Umberto Giordano: Andrea Chenier (Arthaus DVD)  

Arthaus presents Andrea Chenier, one of the important works of Italian verismo, in a realistic staging at the Teatro Communale di Bologna. With José Cura and Maria Guleghina in the lead roles, the production proved to be a visual and musical feast for opera lovers.

Umberto Giordano wrote his best-known work in 1896. It is based on the life of the French poet, André Chénier. The historical figure was born in Constantinople in 1762, the son of a French father and a Greek mother. In 1794, only a few days before Robespierre suffered the same fate, he was executed for his part in a prison uprising. He had been imprisoned for having visited the house of the painter and staunch royalist, the Marquis de Pastoret. Initially he had espoused the ideals of the Revolution, but his attitude had changed as a result of the arbitrary rule that had led to the murder of Marat and to the beginning of the Reign of Terror. Carlo Rizzi, highly-acclaimed conductor of the Italian repertoire with international standing, leads the ensemble through the score in an admirable Italian singer-conductor tradition.

LIVE RECORDING FROM THE TEATRO COMUNALE DI BOLOGNA, 2006
Andrea Chénier JOSÉ CURA
Maddalena di Coigny MARIA GULEGHINA
Carlo Gérard CARLO GUELFI
La mulatta Bersi GIACINTA NICOTRA
TEATRO COMUNALE DI BOLOGNA

Conducted by CARLO RIZZI
Stage Directed by GIANCARLO DEL MONACO
Set and Costume Design by GIANCARLO DEL MONACO

Subtitle Languages: IT (Original Language), GB, DE, FR, ES