Otello

"I can't think of anyone singing the role today who does so as compellingly and powerfully as does Antonenko. He has heroic power and Italianate phrasing that put him up there with many of the finest ... Stoyanova strikes the ear as rather too strident on her first entrance, but she mellows to give a very moving account of the love duet".

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"Editor's choices - June 2020: It's not Kaufmann's Lion of Venice which is the main draw here (though he sounds more fully inside the role than he did three years ago at Covent Garden and is supremely moving in his death-throes, I'm still not convinced it's a natural fit): you'll want to hear this for Pappano's propulsive account of the score with his Roman orchestra, the crackling energy of the opening storm barely abating over the course of the next three hours. Newcomer Federica Lombardi is a luminous Desdemona, and Álvarez exudes motiveless malignity as Iago".

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"Verdis Otello med Domingo er udgivet i flere versioner. En af de bedste kommer nu live fra Wien 1987 med Anna Tomowa-Sintow som en storstemmet Desdemona og Renato Bruson som en stærk Jago".

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"Vurdering: Editor's choice" - "Gerald Finley gives a masterly account of the part ... Anne Schwanewilms is well cast ... The LSO, producing on its own label, has much to be proud of. Its chorus is exceptionally precise and expressive, the playing is alert and sensitive to drama and text".

"In spite of the lack of Italianate voices, O'Neill's heroic singing and Davis's unexpectedly fiery conducting still make this a satisfying account of Verdi's miraculous score".

"Vurdering: G (Gramophone recommends)" - "The great opera is greatly performed ... The recording action makes stage action seem remarkably vivid while keeping a satisfying balance between the various forces, soloists, chorus and orchestra".

"The orchestral sound is splendid particularly the incisive brass, who blaze brightly ... Orchestra Hall offers a superb acoustic ... For an audio souvenir of Antonenko's Otello and for its brilliant orchestral playing, this is a welcome issue".

"Muti's has all elements held in balance. This orchestra is certainly capable of the pile-driver brass ... In Muti's hands Otello remains and opera, not a concerto for orchestra ... Muti's treatment of the Act 3 prelude has such a sureness of dramatic purpose, it's genius at a Toscaninian level ...The orchestra play like a participatory character in the drama".

"It's a forceful, visceral reading of the score that packs an irresistible punch, but which could do more to capture the refined lyricism and stately grandeur that are also such essential parts of the work ... [Kaufmann] bares his dramatic teeth impressively and to powerful effect; he is nobly moving in the final scene. But the characterisation is also held back by the fact that, although he has all the notes and plenty of power, the voice itself sounds short on juice ... Kaufmann's many fans needn't hesitate ... A solid, impressive achievement but not a recording that's likely to replace anyone's existing top choices in this great work".