One could say that this performance features something old and something new… Mario Del Monaco may have been past his prime when this performance of Otello took place. Although the top notes are still thrilling, his dynamic palette consisted of loud and louder. The real gem of this performance is the Desdemona of the young Katia Ricciarelli. Tenor Richard Cassilly once told me that of all the Desdemonas that he worked with (i.e. all of them from his era) Ricciarelli was his favorite. You can hear why from this performance. She sings with a sublime ethereal quality which makes the tragedy of this opera sting all the more coupled with the interesting "May-December" dynamic between her and her co-star. Aldo Protti's Iago is among the suavest I have heard.