Royal Opera House 2021-22 Review: Otello
“As was the case with his “Macbeth” in the autumn, many eyes were on Daniele Rustioni in the pit, a frontrunner tipped to succeed Antonio Pappano; Rustioni was in the Jette Parker programme at the ROH and has trained directly under Pappano – indeed the man himself was there that night to watch.
Rustioni offered a well-paced, taut account of Verdi’s darkest score. He shares his mentor’s feeling for sculpted details – not least in iridescent, lightning-flash brass triplets in a thrilling opening scene. In the great Act two love duet the strings were feather-soft and blooming. Textural vivacity … was a hallmark of the Act two chorus scene with guitar, mandolin, and silvery strings casting a mediterranean glow across the auditorium.
All in all, a polished and stylish account, with Italianate flourish and a sense of wicked fun. It seems inevitable Rustioni will advance to the next round of interviews. He drew fine singing from a chorus who continue to have a very good year indeed.”
Operawire, Benjamin Poore