In Verdi’s retelling of Shakespeare’s towering tragedy, Renée Fleming gives a captivating performance as the innocent Desdemona, a role long considered one of her calling cards. As the title hero, Johan Botha delivers an imposing portrayal of a proud warrior brought down by jealousy, and Falk Struckmann is thrilling as the villainous Iago. “Conductor Semyon Bychkov led a vibrant reading of the score, building tension expertly in the third-act ensemble and creating a mood of tremendous pathos in the final scene” (The New York Times).