In creating the characters for his master play "Othello", Shakespeare combined the most devastating but inexorable human traits: arrogance, insecurity, envy and jealousy. Othello, his Venetian general, is defending the Cypriots against Turkish invasion but becomes obsessed with rumours of his wife ́s infidelity, implied by his ensign, Iago.

Watch the performance live at http://www.bergenphillive.no/video-konserter/2017/12/livestream-otello/. The transmission starts at 18.55 on Friday 15 December.

For BNO’s theatrical performances, with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra on stage and the drama swirling around them, we see the return to Bergen of monumental performers: Stuart Skelton - recently our heartwrenching Peter Grimes, with Latonia Moore and Lester Lynch, unforgettable in BNO’s 2014 Aida.

Otello is directed and lit by award-winning Peter Mumford and conducted by Edward Gardner.

Edward Gardner, conductor
Peter Mumford, director, design and lighting
Stuart Skelton, Otello
Latonia Moore, Desdemona
Lester Lynch, Iago
Vladimir Dmitruk, Cassio
Remus Alazaroae, Roderigo
Jongmin Park, Lodovico
David Hansford, Montano
Hanna Hipp, Emilia
Ørjan Hartveit, A herald 

Bergen Philharmonic Chorus
Edvard Grieg Kor
Collegiûm Mûsicûm Kor
Bergen pikekor & Bergen guttekor

Håkon Matti Skrede, chorus master

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Giuseppe Verdi: Otello, opera in four acts
Arrigo Boito: Libretto, based on Shakespeare

"Not since Domingo in his prime can this music have been sung with more complete assurance" - The Telegraph on Stuart Skelton as Otello at English National Opera (2014)

"A remarkable voice, wonderful in its amplitude at full throttle, yet also capable of sustaining beautiful, rapt pianissimos. This is one of the finest performances of the role to be heard in London for many years.” - The Guardian on Latonia Moore as Aida at English National Opera (2017)