Verdi and Shakespeare: a comparative analysis of Macbeth and Othello

A passionate admirer of Shakespeare’s plays from an early age, Verdi’s operatic rendition of Macbeth and Othello present a unique opportunity to look into the English master’s texts through the eyes of one of the greatest opera composers of all time. In this paper, I will scrutinize both original plays and their libretto counterparts, uncovering textual and dramatic similarities and discrepancies. Throughout this analytical process, I will strive to show how Verdi’s deep knowledge of theater and dramatic instinct, together with his passionate love for Shakespeare, helped him forge two operatic masterpieces that reveal profound insights into each of the characters portrayed. Verdi’s long struggle with Francesco Piave’s work on the libretto for Macbeth and the subsequent additions by Andrea Maffei show his great interest in producing a piece that would faithfully reflect the spirit of the original play. Later on, his collaboration with Arrigo Boito in Otello would prove to be very fruitful, bringing him back to the operatic scene after a sixteen-year hiatus without any new operatic compositions. A detailed look at the original sources for both Shakespearean dramas will provide the necessary tools to better compare the playwright’s original texts with the operatic libretti written during a historical time of particular significance for Italian arts and society as a whole.