Better than Muti

None of Domingo's three CD recordings quite achieves classic status - each for different reasons - so people are likely to turn back to his DVDs for evidence that this was the finest Otello of the second half of the twentieth century. This performance would amply support this - he is in superb voice, and only occasionally do you feel that he is stretched to the limit by this demanding role. I thought James Morris was an excellent Iago - all too often you get someone so obviously villainous that only a total moron (which Othello isn't) would fail to spot the fact. The director capitalised on the fact that he is rather limited as an actor by encouraging him to play poker-faced, which is how Iago should be. Renee Fleming is beautiful in voice and demeanour - credible and moving as Desdemona. There's a good Cassio too. In most ways this is better than the La Scala film under Muti; the only drawback is that the action is set on a clunky platform, so there is a lot of stage noise. A great performance, nonetheless.