OPERA AT THE ACADEMY

OTELLO
by Giuseppe Verdi
October 1, 3m, 6, 10m & 15, 2010
Sung in Italian with English translations

Opera Company of Philadelphia opens a rich and varied season with the Company Premiere of Verdi’s tour-de-force Otello. Based on Shakespeare’s famed work and widely considered to be Verdi’s greatest opera, Otello tells the story of a slave who overcomes great obstacles to become a noble general, but is then driven to unspeakable jealousy by a scheming, envious officer in his army. Passion, political intrigue and a fatal flaw are at the center of this intense musical drama that stands at the pinnacle of grand opera experiences.

Several powerhouse company debuts are in store. Tenor Clifton Forbis, one of today’s foremost dramatic tenors, in demand from La Scala to the Metropolitan Opera, shares the title role with tenor Arnold Rawls, a frequent guest artist at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Star baritone Mark Delavan, known internationally for his command of Wagner and Verdi, is Otello’s foil, Iago. French soprano Norah Amsellem, with recent leading diva credits at Royal Opera Covent Garden and the Met, makes her role debut as Desdemona in this stunning production from the Welsh National Opera.

Schedule Details:
Friday, October 1, 2010 at 8:00 p.m
Sunday, October 3, 2010 at 2:30 p.m
Wednesday, October 6, 2010 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 15, 2010 at 2:30 p.m.
Friday, October 10, 2010 at 8:00 p.m

Estimated Running Time: Approximately 3 hours