Cornell WoodHead Usher

Academy of Music Ushers

Debra Malinics AdvertisingDesign Concept

Kalnin GraphicsPrinting

Center City Film and Video

R. A. Friedman

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Free Library of PhiladelphiaPrint and Picture Department

20102011Opera Company of Philadelphia1420 Locust Street, Suite 210, Philadelphia, PA 19102 T (215) 893-3600 F (215) 893-7801 www.operaphila.org

Otello

October 1, 3m, 6, 10m & 152010

Romeo & Juliet

February 11, 13m, 16, 18 & 20m2011

The Cunning Little Vixen

March 16, 18 & 20m2011

Tosca

April 29, May 1m, 4, 6 & 8m2011

Phaedra

June 3, 5m & 82011

* The Kimmel Center Presents Curtis Opera Theatre’s production in association with Opera Company of Philadelphia

*

OPERA at the Academy

OPERA @ the Perelman