Shakespeare: Othello

William Shakespeare (Performer), Mischa Spoliansky (Performer), Uta Hagen (Artist), Victor Young (Artist), Jose (i) Ferrer (Artist), Paul Robeson (Artist), Jane Manning (Artist), Lawrence Brown (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: William Shakespeare, Mischa Spoliansky
• Audio CD (September 15, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Pearl
• ASIN: B00000AFSF
• Also Available in: Paperback  |  Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #554,744 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Act 1, Scene 1: Venice. A Street.

2. Act 1, Scene 2: Another Street

3. Act 1, Scene 3: Venice. A Coucil Chamber

4. Act 2, Scene 1: A Seaport in Cyprus. An Open Place

5. Act 2, Scene 2: Cyprus - A Hall in the Castle

6. Act 2, Scene 3: Cyprus - The Garden of the Castle

Disc: 2

1. Act 3, Scene 4: Cyprus. Before the Castle

2. Act 6, Scene 1: Before the Castle

3. Act 6, Scene 2: A Room in the Castle

4. Act 6, Scene 3: Another Room in the Castle

5. Act 5, Scene 2: Cyprus - A Bedchamber in the Castle

6. Sanders of the River, Scene: The Drum Say War

7. Sanders of the River: Canoe Song

8. Water Boy

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Astounding Listening Experience, March 30, 2002

By 

Nicholas Edwards (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shakespeare: Othello (Audio CD)

This is the 1944 studio recording of the legendary stage production of "Othello" which starred Robeson & Ferrer.
Both of their interpretations may be a little more declamatory than modern tastes are accustomed to, but there is no doubt as to their effectiveness, variety and power. As to Uta Hagen's Desdemona: wonderful. The recording itself is of excellent quality - the balance captures the full mid-range and depth of Robeson's formidable bass and Ferrer's sinuous baritone. The mastering more than does justice to it and is from nearly pristine sources. In brief: If your curiosity is at all piqued by this disc you should get it, no question. Listen to it with the lights out and bask in the sheer glory - especially Act II, scene III and the final scene.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The CD--(double, looks like a DVD) is as clear as if it were from a performance given yesterday., November 13, 2008

By 

Julie M. Vognar "Julie" (Berkeley, California United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shakespeare: Othello (Audio CD)

"Put up your bright swords, or the dew will rust them!"

"Oh thou weed, that smellst so sweet that the senses ache at thee...I'll smell it on the tree..."

Paul Robeson not only has the most wonderful voice, but is a superb actor as well. His deep, flexible, expressive tones seem to be going exactly where they are inclined to go, instead of where a man writing over 400 years ago, in what we call "Shakespearian English" (closer to ours than middle English--but not quite there) dictated. Uta Hagen ("and I remain behind, a moth of peace...Let me go with him!") is also perfect.

When I first got the 33 1/3 RPM record (as close to 1950 as possible), I loved Jose Ferrer as Iago, with his India-rubber ball voice, best of all. He is great, but sometimes I find his scenes with Othello so insinuating (after he has begun to feed Othello his "poison" Othello: "Well then--I do believe-- Desdemona's honest." Iago: "Long live she so! And long live you to [very insinuating] think so." One sometimes wonders at Othello's gullibility [which is of course part of his character..but still...]} Iago floats over his "motive-hunting of motiveless malignancy" to perfection. Everything moves toward its inevitable conclusion, with Iago pushing, pulling, tacking, fashioning "the net/ that shall enmesh them all."

I was too young to see this performance (8 in 1943); it's one of many things I wish I could go back in time for.

If you can enjoy listening to a Shakespeare play, instead of watching it--do yourself a good turn, and get this one!

5.0 out of 5 stars Paul Robeson still rocks!, April 24, 2011

By 

Native Texan (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Othello (MP3 Download)

To say that Paul Robeson's life was remarkable is an understatement. To say that his voice was remarkable is equally an understatement. There isn't much you can say about this man that lives up to the truth of his life and this recording is a good example. I've read reviews about this recording, saying that the acting is old-fashioned and out of date. Particularly in light of some of the more recent original pronunciation recordings, some of the actors do sound artificial. That, however, was the acting style of the time. Paul Robeson's performance stands the test of time, in my opinion. He could easily hold his own on any stage today. And anyone who has studied acting has heard of Uta Hagen. (Strangely, there are times when her delivery sounds like no one more than Marilyn Monroe.) This is a hard-to-find recording worth listening to if only for the symphonic beauty of Robeson's voice.