Skip to content
    skip to navigation

    Classic FM

    Listen

    On Air Now

    Classic FM's More Music Breakfast with Tim Lihoreau 6am - 9am

    Classic FM's More Music Breakfast with Tim Lihoreau

    Now Playing

    Titanic - My Heart Will Go On James Horner Download 'Titanic - My Heart Will Go On' on iTunes

    Titanic - My Heart Will Go On artwork
    • Playlist
    • Schedule
    • Home
    • Radio
    • News
    • Discover Music
    • Composers
    • Artists
    • Lifestyle
    • Win
    • Charity
    • Podcasts
    • Events
    • Dating
    • Follow us on:
      Follow Classic FM on Twitter
      Follow Classic FM on Facebook
      Follow Classic FM on Instagram
      Follow Classic FM on Youtube

    Discover Music

    • Discover Music Home
    • Periods & Genres
    • Occasions
    • Mood
    • Instruments
    • Music Theory
    • Learning
    • Humour
    • Women in Music
    • More Classic FM

    Shakespeare's Othello in music

    Facebook share Twitter share

    Shakespeare's Othello - a tragedy of racism, love, jealousy and betrayal - has inspired numerous operas, ballets, films and literary adaptations.

    1. Otello Rossini Opera Rara Bruce Ford

      1. Rossini's Otello - with an added happy ending

      Rossini’s rarely performed three act opera of Otello, was first performed in Naples on 4 December 1816. Rossini deviates from Shakespeare's original in a few places – it is set in Venice rather than Cyprus, Iago is not so much of a monster, and it has a happy ending.

    2. Mario del Monaco Otello Verdi

      2. Verdi's masterpiece

      Verdi and his librettist Boito turned to Shakespeare for Verdi's penultimate opera, considered by many to be his greatest. Their boldest gesture was to cut Act One of the play. Italian operatic tenor Mario del Monaco, pictured, made Otello his trademark role.

    3. Othello William Shakespeare tragedy Maria Malibran

      3. Maria Malibran - both Desdemona and Otello

      The legendary mezzo-soprano Maria Malibran sang Desdemona in Verdi's Otello. 'Ah! That wonderful creature!' Verdi said of her, '...she outshone all other women I have known.' She was so talented, it appears, that she could sing the roles of both Desdemona and of Otello.

    4. Domingo Verdi Otello Olivier Zeffirelli

      4. Domingo as Verdi's Otello

      Franco Zeffirelli's 1986 film version of Verdi's opera starred Plácido Domingo as Otello. Laurence Olivier reportedly saw Domingo in the role and, in a mock-furious voice, told the director, ‘You realise that Domingo plays Othello as well as I do, and he has that voice!’

    5. Bandanna opera Daron Hagen

      5. Othello in Mexico

      Bandanna, an English language opera with words by Irish poet Paul Muldoon and music by Daron Hagen, is set in 1968 on the United States–Mexican border. It borrows elements from both Shakespeare's play and Verdi's opera, Otello.

    6. Othello William Shakespeare tragedy The Moor's Pavane

      6. A ballet with Purcell's music

      In 1949, Mexican choreographer José Limón created a 20-minute, four character ballet called The Moor's Pavane to the music of Henry Purcell. It has become standard repertoire for dance companies around the world and notable interpreters of the lead role included Rudolf Nureyev.

    7. Othello William Shakespeare tragedy ballet John Neumeier

      7. A hit ballet in Hamburg

      This ballet was choreographed by John Neumeier to music by Arvo Pärt and others and was premiered by the Hamburg Ballet on 27 January 1985. The work remains in the repertoire of the Hamburg Ballet, and had its 100th performance in 2008. Photo: Stuttgarter Ballett

    8. Othello William Shakespeare tragedy Lar Lubovitch

      8. Movie maestro Elliot Goldenthal's version

      In 2002, modern dance choreographer Lar Lubovitch created a full-length ballet in three acts based on Shakespeare’s play with a score by film music composer, Elliot Goldenthal.

    9. Othello William Shakespeare tragedy Omkara Vishal

      9. The Hindi version

      'Omkara' is a film version of Othello in Hindi set in Uttar Pradesh. The film was directed by Vishal Bhardwaj who also wrote the music. He earlier adapted Macbeth as Maqbool. All characters in the film share the same letter or sound in their first name as in the original Shakespeare play. It is one of the few mainstream Indian movies to contain uncensored language.

    10. Othello William Shakespeare tragedy

      10. Willard White in a speaking role

      Trevor Nunn's 1989 version of Shakespeare’s play, filmed at Stratford-upon-Avon, unusually cast opera singer Willard White in the title role, opposite Ian McKellen as Iago.

