DVD 5019 OTELLO

José Cura is without a shadow of a doubt THE Otello of the 21st century. Since Domingo has practically retired from the traditional tenor repertoire, nobody other than Cura can become a better heir to his throne. Not only does he act well, but he also sings with verve and the dark tones the title role requires. Raimondi's facial expressions give Iago a more than ruthless villanous face, although his singing has obviously been affected by his age. However, the result is admittedly very impressive. Frittoli is a perfect Desdemona.

Any opera with Abbado conducting is worthwhile, and Cura and Frittoli are among the best interpreters today.Main drawbacks:The tessitura of Iago is too high for Raimondi, and the basic unit set is hideous.