An “Otello” poster from Parma.

I reviewed the Metropolitan Opera’s revival of Verdi’s Otello for Capital New York.

Alas, the prima was not a great night for Verdi: Johan Botha was suffering from allergies, and the show as a whole seemed underrehearsed and sloppy. I suspect that it will improve as the run goes forward, because the raw materials, so to speak, are quite fine. But someone please tell Maestro Bychkov that Otello is not Mahler’s bleeding Ninth.

I especially enjoyed Falk Struckmann’s bracingly intelligent portrayal of Iago.

VIVA VERDI!