Otello was one of Carlos Kleiber's specialties; this performance from München (Munich) 1977 shows why. Everything is meticulously rehearsed, yet nothing sounds mechanical or forced, rather there is an air of spontaneity and discovery that pervades the performance.Cossutta, in excellent voice, is a tremendously good Otello. He is not perhaps as specific in his dramatic choices as some others, but he is believable in all that he does. Varady sings with lovely, lyric tone throughout and demonstrates Desdemona's strength of character in every scene. Her high notes glow effulgently and she does not indulge her habit of abandoning the text when consonants gets in the way: a masterful interpretation. Cappuccilli is a convincing Iago with brilliant top As in the Brindisi (he joins Cossutta on the one at the end of Act 2 to exciting effect). His mad laughter is a little self-indulgent, yet it contributes to the drama. The supporting cast is superb, especially a determined Emilia from Gudrun Wewesow whose fury and heartbreak in Act 4 are vividly conveyed. The sound is excellent, better in Acts 3 and 4. In Acts 1 and 2 the voices recede a bit if they wander upstage (I wondered if a house tape was combined with a broadcast tape). Listening with headphones makes this all less of a problem.A classic night at the opera in München from nearly half a century ago!