Edited by Linda Fairtile (2025)
NR 142875
Otello, Verdi’s next-to-last opera, reflects the evolving state of Italian editorial practices at the end of the 19th century. The music and text of the critical edition are based on Ricordi’s first printed score (1887), with the involvement of Verdi himself. However, the phrasing, articulations and dynamics in the critical edition reflect nuances found only in Verdi’s autograph score, providing an expressive richness never before captured in a printed score of this work. The dramatic power of Verdi’s original expressive markings is evident throughout the score – for example, in the unexpected phrasing of the violins at the beginning of Acts I and II, as well as immediately after the “Willow Song” in Act IV.
The edition also allows the reconstruction of the Paris 1894 version, including:
- The dance music written for the French premiere;
- The revised ending of Act III and other minor changes.