Otello at the Metropolitan Opera House Ticket

Often cited as Italian opera’s greatest tragedy, Otello is a miraculous union of music and drama—a masterpiece as profound philosophically as it is thrilling theatrically. Shakespeare’s tale of an outsider, a great hero who can’t control his jealousy, was carefully molded by the librettist Arrigo Boito into a taut and powerful libretto. All three lead roles are demanding—making the opera a challenge to produce—but the role of Otello in particular requires an astounding natural instrument capable of both powerful and delicate sounds, superb musical intelligence, and impressive acting abilities. Otello is set on the island of Cyprus, originally in the late 15th century. The island itself represents an outpost of a European power under constant attack from an encroaching, hostile adversary. The current production by Bartlett Sher moves the action to the time of the opera’s creation. The score of Otello is remarkable for its overall intensity and dramatic insight.