"Russell Thomas is an Otello for our time" - LA Times
Experience Verdi's Shakespearean classic at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, back for the first time in 15 years. Tickets start at $24.
He's a beloved leader, a distinguished military commander and a devoted husband. But when an envious subordinate introduces the notion—just the slightest whispered hint—that Otello's wife Desdemona might possibly be unfaithful, it's enough to send him into a downward spiral of fury and murder.
Hailed as the pinnacle of the Italian operatic repertoire, Verdi’s transformation of the original Shakespeare play is a powerful drama of uncontrolled human emotion at its most extreme. Verdi's musical portrait of Otello’s descent into a tortured heart of darkness is explicit in every chilling detail as he destroys all in life that he holds dear.
Verdi master James Conlon takes command of the truly epic musical forces including a cast of over 100 performers. The powerhouse cast is led by Artist in Residence Russell Thomas in the title role (considered the "Mount Everest" of the dramatic tenor repertoire). Rachel Willis-Sørensen makes a highly anticipated company debut as the doomed Desdemona and Igor Golovatenko is the sadistic Iago, slyly exploiting Otello's one fatal flaw: jealousy.
"There was a full cast of powerhouse singers. [Russell] Thomas as a compelling Otello… his burnished tenor brings a heartbreaking beauty even to big, overwrought emotions."
Listen to Otello's dramatic Act 1 entrance ("Esultate!"), with the chorus cheering his stunning victory over an enemy fleet.
Swipe for More

Russell Thomas (center) as Otello, with Igor Golovatenko (Iago), Morris Robinson (Lodovico) and Rachel Willis-Sørensen (Desdemona)
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Russell Thomas as Otello (with Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Desdemona)
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Act Three finale
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Russell Thomas as Otello
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Desdemona
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Anthony León as Roderigo and Igor Golovatenko as Iago
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Anthony Ciaramitaro as Cassio and Alan Williams as Montano
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

At center, Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Desdemona and Sarah Saturnino as Emilia
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Russell Thomas as Otello
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Desdemona and Russell Thomas (left rear) as Otello
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Morris Robinson as Lodovico
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Russell Thomas as Otello and Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Desdemona
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Desdemona
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Russell Thomas as Otello
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Russell Thomas as Otello and Igor Golovatenko as Iago
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Igor Golovatenko as Iago and Russell Thomas as Otello
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Russell Thomas as Otello
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Desdemona, with Sarah Saturnino as Emilia
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

A scene from "Otello," with (at center) Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Desdemona and Sarah Saturnino as Emilia
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Igor Golovatenko as Iago
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Anthony Ciaramitaro as Cassio and Igor Golovatenko as Iago
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Morris Robinson as Lodovico
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Morris Robinson (center) as Lodovico, with Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Desdemona and Russell Thomas as Otello
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Russell Thomas (Otello) and Rachel Willis-Sørensen (Desdemona) at lower right, with (L to R) Alan Williams (Montano), Morris Robinson (Lodovico), Anthony Ciaramitaro (Cassio) and Sarah Saturnino (Emilia)
Cory WeaverSwipe for More

Music Director James Conlon conducts "Otello."
Dan SteinbergCast
- Otello
- Russell Thomas
- Desdemona
- Rachel Willis-Sørensen
- Iago
- Igor Golovatenko
- Cassio
- Anthony Ciaramitaro
- Emilia
- Sarah Saturnino
- Lodovico
- Morris Robinson
- Roderigo
- Anthony León
- Montano
- Alan Williams
- Herald
- Ryan Wolfe
Creative Team
- Conductor
- James Conlon
- Original Production
- John Cox
- Director
- Joel Ivany
- Scenery & Costumes
- Johan Engels
- Lighting
- Jason Hand
- Chorus Director
- Jeremy Frank
- Children's Chorus Director
- Fernando Malvar-Ruiz
- Dramaturg
- Katherine Syer
- Fight & Intimacy Director
- Andrew Kenneth Moss

Read the synopsis
Sung in Italian with English subtitles
Running time: approximately three hours and 20 minutes, including two intermissions
Click here to read the digital program.
Click here to read James Conlon's program essay on Otello.
An LA Opera co-production with Opéra de Monte-Carlo and Teatro Regio di Parma
Production made possible by generous support from
GRoW @ Annenberg
Barbara Augusta Teichert
With special additional support from
National Endowment for the Arts
The Norman and Sadie Lee Foundation
With special appreciation to
Gregory and Régina Annenberg Weingarten
Single Tickets Now on Sale
View Dates, Pricing and More-
AvailableOnline{{ performance.display_day }}{{ performance.display_month_clean }} {{ performance.display_date }}