Julia Sporsén has made a triumphant return to Gothenburg Opera to make her role debut as Desdemona in Verdi's Otello. Starring alongside tenor Michael Weinius in this new production by Rafael R. Villalobos, the reviews have been glowing:
“This exceptionally intelligent, confident, warm, musical soprano and stage personality has become a kind of plumb line among Swedish opera singers. Sporsén moves confidently through the music. From the most sublime pianissimos to softly swelling fortes. Always with a clear intention.”
Gunilla Brodrej, Expressen
“Julia Sporsén is brilliant… She goes from strength to strength, this Gothenburg soprano star who shines so brightly and touchingly.”
SVT Nyheter
“The soprano Julia Sporsén and the baritone Jens Søndergaard make fantastic contributions as Desdemona and Iago, and not least the long scene in the closing act is given a moving character, when Sporsén sings the song of the vine and with the toned-down refrain of grief captures the vulnerability in the face of the coming violence.”
Magnus Haglund, Göteborgs-Posten
“Julia Sporsén, who is completely alone in her final scene, evokes the most unimaginable in Desdemona. Not the damaged one, but the undamaged one. The healing movement of the unbroken melodic lines.”
Martin Nyström, Dagens Nyheter
“It is also Julia Sporsén – SvD’s opera laureate 2023 – who truly holds the production with her complete presence and dramatic nerve… Julia Sporsén as the sacrificed Desdemona carries the production in Gothenburg.”
Magnus Bunnskog, Svenska Dagbladet
Performances run until 12th January 2025 at Gothenburg Opera House.
Photo credit: Lennart Sjöberg
