Many an opera administrator has lost sleep over Otello; with productions planned years in advance and the demands of the leading role, the chance of a star tenor being in the right condition at the right time requires a precise alignment of the planets. Having scheduled superstar Jonas Kaufmann’s debut in the role, the subsequent rumblings of vocal difficulties and a string of cancellations must have had the Covent Garden staff on tenterhooks and loosened a few bowels as opening night loomed.

Ironically, it would be the Iago who dropped out. The replacement Marco Vratogna sings well with the appropriate Italianate vocal colour, his Credo is thrillingly delivered with Pappano taking care to not overwhelm him, and it’s good to have a singer in their prime after so many barking veterans. As for vocal colour, ditto for Maria...