About this episode
On this episode of Opera for Everyone we listen to the Opera Otello by Guiseppe Verdi, and also continue our conversation with dramatic baritone Lester Lynch, who plays Iago in this production. Otello is an opera in four acts to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito. The opera is based on Shakespeare's play Othello. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, and was first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan in 1887. It follows the story of Otello, a moor commanding a military unit in Cyprus, his wife Desdemona, and several of his officers. Iago, an ensign, is jealous of his colleague Cassio who has been promoted to captain by Otello. Iago plots to make Otello suspicious that his wife is in love with Cassio and has been unfaithful. In the end, Otello kills Desdemona and then himself. Iago is unrepentant.