Synopsis
Time: The
late 1400's.
Place: A
coastal city on the island of Cyprus.
Act
1
In front of the castle, next
to the harbor
On a stormy night, the people
of Cyprus anxiously await the arrival of the new governor, Otello, from
the battle with the Turks (Chorus, Montana, Cassio, Jago, Roderigo: "Una
vela! Una vela!" - "A sail! Jubilation!"). Otello arrives safely and
announces that the Turkish fleet has been destroyed, and the Cypriots
cheer (Otello, chorus: "Esultate! L’orgoglio musulmano").
Otello's ensign, Jago, offers
to help a young Venetian gentleman Roderigo in his seduction of Othello's
wife Desdemona, because he (Jago) wants revenge against the Moor (Jago,
Roderigo: "Roderigo, ebben che pensi?"). Otello has appointed Cassio to be
the captain of the navy, a position that Jago hoped to have. The people of
Cyprus celebrate the navy's safe return by lighting a bonfire (Chorus: "Fuoco
di gioia!" - "Fire of joy").
In the tavern, Jago proposes a
toast to Otello and his wife, while Cassio fulsomely praises Desdemona (Jago,
Cassio, Chorus, Roderigo: "Roderigo, beviam!"). Jago offers Cassio wine,
but Cassio says he has had enough. Jago pressures him, and when Jago
offers a toast to Otello and Desdemona, Cassio gives in. Jago sings a
drinking song and continues to pour Cassio wine (Jago, Cassio, Roderigo,
chorus: "Inaffia l'ugola!" - "Wet your throat").
Montano enters and calls for
Cassio to begin his watch, but he is surprised to find Cassio drunk and
barely able to stand upright. To Montano's surprise, Jago explains that
this is how Cassio spends every evening. Roderigo laughs at Cassio's
drunkenness and Cassio attacks him. Montano tells Cassio to refrain, but
Cassio draws his sword and threatens to crack open Montano's head
(Montano, Cassio, Jago, Roderigo, chorus: "Capitano, v’attende la fazione
ai baluardi"). Cassio and Montano begin to duel, and Jago sends Roderigo
to call the alarm. Cassio wounds Montano as Otello enters and orders them
to lower their swords.
Otello asks "honest Jago" to
explain how the duel began, but Jago says he doesn't know. Otello then
turns to Cassio, who feels embarrassed and cannot excuse his actions. When
Otello discovers that Montano is wounded, he becomes enraged. Desdemona
enters, and, upon seeing that his bride's rest has been disturbed, Otello
declares that Cassio is no longer Captain (Otello, Jago, Cassio, Montano :
"Abbasso le spade").
The Cypriots leave Otello alone
with Desdemona. Together Otello and Desdemona recall why they fell in
love. They kiss and then walk back to the castle (Otello, Desdemona: "Gia
nella notte densa" - "Already in the dense night").
Act
2
Inside the castle, a chamber
next to the garden
Jago suggests Cassio should ask
Desdemona to talk to Otello about his demotion, because Desdemona can
influence her husband to reinstate him (Jago, Cassio: "Non ti crucciar").
Desdemona and Emilia enter, and Cassio begins to plead with Desdemona.
Jago watches them and proclaims his evil Credo ("Credo in un Dio crudel" -
"I believe in a cruel God").
Otello enters; Jago, pretending
not to notice him, says that he is deeply trouble. Otello asks what's
wrong, and Jago responds by giving vague answers. Finally he hints that
Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. Otello feels himself becoming
jealous, but he wants proof of Desdemona's betrayal first (Jago, Otello: "Cio
m’accora.. che parli?").
A crowd of children, sailors,
and Cypriots encircles Desdemona, praising her beauty and purity (Chorus,
Jago, children, Desdemona, Otello: "Dove guardi splendono raggi"). They
leave her gifts and wish her happiness before leaving.
Desdemona carries Cassio's
request for reinstatement to Otello. Otello sourly tells her to ask him
another time, and says he has a headache. Desdemona wraps his head in a
handkerchief Otello once gave her, linen embroidered with strawberries.
Otello throws it to the ground and says he doesn't need it (Desdemona,
Otello: "D'un uom che geme sotto il tuo disdegno"). Emilia picks up the
handkerchief. Desdemona asks for Otello's forgiveness. Aside, Jago demands
that Emilia give him the handkerchief. When she refuses, Jago takes it
from her.
Otello dismisses the others,
and sings that he now believes that Desdemona may be deceiving him (Otello:
"Ora è per sempre addio"). Jago returns, and the jealous Otello demands
proof of Desdemona's infidelity. Jago says that once, when he and Cassio
were sleeping in the same room, he heard Cassio talking to Desdemona in a
dream. In the dream, says Jago, Cassio told Desdemona that they must be
careful to conceal their love (Iago: "Era la notte, Cassio dormia" - "It
was night, Cassio was sleeping"). Jago says that dreams don't prove
anything, but remarks that he saw Cassio carrying Desdemona's
strawberry-embroidered handkerchief just the day before. Together, Otello
and Jago swear vengeance on Desdemona (Otello, Iago: "Sì, pel ciel
marmoreo giuro" - "Yes, by the marble heavens I swear").
Act
3
The great hall of the
castle. A small hall next to the great hall.
Jago explains to Otello that he
will lure Cassio here and talk with him while Otello watches, hidden. He
leaves to go get Cassio (Otello, Jago: "Continua, Qui trarro Cassio").
