Metropolitan Opera Archives

Andrea Chénier received eighteen performances this season.

FUNDING:
Production a gift of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Review 1:

Review of Douglas Watts in The New York News

The Met revealed its brand-new production of Umberto Giordano's lusty opera, "Andrea Chénier," last night and left little doubt that the French Revolution really had been conducted in Italy. This handsome, vigorous revival of a work that has been off the Met boards from 23 years should be one of the hits of the season, and Mrs. John D, Rockefeller Jr., who put up the money for it, should be enormously pleased with herself this morning.

With the robust singing voices of Zinka Milanov, Leonard Warren, and Mario Del Monaco giving their all in the central roles, spirited conducting by Fausto Cleva, arresting and towering new scenery by Frederick Fox and excellent staging by Dino Yannopoulos, the thing couldn't miss.

This is not one of the company's fancy and fussy restorations, of which we have several examples over recent years. As a matter of fact, the whole show, despite its newness, looks smooth and seasoned. Even Fox's immense sets (it took half an hour to change them between acts) have a substantial and used (not worn) appearance, as if they might have been lived in for years. A word here, too, for his costumes, which are properly handsome for the aristocracy and properly drab for the revolutionaries.

The music, the singing and the playing are overwhelming in this production, and not the trappings, despite their magnificence. For Giordano's score is most ingratiating. It has some of the sweep of Verdi and some of the lyric charm of Puccini, without possessing the genius of either. Its weakness lies in its lack of clear definition; but it is charming, all the same.

Warren, playing the revolutionary, Gerard, was the triumphant performer last night, singing with artistry and fervor, and he won a well-deserved ovation from the audience for his role in the tribunal scene. Zinka Milanov sang beautifully, too, as Maddalena, and did a spellbinding job in the duet that closes the opera. As for Del Monaco - well, here is a young tenor with drive and a sure-fire stage personality and he made an exciting Chénier with his strong top tones and decisive acting. His singing is, for the most part, rough but compelling.

Del Monaco, by the way, appeared to be the only principal with a claque last night. It began hollering right in the middle of his big first-act aria and stopped the show when this aria was finished. But Rudolf Bing has apparently had enough of this sort of thing and permitted no solo curtain calls at the ends of the acts. It was Milanov, Warren, and Del Monaco, hand in hand, each and every time.

Search by season: 1954-55

Search by title: Andrea Chénier,

Met careers