SHAKESPEARE

Synopsis

Verdi’s Otello, conducted by Fritz Busch with Ramon Vinay as Othello and Licia Albanese as Desdemona. Directed for stage by Herbert Graf and for television by Burke Crotty, this was the first live transmission of an entire opera from the stage of the old Metropolitan Opera House, New York.

Language

Italian (Standard)

Country

United States

Medium

Television

Transmission details

29 Dec 1948 (Channel: ABC)

Availability

No archive copy found (2006).

Credits

Director

Burke Crotty; Herbert Graf

Writer

Arrigo Boito

Music

Giuseppe Verdi

Production Design

Donald Oenslager

Costume

Virgina Sorrentino

Cast

Ramon Vinay	Othello
Licia Albanese	Desdemona
Leonard Warren	Iago
John Garris	Michael Cassio
Martha Lipton	Emilia
Clifford Harvuot	Montano
Nicola Moscona	Lodovico
Nicola Moscona	Roderigo
Phillip Kinsman	Herald
Thomas Hayward	Roderigo

Additional Details

Theatre

Metropolitan Opera House, New York, NY

Theatre company

New York Metropolitan Opera

Production type

Operas and Musicals

Plays

Othello

Subjects

Drama; Music

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

General

Designed for stage by Donald Oenslager.

History

The broadcast was seen in New York, Boston, and Washington. with an estimated audience of half a million homes. the intermission featured a quiz, views of the opera house and singers and staff backstage.

Production Company

Name

ABC

Sponsor

Name

Texaco