Dramma lirico in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi · Libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

“I believe in a cruel God who created me in his own image.”

Tormenting jealousy, a lack of impulse control, and a handkerchief that becomes a fatal piece of evidence: Otello should have every reason to be content. Returning victorious from battle, he is lovingly welcomed by his wife, Desdemona. Yet not everyone begrudges the general his success. His ensign, Jago, is consumed by envy and driven by a thirst for power and desire. With calculated cunning, he secretly plants the seed of jealousy in Otello’s mind, setting in motion a chain of events that will ultimately cost more than one person their life.

Young director Katharina Kastening, already known to Wuppertal audiences for her acclaimed production of THUMBPRINT, takes a close and critical look at Verdi’s penultimate opera. She interrogates the work from a nuanced perspective and brings new female viewpoints to the stage. Verdi’s score captivates with its sweeping melodic lines, passionate drama, and a theme that remains disturbingly relevant today—an operatic experience that gets under the skin.

Yorgos Ziavras — Musical Direction

Katharina Kastening — Stage Direction

Matthias Kronfuss — Set Design

Devi Saha — Costume Design

Frouke ten Velden — Video Design

Ulrich Zippelius — Chorus Master

Laura Knoll — Dramaturgy

Charne Rochford — Otello

Zurab Nakeuri — Jago

Milan de Korte, Zicong Han* — Cassio

Sergio Augusto — Roderigo

Oliver Weidinger — Ludovico

David Jerusalem Schnitzler — Montano

Andreas Heichlinger — A Herald

Francesca Chiejina — Desdemona

Edith Grossman, Rosamond Thomas* — Emilia

Opera Chorus of Wuppertaler Bühnen

Extra Chorus of Wuppertaler Bühnen

Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra