Description:

Jon Vickers will be remembered as one of the great Otellos of all time.  This performance captures the essence of his brilliance in this role.   Vocally it may not have been the best fits for him.  There are times when the voice buckles slightly under the awesome demands of the part.  A lesser artist would have taken a more careful approach but Vickers just seems to keep giving resulting in a heart-breaking portrayal of an otherwise good man becoming undone before our eyes.  Raina Kabaivanska was also at the onset of her career.   The youthfulness of her voice lends itself quite well to Desdemona and when she wants to she rises to the challenges of full-throated Verdi singing.   I cannot say enough good things about Louis Quilico’s Iago.  He brings a black quality to his otherwise mellifluous baritone.  The sound is very good.

OD 10361-2