There’s no denying that Jonas Kaufmann’s much anticipated role debut as Otello is the draw card for the Royal Opera’s first new production of Verdi and Boito’s masterpiece in 30 years. As ever, the German tenor proved an intelligent, thoughtful actor, backed up by an intense Iago in Marco Vratogna and a Desdemona in Maria Agresta who grew in vocal stature as the night went on. Antonio Pappano proved himself once again the most insightful of Verdi conductors and musical standards were sky-high, so I’ll admit to some surprise that Keith Warner’s good looking and emotionally clear – if psychologically fuzzy – staging attracted the odd boo on opening night.

Jonas Kaufmann and Maria Agresta in Otello. All photos © Catherine Ashmore

Kaspar Glarner’s handsome costumes place us firmly in the early 17th century, while Boris Kudlička’s smoothly flowing sets provide a series of claustrophobic boxes that tease with hints of the ‘Moorish’ seraglio behind the Western facade while oozing chiaroscuro thanks to Bruno Poet’s potently atmospheric lighting. And while the final crime scene might be a classy hotel bedroom anywhere around the Mediterranean today, there is little (one would have...