Cheap Giordano - Andrea Chenier (DVD) (Bruno Nofri) Price

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Customer Reviews of Giordano - Andrea Chenier

Classic, exciting performance with two legendary stars
Let's face it, Giordano's Andrea Chenier needs big voices. By big I mean voices that fill the house and sail over the often bombastic orchestration. The opera is filled with catchy melodies and showstopping arias and duets for the tenor, baritone, and soprano. And this 1961 performance from Tokyo, is as great of a video document as one is likely to ever get. Mario del Monaco was a legendary Chenier. His stentorian trumpet-like voice made him the dominant Otello, Canio, Radames, and Chenier for more than a decade, before the voice-killing roles wore him out. 1961 was the tail-end of del Monaco's peak, and while it no longer has perhaps the ring and power of his prime, it's still an impressive voice. Though short, del Monaco was handsome and his acting is adequate for this stand-and-sing role. Both his arias ("Improviso" and "Come un bel di maggio") receive huge ovations. <
>The beloved soprano Renata Tebaldi also had a huge voice, along with a warm stage personality that negated any weaknesses she might have had as an actress (she had polio as a child and had some difficulties walking in adulthood). Unfortunately she had an unruly top (high C was never a good note) and occasional but painful lapses in pitch. 1961 was also maybe the tail-end of Tebaldi's real peak. After the mid-1960s her voice hardened and became more metallic. In 1961 it was still unbelievably lush and beauitful. She is in top form in this performance. "La mamma morta" also brings down the house and it's one of the charms of Tebaldi's stage presence that she acknowledges the ovation with a small Japanese style bow, and it doesn't seem self-indulgent in the least. <
>Aldo Protti was perhaps the Leo Nucci of the day -- a dependable if unimpressive Italian baritone who never achieved the fame of Tito Gobbi or Giuseppe Taddei or even Renato Capechi. But it's not a bad voice, and he is serviceable if not an exactly exciting Gerard. <
>The sets and costumes are somewhat old-fashioned, with vaguely period style furniture, and lots of powdered wigs. But in the end, none of that matters. This is the kind of performance that will make you think, "Yes, opera's no longer what it was." Listen to the final thrilling chords of "Vicino a te" and enjoy opera in its golden age with two legendary stars at their best.