Tag Archives: Andrea Chenier
Andrea Chenier in San Francisco
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 15th September 2016Umberto Giordano’s Andrea Chenier is one of opera’s guiltiest pleasures. Critics fall all over their computers deploring its second rate status, but audiences love it when it’s properly cast and led. To bring off the work you must have a big voiced Verdi tenor, soprano, and baritone. My first experience with Giordano’s potboiler was with…
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Jonas Kaufmann’s First Andrea Chenier in London
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 2nd February 2015On January 20 The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden mounted its first new production in 30 years of Giordano’s opera Andrea Chenier. The reason for the opera’s reappearance was Jonas Kaufmann’s initial performance of the title role. Right thinking critics turn up their noses at Chenier – actually they come close to regurgitating when they think…
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Andrea Chenier – Improvviso
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 1st December 2013Been away for three weeks, hence no recent posts. But will be at home for a while and thus regular posts will resume. Umberto Giordano’s (1867- 1948) Andrea Chenier is firmly ensconced in the standard operatic repertory. It is very loosely based on the life of the poet Andre Chenier (1762-94) who lost his head during…
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Andrea Chenier Act 2 Duet
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 29th January 2012Here for no other reason than it’s beautiful is the second act duet from Giordano’s most performed opera. It’s not as well known as the duet for the the same characters that concludes the opera, though it contains almost the same material. It’s taken from the Dec 28, 1957 performance of Chenier at the Met….
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