Here are the items that we found.
Otello
This performance of Otello served as a dry-run for Karajan's subsequent film and recording featuring mostly the same cast. Karajan would have been wiser, however, to simply move the mics into the opera house, as the energy from this live performance surpasses his later efforts. Jon Vickers is at his absolute peak. By the 70s, his voice was developing a more burnished quality which makes his Otello sound all the more tortured. You also get the sense that he was on his best behavior for Karajan, eliminating the mannerisms that often detracted from his artistry. Mirella Freni is radiant as Desdemona spinning silvery tones in the duet and standing up (vocally speaking) to the raging Vickers in Act III. Peter Glossop's Iago is a calculating, cold-blooded sociopath.
Track List
Act I
1. Una vela! Una vela!
2. Esultate!
3. Fuoco di gioia
4. Qua, ragazzi, del vino!
5. Abbasso le spade!
6. Già nella notte densa
2. Esultate!
3. Fuoco di gioia
4. Qua, ragazzi, del vino!
5. Abbasso le spade!
6. Già nella notte densa
Act II
7. Non ti crucciär. Se credi a me
8. Vanne; la tua meta già vedo.
9. Ciò m'accora
10. D'un uom che geme sotto il tuo disdegno
11. Desdemona rea!
12. Era la notte
13. Sì, pel ciel marmoreo giuro!
8. Vanne; la tua meta già vedo.
9. Ciò m'accora
10. D'un uom che geme sotto il tuo disdegno
11. Desdemona rea!
12. Era la notte
13. Sì, pel ciel marmoreo giuro!
Act III
14. La vedetta del porto ha segnalato
15. Dio ti giocondi, o sposo
16. Esterrefatta fissò lo sguardo tuo tremendo
17. Dio! mi potevi
18. Vieni, l'aula è deserta
19. Evviva il Leon di San Marco!
20. A terra!... sì... nel livido fango
21. Fuggite! Tutti fuggite Otello!
15. Dio ti giocondi, o sposo
16. Esterrefatta fissò lo sguardo tuo tremendo
17. Dio! mi potevi
18. Vieni, l'aula è deserta
19. Evviva il Leon di San Marco!
20. A terra!... sì... nel livido fango
21. Fuggite! Tutti fuggite Otello!
Act IV
22. Era più calmo?
23. Mia madre aveva una povera ancella
24. Ave Maria
25. Chi è là? Otello?
26. Calma come la tomba
27. Niun mi tema
23. Mia madre aveva una povera ancella
24. Ave Maria
25. Chi è là? Otello?
26. Calma come la tomba
27. Niun mi tema
Customer Reviews
Share your experience with fellow collectors
Share Your Experience
A star rating alone is welcome, and reviews may be written in any language.
4.8
Based on 5 reviews
✓ Top Reviewer
France
La vie du théâtre
Karajan bien plus naturel et vivant qu'en studio. Vickers au zénith, plus spontané qu'ultérieurement. Freni très touchante. Glossop est le point noir : timbre rebutant, interprétation grossière. A noter la grosse coupure dans l'ensemble final du 3 (qu'il ne faisait pas en 1961). Son d'un bon pirate mais pirate tout de même.
Report
✓ Verified Buyer
United States
✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Great Performance in Excellent Sound!
Karajan's second studio set of Otello has generally been rated lower than his first version with Del Monaco. Most critics insisted it was too refined and lacking in passion. That certainly isn't the case with this live performance from the Salzburg Festival. There is a spontaneity here missing from the studio performance.Vickers is sui generis: the voice is one of a kind. It certainly isn't Italianate, but that doesn't matter. He sings with passion and precision, more so than in some later performances. He can be an impassioned lover one moment, a terrifying figure of revenge the next. Freni sings exquisitely. She would field an even more melting pianissimo in the studio (or was that knob-twiddling?); she doesn't do her heartbreaking scream here that she does in the studio, but she's a Desdemona you love and want to protect. Glossop is in fresher voice and is nasty piece of work. The supporting cast is also very good. Karajan leads a performance that is more of a piece than in the studio where multiple takes detract from a cohesive whole. Unfortunately, he makes the same foolish cuts in the ensemble work in Acts Two and Three that he would in the studio. Karajan was definitely his own person, love him or leave him!The sound is very good, the voices can always be heard over the orchestra.If you love the opera, the singers, or Karajan you'll want to hear this, especially if you're only familiar with the studio recording.
Report
✓ Verified Buyer
Italy
giovanni martini
Interpretation vivid and dramatically superb voice cast and orchestra subjugated by perfect freedom granted by the Master, the intrinsic value of each singer and instrumentalist, fully exercised in the compactness of an Absolute: that of Herbert von Karajan!
Report
✓ Verified Buyer
United States
Carl Halperin
Great performance, like the commercial set but with the added excitement of a live evening.
Report
