The Nature of Opera

Off to see the Canadian Opera Company's production of Verdi's Otello, at the request of my daughter Victoria, who had been asked to replace the first violinist on a temporary basis  He had come down with a stomach disorder -- a pound of anchovies will do that.

The performance was spectacular, with all components coming together. In opera, this doesn't happen often, and when it does, well, suffice it to say that the evening will remain memorable. During the intermission, I leaned over the sunken pit and chatted a bit with Victoria, and thanked her for urging me to come. The seat she had procured, in the Grand Ring, didn't hurt either. Less serendipitous was meeting Victoria's current flame, also in the orchestra, a tall, angular redhead whom I assumed would be playing one of the brass instruments. I had her linked to a tuba, but was taken aback to learn that she was a world-renowned piccolo player. So it goes....

Back at the Manor after the performance, and with a serious Laphroaig in hand, I pondered a question.

How is it that, at least for me, Shakespeare's Othello doesn't work, and Verdi's does?  Yes, Shakespeare's language is magnificent, but....

Shakespeare introduces us to Othello as this grand warrior, a general skilled in tactics and strategy, one who during the course of his many campaigns would have been deluged by mis-information both from the enemy and his own aides. Yet this man, with all this skill, falls into ruin over a mis-placed handkerchief? I don't think so.

The opposing argument, of course, springs from the influence of Iago upon Othello. Yet Iago, a personification of evil, had been with Othello for some time. I just can't get my head around the issue that Othello would have taken the man's measure long ago, and taken everything the man said with a grain of salt. As to why Iago goes after Othello, the answer is nebulous. Yes, Iago was passed over for promotion (another reason we can conclude that Othello knows his stuff when it comes to staffing) but this in itself would not be enough to unleash the havoc.

In fact, Shakespeare shows Iago himself  at a loss as to what drives him in his 'credo' speech. Coleridge termed this "the motive hunting of a motiveless malignity", a phrase that recalls Dick Cheney justifying the attack on Iraq to George W.

Verdi, in Otello, follows Shakespeare carefully, YET IT ALL WORKS.

Hence my proposition: You can get away with a lot more in opera that you can in a play. We seem to have a greater suspension of belief, aided and abetted by great music, brilliant singing, attractive costumes and sets. Plot just appears not as critical to success as it does in a play. Thus if you take away all that operatic surround, flaws stand out very quickly.

Much like current Government.