Otello: A Lyric Drama in Four Acts (complete) Cover Image

Otello: A Lyric Drama in Four Acts (complete): Score & Parts

$1,100.00 USD
$1,100.00 USD
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Otello: A Lyric Drama in Four Acts (complete) Cover Image
Otello: A Lyric Drama in Four Acts (complete): Score & Parts

Otello: A Lyric Drama in Four Acts (complete): Score & Parts

By Giuseppe Verdi

Item: 36-A234302
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Description
OTELLO marked Giuseppe Verdi's return to composing following his first retirement after writing AIDA. This retelling of Shakespeare's classic revenge tale was originally titled IAGO, after the Moorish general's villainous subordinate, so as to prevent confusion with Rossini's OTELLO. Iago, upset with Otello's decision to promote the younger soldier Cassio over him, devises a plot to convince Otello that his wife Desdemona has been unfaithful to him while implicating Cassio in her infidelity. The jealous Otello strangles his wife just before learning the truth about Iago's plot, after which he kills himself. The notoriously difficult title tenor role has been played by such luminaries as Ramon Vinay, Placido Domingo, and more recently, Russell Thomas. Instrumentation: 3(3dPiccc).2+EH.2+BCl.4: 4.2+2Crnt.4.0: Timp.Perc(2): Hp: Str (4-4-3-3-3 in set): Band (3Hn.9Tpt/Crnt.3Tbn.Mand.2Gtrs.Lightning.Thunder.Org): Vocal Soli (9 roles, SATTTBBBB): Chorus.

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Opera Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
UPC: 679360722596
SKU: 36-A234302
Instrumentation: 3d1, 2+1, 2+1, 4 - 4, 2+2, 4, 0, timp, perc, hp, str (2.2.1.1.1)vocal soli (9 roles, SATTTBBBB), chorus, banda (4hn, 6tpt, str, mand, gtrs)

More about this title

About the Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) shaped Italian opera through sheer dramatic force and musical invention. He emerged from a generation that expected composers to serve librettists; instead, Verdi bent the form toward psychological complexity and orchestral sophistication. His late operas, written after he had already achieved permanent fame, show an artist still willing to take risks and deepen his craft.

Otello stands as proof of this evolution. Verdi composed it in his seventies, returning from self-imposed retirement to tackle Shakespeare's tragedy. The opera synthesizes everything he had learned about text setting, harmonic language, and instrumental color. For musicians and students, his work represents the gold standard of vocal writing that serves both character and music simultaneously.

Why we love this

Otello demands serious musicianship from every section and rewards that investment instantly. The score bristles with orchestral detail that never overwhelms the drama, and the vocal lines sit perfectly for singers who can handle their weight and tessitura. A production of this scale becomes a defining moment in any program's season; it's the kind of project that players and singers remember for years.

What to expect

Otello radiates intense, barely contained anger beneath surfaces of military order and courtly grace. The music shifts from exultant celebration to creeping paranoia with surgical precision. Every act tightens the psychological screws; by the final scene, the score moves with the inevitability of tragedy.

Who it's for

Professional and advanced amateur opera companies with strong casting options and experienced pit leadership. The work demands skilled singers across nine roles, a full chorus, and an orchestra capable of navigating Verdi's harmonic and rhythmic language. Productions at this level need time, resources, and institutional support.

How to get the most out of it

  • Study the original Shakespeare alongside rehearsals. Verdi's music clarifies motivation in ways that deepen the cast's understanding of every scene and aria.
  • Balance the three tenors (Otello, Cassio, Roderigo) carefully in rehearsal; their vocal lines often move independently and can easily blur without precise ensemble work.
  • The Iago-Desdemona handkerchief scene hinges on orchestral transparency. Keep the accompaniment light and rhythmically clean so the dramatic moment breathes.

How to use it

Mount this as a full-season anchor or festival centerpiece where it can command attention and rehearsal time. Pairing it with shorter Italian works or standalone scenes allows you to showcase the breadth of Verdi's output. Late-season performance timing lets you build cast and orchestra strength throughout the year.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustaining Verdian vocal lines across extended phrases without losing legit tone
  • Reading and executing rapid text declamation in Italian with rhythmic precision
  • Coordinating complex ensemble writing where multiple vocal lines move at different speeds
  • Responding to orchestral color changes that shift character and emotional temperature
  • Managing the dramatic weight of a five-act narrative structure

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