ANDREA CHÉNIER

Description

Under the label of “verismo opera,” one tends to group the entire late 19th-century melodramatic production, characterized by intensely dramatic plots, settings among the lower strata of society, and a marked tendency towards “shouted” vocal and instrumental gestures. It is undeniable that *Andrea Chénier* shares some traits with this trend: Umberto Giordano’s opera indeed presents violent passions, easy dramatic effects, and even gruesome details, along with an emphatic style that is anything but subtle. However, its relationship with its time must be sought elsewhere. The “historical drama” *Andrea Chénier*, with a libretto reworked by Luigi Illica, shares with the operas of those years a meticulous concern for historical accuracy, a carefully crafted setting, and numerous details that recreate the color, sound, and atmosphere of past times. The underlying idea, the theme governing the plot, could not be more explicit: the aspirations and fate of individuals succumb when they come into conflict with the forces of history, which in their inexorable logic, leave no escape. The Teatro Sociale di Como will be the lead for this verismo opera, a new production directed by Andrea Cigni, a Tuscan director who in recent years has established himself as one of the most interesting Italian directors on the international scene as well. The musical direction will be by Francesco Pasqualetti.