Otello in OTELLO

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

“Thomas makes a strong showing of it, giving Otello a more lyrical quality than the more purely forceful approach more commonly heard in this physically demanding role — much to his vocal advantage as well as more sympathetic feeling for this lead role.”
–Mark Gresham, ArtsATL

“With this performance, Atlanta resident Russell Thomas added this epic rôle to his repertory, expanding an already remarkable versatility that extends from the Verdi and Puccini canons to the title rôle in Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito, wearing whose crown he débuted at the 2017 Salzburger Festspiele. Having successfully sung other Verdi tenor rôles does not necessarily qualify a singer to take on Otello [hearing Thomas as Malcolm in Adrian Noble’s production of Verdi’s Macbeth at the Metropolitan Opera in 2007 caused this listener to think him qualified to sing virtually any rôle he chooses to learn], but Thomas is a shrewd artist who makes repertory decisions based upon aptitude and readiness. That he was ready to sing Otello was declared emphatically by this performance.”
–Joseph Newsome, Voix des Arts