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OtelloOtello
Opera

Otello

Giuseppe Verdi

Premiere performances: 26 and 29 September 2024 at the State Opera

The State Opera
Premiere production
English surtitles

Choose date

    February 2025

    Sunday 2. 2.
    17:00

    Tickets available

    Premiere production
    English surtitles

    Friday 7. 2.
    19:00

    Tickets available

    Premiere production
    English surtitles

    Sunday 16. 2.
    17:00

    Tickets available

    Premiere production
    English surtitles

    Basic information

    Venue

    The State Opera

    Approximate running time

    3 hours, 1 intermission (20 minutes) minutes

    Language

    In Italian, surtitles in Czech, English

    Premiere

    September 26, 2024

    Often referred to as the greatest Italian tragic opera, Otello combines Guiseppe Verdi’s brilliant music and William Shakespeare’s celebrated tragedy, as superbly adapted by the librettist Arrigo Boito.

    Cast

    • 2024-2025

    Creatives

    Stage director
    Martin Čičvák
    Choreography
    Silvia Beláková
    Light design
    Jan Dörner
    Chorus master
    Adolf Melichar

    About

    State Opera Chorus
    State Opera Orchestra
    National Theatre Opera Ballet
    Prague Philharmonic Children's Choir

    Shakespeare (and Boito) and Verdi lead the title hero into an ever-deeper abyss. The opera opens with a powerful storm scene and the jubilant entry of Otello, commander of the Venetian Navy, who, in spite of all the natural forces, returns to Cyprus and announces victory over the Ottoman Empire. The hero, however, makes the fatal error of trusting an evil man. Iago, a ruthless schemer devoured by lust for power, turns Otello’s life into a hell. Lost in his own delusions, Iago’s intrigues drive the feted general to blind jealousy, ultimately resulting in murder. Verdi was well aware of the extraordinary quality of Boito’s libretto, the finest he encountered during his career as a composer. He believed that together they had created a masterpiece – and he was right.

    The premiere, on 5 February 1887 at La Scala in Milan, was a triumph, following which Otello set out on its glorious journey around the world. On 7 January 1888, owing to the promptitude of its director, František Adolf Šubert, the opera was staged, in Czech, at the National Theatre in Prague. The State Opera first presented it on 20 December 1911, conducted by Pietro von Stermich. Our new production has been undertaken by the distinguished drama director Martin Čičvák, who has previously gained acclaim at the State Opera with adaptations of Verdi’s opera Macbeth, Paul Abraham’s operetta Ball im Savoy and Dmitry Shostakovich’s opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.

     

    Synopsis

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    Goods detail

    Poster Otello

    A poster for the production of Otello

    299 Kč

    Last item in stock

    Practical information

    Where to buy tickets

    The National Theatre sells tickets up to 6 months in advance. We are currently selling tickets for performances of Drama, Ballet, Opera and Laterna magika taking place in December 2024 – May 2025.


    When purchasing online, you can get an e-ticket. You can pick up printed tickets in person at the box offices of the National Theatre.

    What to wear?

    By their appearance, attire and behaviour, the audience is obliged to adhere to the accustomed practice expected from them when attending a theatre performance.

    Parking at the State opera

    While visiting the State Opera, you can take the slip road on Wilsonova street from the left lane close to the State Opera building to the Parking Centrum above-ground garage. The parking fee is 60 CZK/h.

    Buffets at the State Opera

    No waiting. For your benefit, please pre-order your food and beverages at the bar to minimize waiting in the queue!

    Menu (PDF, 60 kB)