Acclaimed Canadian opera singer Chad Armstrong will make his Vashon Opera debut as a principal singer in Giuseppe Verdi’s “Otello,” set for performances on Sept. 20 and 22 at Vashon Center for the Arts.
The opera is based on Shakespeare’s tale of a general whose mind and soul are poisoned by a treacherous and relentless aide-de-camp, whose machinations and lies set the stage for the destruction of both the general and his beloved wife, Desdemona.
For Armstrong, who has sung in vaulted venues throughout North America and Europe, “Otello” will be a chance to share the stage with Errin Brooks, the two-time Grammy winner and Metropolitan Opera regular who will sing the opera’s title role. Jennifer Krikawa, the full-throated soprano who founded Vashon Opera 14 years ago, will play the doomed Desdemona.
But here’s the rub — for Armstrong to do this, he must embody the role of Iago, one of the most thoroughly villainous roles in both theater and opera.
To sing the part is undoubtedly in Armstrong’s wheelhouse, said Allison Pohl, the artistic director of Vashon Opera.
His heroic baritone, said Pohl, “is at home in Verdi’s masterpieces,” citing his portrayal of Rigoletto with the Annapolis Opera — a performance that The Baltimore Sun called masterful.
Critics have raved about his performances.
Opera Online hailed his Sonora in “La fanciulla del West” as “outstanding,” pointing out his “strong stage presence, strong vocal delivery and natural acting abilities.” Opera News said his Ping in “Turandot” was “particularly impressive” and he was invited to reprise selections of the role in celebration of Puccini’s 150th birthday with the Opera Orchestra of New York under the baton of Maestro Francisco Bonnin in the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center.
The Beachcomber had a few questions for Armstrong.
Beachcomber: There’s nothing good about this guy Iago! How do you — and Verdi, for that matter — humanize him, and show the arc of all his horrible scheming throughout the opera? Why is Iago such a timeless and fascinating character?
Armstrong: Wow. Starting off with an easy question, I see!
I have to admit I have struggled with connecting with Iago. Where I am, at the moment, is that Iago already is completely human. The world faith systems and current secular mental health experts constantly address the “evil” in us. There is within all of us the germ and seed of Iago. He is a part of us.
What thoroughly terrifies and fascinates us is Shakespeare pulls no punches. He doesn’t give in to the desire to find an outside reason for Iago’s faults — a broken relationship or accident that caused his amoral character. No excuse allows us to pity or forgive Iago. We are also, as an audience, not given justice. Verdi’s Iago — the mirror into which we see the potential of our own toxic desires — is released into the world with no punishment.
This evil continues in our world and Shakespeare’s world; unpunished, unchanged — a brutally honest truth that is relevant to every moment in human history and verifiable, right now, by all of us. Iago is not an “other.”
This is your debut at Vashon Opera. How did you come to sing with the company?
[Vashon Opera’s artistic director] Allison Pohl is one of my wife’s oldest friends and we have been hearing and reading about Vashon Opera since she introduced us to the company several years ago. The repertoire that Vashon Opera tackles is a testament to the passion of the island to present world-class performances. I am beyond excited and honored to join the company for “Otello.”
You’re the New York/New Jersey regional program manager from a youth education organization called ArtSmart. Tell us more about this worthy endeavor.
ArtSmart was founded by Michael Fabiano and John Viscardi to provide voice lessons to underserved communities across the United States. We are currently in NYC, Newark, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle. Our mission is to mentor students through voice lessons to assist them in forming and reaching their goals. This personal relationship with an established voice teacher gives the students valuable time each week, during the school year, to grow their skill sets — which then allows them to achieve success in their desired life path. It is a truly rewarding journey. You can find out more about the program at artsmart.org.
“Otello” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, at Vashon Center for the Arts. Find out more and get tickets at vashonopera.org.
