Word: iago
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...personae themselves, the laurels go to Michael MacLiammoir for his superb portrayal of the traitor Iago, whose evil is somehow intensified by two wisps of chin whiskers. Robert Coote is an unusually funny Roderigo. Welles, with his wide-range voice, is more than competent though not ideal in the title role. Suzanne Cloutier's Desdemona emerges rather colorless, mostly because her part has been so greatly cut, including the whole Willow Song scene. In places, the synchronization of the speech sound track is imprecise. Nevertheless, the film well deserved its Cannes Festival Grand Prize. It will outrage the Shaksperian pedant...
Then Orpheus smashed his lyre to the floor and the orchestra ground to shocked silence. Thus last week did La Scala Baritone Giuseppe Valdengo-sometime (1947-54) of the Metropolitan Opera and a notable Iago in Toscanini's 1947 broadcast of Otello-throw the skids under one of the first operas ever written, Monteverdi's Orfeo (1607). From the wings issued a flying wedge of furies, shades and demons, screaming insults at the baritone, who made a hurried and unheroic exit. Umberto and his lady rose uncertainly as the audience broke into loud jeers, cheers and whistles...
...bonus. The confidence-man gently chides the old fellow, "since in Providence, as in man, you and I equally put trust." "Let me extinguish this lamp," he says, and as he leads the old man off into the darkness, the confidence-man is no longer a smooth-talking Iago turned riverboat swindler, but the Devil himself holding the whole earth in his black hand...
Those who attend dress rehearsals claim that Heffron was overly nervous opening night, and is really capable of a fine performance. In hope so. But Tom Gaydos, defeating opening night jitters, stole the show as the wily Iago. His performance, although at times uneven, generally flowed from peak to peak, setting a brisk pace for the other actors. This was particularly noticable in his scenes with Roderigo, played, with scant talent, by John Bethel. Gaydos seldom allowed himself the luxury of shouting, and even tried to tone down some of Heffron's more volatile scenes. His Iago was, perhaps...
...Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Fausto Cleva conducting; Columbia, 2 sides LP). This anthology includes the best duets and arias of Verdi's best opera. Vinay defends his title as the finest Moor of the day, and Steber makes a pure-voiced Desdemona; Guarrera is not malignant enough to do Iago full justice. Recording: excellent...