Desdemona enters and reminds
Otello of Cassio's request. Otello says that he still has a headache, and
asks her to wrap her handkerchief around his head. When Desdemona produces
a different handkerchief, Otello demands the one with strawberries. When
she says she does not have it, Otello says that it was a talisman, and
troubles will befall her if she loses it. Desdemona says that he is trying
to ignore Cassio's plea, and as she asks him about Cassio, he demands the
handkerchief ever more insistently (Desdemona, Otello: "Dio ti giocondi, o
sposo"). Desdemona protests that she is faithful; Otello sends her away
(Desdemona, Otello: "Esterrefatta fisso").
Otello laments his fate ("Dio!
mi potevi scagliar tutti I mali" - "God, you could have lashed at me" )
when Jago calls out "Cassio is here!" Otello hides as Jago and Cassio
enter. Cassio says he had hoped to see Desdemona here, for he wanted to
know whether she had been successful with Otello (Jago, Cassio, Otello: "Vieni;
l’aula e deserta"). Jago asks him to tell of his adventures with that
woman. Cassio asks which woman, and, softly, so that Otello cannot hear,
Jago says "Bianca" (the name of Cassio's real-life lover). Cassio laughs
about his romantic adventures; Otello assumes he is talking about
Desdemona. Jago also shows that Cassio has the strawberry-embroidered
handkerchief, which Jago had previously hidden in Cassio's house (Jago,
Cassio, Otello: "E intanto, giacche non si stanca mai").
Bugles sound, announcing the
arrival of the Venetian ambassador. Jago warns Cassio that he should leave
unless he wants to see Otello. Cassio exits, and Otello determines to kill
his wife by suffocating her in her bed, while Jago will take care of
Cassio.
Lodovico, Desdemona, Emilia,
Roderigo, and other dignitaries enter, noting Cassio's absence. Jago tells
him that Cassio is out of favor, and Desdemona says that he will soon be
restored. Jago explains to the puzzled Lodovico that perhaps Cassio's
restoration is her wish. Desdemona says that it is, for she has quite an
affection for him. Otello calls her a demon and almost strikes her
violently but held by Lodovico. Otello then calls for Cassio (Lodovico,
Otello, Desdemona, Emilia, Jago, chorus: "Il Doge ed il Senato salutano").
Cassio enters and Otello reads a letter from the
Doge, announcing that he (Otello) has been called back to Venice and
Cassio is the new Duke of Cyprus. Enraged, Otello throws Desdemona to the
ground (Otello, Roderigo, Jago, Cassio, Lodovico: "Messeri!... Il Doge..."
- "Gentlemen! The Doge..." )
Desdemona on the ground,
laments ("A terra! … si … nel livido fango"). Emilia and Lodovico comfort
Desdemona. Aside, Jago tells Otello that tonight is the night to take
revenge. Jago then secretly tells Roderigo that the only way to prevent
Desdemona from leaving is for the new Duke to die, and arranges for
Roderigo to kill Cassio that night. Otello orders everyone to leave.
Desdemona goes to comfort him, but Lodovico drags her away as Otello
curses her (Emilia, Cassio, Desdemona, Roderigo, Lodovico, Jago, Otello,
chorus: "Quell’innocente un fremito"). Otello raves about the
handkerchief, then collapses. Jago presses Otello's forehead with his
heel, then walks away. Outside the crowd of Cypriots calls out victory and
glory for Otello (Otello, Desdemona, Emilia, Cassio, Roderigo, Lodovico,
Jago, chorus: "Fuggite!").
Act
4
Desdemona's chamber. A lit
lamp in front of an image of the Virgen Mary.
Desdemona and Emilia are
preparing for bed. Desdemona asks Emilia to put out the bridal gown she
used on her wedding day, and says that if she dies, she wants to be buried
in it. Emilia tells not to talk about such things. Desdemona recalls how
her mother had a servant named Barbara, who fell in love with a man but
went mad when he left her (Desdemona: "Mia madre aveva una povera ancella"
- "Willow Song") ; (Desdemona, Emilia: "Piangea cantando nell’erma landa").
After Emilia leaves, Desdemona prays ("Ave Maria") and then falls asleep.
Silently, Otello enters, with a
sword. He kisses his wife three times; she awakens. Otello asks her if she
has prayed tonight, because he does not want to kill her soul. She asks
God for mercy, both for her and for Otello. Otello accuses her of sin,
saying that he must kill her because she loves Cassio. Desdemona denies it
and asks that he summon Cassio on her behalf. Otello says that Cassio is
already dead. Desdemona pleads for mercy, but Otello tells her it's too
late for that and strangles her (Otello, Desdemona: "Diceste questa sera
le vostre preci").
Emilia knocks at the door,
announcing that Cassio has killed Roderigo. Desdemona softly calls out
that she has been unjustly accused, and then dies. Emilia calls Otello a
murderer; he retorts that Jago gave him proof of Desdemona's infidelity.
Otello begins to threaten Emilia, who calls for help. Jago, Cassio, and
Lodovico enter. Emilia demands that Jago deny Otello's accusation; he
refuses. Otello says that the handkerchief Desdemona gave to Cassio is
proof enough. Emilia, horrified, explains that Jago had stolen the
handkerchief; Cassio corroborates her story. Montano enters and says that
Roderigo, with his dying breath, has revealed Jago's plan. Iago,
brandishing his sword, runs away (Emilia, Otello, Desdemona, Cassio, Jago,
Lodovico, Montano: "Aprite! Aprite!" - "Open up!").
After he realizes what has
happened, Otello grieves over Desdemona's death. He then draws a dagger
from his robe and stabs himself. Others try to stop him but it is too
late. Before he dies, he drags himself next to his wife and kisses her. He
lies dead next to Desdemona (Otello, Cassio, Lodovico, Montano: "Niun mi
tema" - "That none fear me").
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