Cura represented with great force the Moor's majesty and his foreign nature without any theatrics. Of course, sometimes it was a bit too much, but exaggeration is a part of the Mediterranean character, so even this fit in.
A marvelous surprise was that it was not just Cura's evening, but the entire cast's. Especially in the first act, one could feel a level of energy that has not been seen for a long time on the stage in Szeged.
Szilvia Rálik sang the role of Desdemona with feminine honour, especially in the Willow Song and Ave Maria in Act IV. Zoltán Kelemen showed one of his finest performances, both as a singer and an actor, in the role of Iago.
The director Ferenc Anger created a strong visual effect with simple elements. Éva Szendrényi's court of brick and the bastions that surround it were at once stylised and concrete. The revolving stage allowed new moods to be created again and again, even making it a character itself.
The Szeged Symphony and the Theatre Chorus, under the baton of Tamás Pál, showed they are indeed capable of marvelous things.
Author: Tamás Jászay / Photos: György Németh (MTI)
