Sounds of Learning

Welcome students and teachers to opera online! Continuing to look at the main characters of the opera, next we will look at iago, the cause of Otello's rage! Website of the week Baritone Mark Delavan will make his Opera Company of Philadelphia debut as Iago in Otello . To find out more about his life, roles and future performances visit his website . YouTube Clip of the Week Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Iago's "Credo" from Otello Don't forget to invite your friends to sign up to receive these alerts by emailing their name, school, and age to us at outreach@operaphila.org . Until next week…

Welcome students and teachers to opera online! Continuing to look at the main characters of the opera, next we will look at Desdemona who is Otellos wife. Website of the week Norah Amsellem will make her Opera Company of Philadelphia debut as Desdemona in Otello . Find out more about her life, roles and future performances visit her website . YouTube Clip of the Week Dame Kiri Te Kanawa as Desdemona sings "Ave Maria" from Verdi's Otello . A Royal Opera House Covent Garden production from 1992. Don't forget to invite your friends to sign up to receive these alerts by emailing their name, school, and age to us at outreach@operaphila.org . Until next week…

Welcome students and teachers to opera online! Continuing to look at the main characters of the opera, next we will look at Desdemona who is Otellos wife. Website of the week Norah Amsellem will make her Opera Company of Philadelphia debut as Desdemona in Otello . Find out more about her life, roles and future performances visit her website . YouTube Clip of the Week This week we'll see Desdemona's famous Willow Song and Ave Maria from the last act of the opera. This scene opens the last act of the opera. Dedemona has just been humiliated in front of the Cyprian and Venetian noblemen when Otello threw her to the ground in front of everyone. he orders her go to go bed. With an ominous sense of foreboding, Desdemona remembers her mother's maidservant Barbara who was abandoned by her lover and used to sing a sad song, the Willow Song. Now Desdemona sings the song and as Emilia departs desperately cries out to her. Alone, Desdemona prays the Virgin Mary and goes to bed. Da...

Welcome students and teachers to opera online! Last week we looked at Verdi, the man behind the music and the opening Act of Otello . Next we will begin to look at the main characters of the opera and the people who have the challange of singing those roles in the Opera Company of Philadelphia's production. Website of the week Clifton Forbis makes his Opera Company of Philadelphia debut in the title role of Otello. Find out more about his life, roles and future performances visit his website . Mr. Forbis is well known for portraying larger-than-life characters like Otello. His burnished, big, heroic voice is perfect for the tragic role of the Venetian general. YouTube Clip of the Week Placido Domingo sings Otello's Act III aria "Dio! mi potevi scagliar." Otello has just accused Desdemona of having an affair with Cassio, which she has vehemently denied. Still, he is unsure. He tells God that he could have handled any hardship in his marriage to Desdemona except inf...

Welcome students and teachers to opera online! I hope everyone enjoyed their summer! The Opera Company of Philadelphia has a fabulous season ahead this year beginning with the highly theatrical opera, Verdi's Otello . We will begin by looking at the composer behind the music Giuseppe Verdi. Website of the week To find out more about this opera, including links to cast member webpages, photos from rehearsals, a downloadable podcast about the opera, the official Giuseppe Verdi webpage, a full piano-vocal score, and more, visit the Sounds of Learning page on Otello here . YouTube Clip of the Week Zeffirelli's movie O tello was released in 1986 and starred Plácido Domingo as Otello, Katia Ricciarelli as Desdemona and Justino Díaz as Iago. This is the opening scene "Una Vela... Esultate!" The crowd prays for Otello's safe return in the midst of the storm. Otello, the general from Venice who has been stationed in Cyrpus as governor, triumphantly returns. He has j...