    11. Antonin Dvorak Othello overture

      11. Dvořák's Othello Overture

      Dvořák's Othello is the final part of a triptych of overtures. The composer sketched out a scenario on the score which begins with Othello and Desdemona embracing, depicts him murdering her and then killing himself. Cheery stuff.

    Facebook share Twitter share

    Discover music

    See more Discover music

    The best classical music playlists to suit your every mood

    The best classical music playlists to suit your every mood

    14 hours ago

    Angela Rayner, Dominic Raab and a controversial Mozart opera

    The Mozart Marriage of Figaro “mic drop” moment, as UK deputy leaders clash over opera and class

    15 hours ago

    Mozart

    Freddie De Tommaso is a leading tenor of his generation.

    Who is Freddie De Tommaso? Everything you need to know about the young star tenor

    18 hours ago

    Lizzo plays virtuosic flute solo for James Corden in Carpool Karaoke sketch.

    Lizzo whips out a virtuosic 19th-century flute solo in Carpool Karaoke sketch with James Corden

    1 day ago

    Doreen Carwithen is the step great-grandmother of Joe Alwyn, actor and long-term partner of Taylor Swift

    The world’s first fully-professional female film composer – with a surprising connection to Taylor Swift

    1 day ago

    Most relaxing pieces of classical music

    10 most relaxing pieces of classical music

    2 days ago

    Best classical music

    See more Best classical music

    10 pieces of classical music that will 100% change your life

    10 pieces of classical music that will 100% change your life

    4 eras of classical music

    The 4 eras of classical music: a quick guide

    The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

    The 15 most famous tunes in classical music

    Women composers gallery

    21 of the greatest women composers in classical music

    Best pianists of all time

    The 25 best pianists of all time

    Some of history's greatest composers were part of the LGBTQ+ community.

    15 LGBTQ+ composers in classical music history that you probably already know

    Classic FM Live Playlists

    See more Classic FM Live Playlists

    Classic FM Relax

    Classic FM Hall of Fame

    Classic FM Music for Pets

    Essential Classical

    Classic FM Video Game Music

    Classic FM Revision

    Browse by

    See more Browse by

    Periods & genres

    Occasions

    Moods

    Instruments

    Trending on Classic FM

    The most relaxing classical violin music ever written

    The most relaxing classical violin music ever written

    Zeb Soanes to host Smooth Classics at Seven on Classic FM

    Broadcaster Zeb Soanes to host Smooth Classics at Seven, weekdays on Classic FM

    Remembering George Walker (1922 – 2018)

    Remembering George Walker, the first Black composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music

    A group trumpet lesson at a primary school

    Schools should offer at least ‘one hour of music a week’ – new music education plan revealed

    This week’s on-air highlights – including Album of the Week and Drive Discovery

    This week’s on-air highlights – including Album of theThis week’s on-air highlights – including Album of the Week and Drive Discovery

    Lang Lang performs in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland, California.

    Lang Lang performs nostalgic piano rendition of Mary Poppins song against Disney Castle backdrop

    Videos

    Composer John Williams

    John Williams hints at retirement from film music, says new score might be his last

    Williams

    Tenor jumps in helicopter to save The Wreckers at Glyndebourne

    Tenor jumps in helicopter to save Glyndebourne opera with ‘minutes to spare’ amid train havoc

    Glyndebourne

    Howling singing dog

    Owner’s secret footage catches dog playing and singing at a piano

    Elliot Page plays the violin as Vanya Hargreeves in season 1 of The Umbrella Academy.

    Is Elliot Page really playing the violin in The Umbrella Academy?

    Back to top

    Also on Classic FM

    • Listen to Global Player
    • Alexander Armstrong on Classic FM
    • Christmas Songs
    • Music for Pets
    • Quizzes
    • Handel
    • Debussy
    • Music theory
    • Instruments
    • Brahms
    • Vivaldi
    • Bach
    • Tchaikovsky
    • Chopin
    • Andrea Bocelli
    • Beethoven
    • Mozart
    • Best classical music
    • Classic FM Live
    • Classic FM Requests
    • Best pianists
    • Harry Potter music
    • Saturday Night at the Movies
    • Star Wars soundtrack
    • Composer or pasta
    • Music for Studying
    • Best violinists
    • Classical music tearjerkers
    • Relaxing classical

    Useful Links

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • How To Listen
    • About Classic FM
    • Company Details
    • Cookies
    • Privacy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Advertise
    • Global Jobs

    Download the app

    Get it on the app store Get it on Google Play

    Follow Us

    Follow Classic FM on Twitter
    Follow Classic FM on Facebook
    Follow Classic FM on Instagram
    Follow Classic FM on Youtube
    © Global 2022
    30 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LA
    Privacy Manager