With his »Otello« from 1887, Giuseppe Verdi composed an opera whose originality not only thrilled audi-ences at the time but which until today remains one of his most captivating works, both musically and dramatically. In this through-composed dramma lirico, Verdi retells Shakespeare’s tragedy of the same name, in which the protagonists are swept ever deeper into the abyss: Otello, commander of the Venetian fleet, survives a violent storm to return safely to Cyprus, where he proclaims his victory over the Ottomans. Only his ensign Iago does not take part in the jubilations: All the while he is hatching a perfidious plan of revenge against Otello, intended to turn the Moor’s life into a dark tragedy. In this co-production with the Salzburg Easter Festival, director Vincent Boussard paints a visually stunning picture of the devastating vortex into which Otello descends. The costumes were designed by fashion legend Christian Lacroix.