Wiener Staatsoper, Vienna, 11 September 2025
Giuseppe Verdi: Otello
Adrian Noble’s 2019 production of Otello at the Vienna State Opera shifts the story to the early 20th century, a time of colonial conflict and social tension, set somewhere in the Middle East before the First World War. Dick Bird’s stage design is minimal, with bare walls and muted tones that create a sense of isolation and inner unrest. Noble keeps the focus on the characters and their psychology rather than on spectacle, sharpening the drama of jealousy, betrayal, and the brutal fall of a hero. Still, there are striking images: the tense but not overblown opening scene, and the final act with its candles, haunting in its simplicity. Noble underlines Otello’s outsider status, yet it remains unclear whether he belongs to the imperial power or the local population: he is dressed in typical Middle Eastern clothing—a tunic and robe (jalabiya/kaftan)—which complicates and somewhat confuses the context. Colonial soldiers from the local population could attain officer rank, but the highest commands were always reserved for imperials. In the original plot Otello is a general in the Venetian army, which would logically make him an imperial, even though he could still have a different origin.
Since the production’s 2019 premiere, many of today’s opera stars have appeared in it, and this season’s revival in September fielded in a good line-up. In the pit, Bertrand de Billy brought out the score’s dramatic power with sharp rhythmic clarity, full energy, and orchestral and choral precision, while keeping chamber-like transparency when needed—not least in Desdemona’s long scene in the fourth act. The strings had a great night, though the brass and woodwinds unfortunately suffered intonation problems throughout.
I have heard some Iagos over the years, and the French baritone Ludovic Tézier in a couple of roles; this was the evening when everything clicked. For me, it is his best role and the best Iago I have heard live. His dark, powerful baritone reveals every facet of the character: sinister, menacing, and convincingly manipulative.
Swedish soprano Malin Byström made her Desdemona debut in Stockholm in 2015 and hadn’t sung the role on stage for a decade, yet delivered a great performance here as if she performed it regularly. Vocally she has everything the role demands: a dark, creamy soprano with nuance, and a clear upper register. She delivered a passionate, confrontational, purposeful portrayal of the role—firm in her decision to choose Otello despite her father’s and society’s view of him.
The role of Otello is almost a vocal category of its own, demanding not only extraordinary strength and technique but also great skill in musical interpretation and stage expression. Armenian tenor Arsen Soghomonyan has more than enough vocal force for the role—starting with an undeniably impressive ‘Esultate!’—and a secure upper register, but his interpretive abilities, both vocally and and in acting, are extremely limited. He also lacks the interactive skills needed on stage—singing Otello means not just singing, but listening to and responding to what and how others are singing. The potential in that voice is clear, but much more is needed.
