The Verdi Project: Otello

Verdi's penultimate opera was also the end of his 13-year retirement.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

There aren't many great Otellos so here's a lot of images of one: Anders Antonenko.
Photo © 2016 The Metropolitan Opera.

Verdi’s Otello is a colossus  of the Italian repertory, and one of the finest adaptations of Shakespeare to another medium. A triumph, it was Verdi's first opera in 13 years, and announced his final great creative partnership with librettist Arrigo Boito.

At His Exercise: The Greatest Jon Vickers Opera Recordings

We celebrate the memory of the great Canadian tenor.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Jon Vickers as Aeneas in a scene from Les Troyens.
Source: JonVickers.org

The Canadian tenor Jon Vickers passed away this weekend. One of the greatest heroic singers of the 20th century, Mr. Vickers was a tenor of exceptional power and vocal strength with a memorable stage presence. Over four decades, he made many memorable recordings including the first complete studio performance of Berlioz' Les Troyens with Sir Colin Davis. He sang many of the major heroic Wagner roles, although he eschewed the difficult part of Tannhäuser, famously citing his strong Christian beliefs. Here are five of his legendary complete opera performances from the Superconductor archives.

Recordings Review: Patience is a Virtue

The 1971 Reginald Goodall Parsifal.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Nobody's fool: Jon Vickers (left) and Amy Shuard in Act II of Parsifal.
Photo from ROH Archives © 1971 Royal Opera House of Covent Garden.
Photo from cover of Parsifal © 2008 Medici Classics.

Richard Wagner's Parsifal is unlike any other opera The slow pace, lack of action and meditative musings on suffering and self-denial can tax the patience of the most ardent fan of this composer. Those who prefer this work's majestic intervals and muted, almost impressionistic chords to unfold at a slow but considered pace should investigate this 2008 release from the BBC Legends series on Medici Classics. Drawn from a single performance (May 18, 1971 at Covent Garden and first broadcast on the BBC) this recording features Sir Reginald Goodall's legendary interpretation of Wagner's last opera, and it's every bit as magnificent and magisterial as one would hope.