Five down

Don't worry, I am as perplexed by this Otello mania as anyone. Because after all, sopranos aside, this isn't the kind of opera I usually become attached to. And it would be easy enough to say, well, I'm really only going to see Desdemona, and the rest is filler. Easy, but not altogether true. I only occasionally work on that principle; despite Rachelle's presence, for instance, I only saw Don Giovanni twice. Of course it would absolutely be possible to see this opera for its Desdemonic portions only — she is that good — but it has other attractions.

In particular, it has Jonathan Summers. And yes, I will get as repetitive about him as I do about sopranos because the man is a genius. The first gleeful frisson I get from this production is not "Mio superbo guerrier" but Iago's "Se un fragil voto / di femmina non è tropp'arduo nodo / pel genio mio nè per l'inferno". He is such a through-and-through villain I should hate him, but he's so good at it (and sounds so good, too) that I love him. That Desdemona should fall victim to his machinations is indeed unfortunate, but apart from that, I'm on Iago's side. Even at the end I lead this double life: I'm sad for poor, lifeless Desdemona, but when Iago spits defiantly at Otello and runs off, I confess I stifle a little cheer for him. Does this make me a terrible person? Yes? I don't care.

None of which, however, should be read as a claim that I'd still be repeatedly attending this Otello if it had an ordinary Desdemona. You'd never swallow that, and neither would I. But it isn't like Alcina, where by night five it was all about Rachelle, and all that other singing was just what I had to sit through to get to her. (I overstate the case slightly, though to be honest, not by much.)

Repeated viewing has allayed my concerns about Desdemona's costumes, they don't seem as ill-fitting as originally they did, although the hemline of her "Splende in ciel" suit isn't the most flattering. I am, however, steadily falling in love with her Act III frock with all its purple layers. The "Dio ti giocondi" black pant-suit is my favourite, especially the gorgeous black heels that go with it.

Also, it has to be said again — the chorus is doing so well in this production. Singing fabulously and running, jumping and tumbling up and down all those stairs. It can't be easy, and I'm so impressed that in five performances not a single person has tripped on their, or somebody else's, frock. Or if they have, I haven't noticed.

Can you believe that this afternoon, choosing music, the one thing I felt in the mood for was, yes, Otello? I should have had enough by now, but evidently not. Oh, and I still have one more performance booked. Which might become two. This would make seven in total — still one off my record — and I'm tempted to do it, if for no other reason than just to be that weirdo who saw Otello seven times.