February 13, 2004: Andrea Chenier in Vienna

2004-02-13 Andrea Chenier (Giordano), Wiener Staatsoper

Andrea Chenier = José Cura
Maddalena di Coigny = Norma Fantini
Carlo Gérard = Renato Bruson
Bersi = Elina Garanca
Gräfin di Coigny = Waltraud Winsauer
Madelon = Mihaela Ungureanu
Roucher = Boaz Daniel
Pietro Fléville = Hans Peter Kammerer
Fouquier Tinville = Goran Simic
Mathieu = Wolfgang Bankl
Abbé = Benedikt Kobel
Incroyable = Michael Roider
Hauhofmeister = Marcus Pelz
Dumas = Peter Köves
Schmidt = Johannes Wiedecke

Marcello Viotti, conductor
13. Februar 2004



ANDREA CHÉNIER
(82. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung)

Dirigent: Marcello Viotti
nach einer Inszenierung von: Otto Schenk
Bühnenbild: Rolf Glittenberg
Kostüme: Milena Canonero
Choreinstudierung: Ernst Dunshirn



Beginn: 19.30


about Andrea Chenier


ANDREA CHENIER, Wiener Staatsoper 13.2.04.

Wonderful production of this most known opera by Umberto Giordano. But I must confess that I was not convinced this was José Cura's best performance as Andrea Chenier. Not that I regret coming to Vienna for this Andrea Chenier. It was interesting to see Renato Bruson as Carlo Gerard and Norma Fantini as Maddalena di Coigny.

But I found the overall impression was not convincing . But the house agreed on Boaz Daniel as Roucher was wonderful. In my opinion José Cura acted Andrea Chenier wonderfully, but sang less good. Pronunciation and timing was somewhat lacking. Renato Bruson was great as Carlo Gerard, but unluckily for me I find his voice a little too hard. Norma Fantini also great as Maddalena, but lacked some of the vocal weight that I heard she had when she sang Aida in Munich (2002). Margareta Hintermeier did not sing the role of the Countess (Maddalena's mother) and I wonder if not that would have made a difference, more weight and drama in this small role.

Madelons aria is always a highlight in the 2 act, but this time it could have easily been overlooked. It is usually quite emotional to listen to this aria. And when the judges came in the judgement scene I did not feel any weight and could not see who they were and neither did I feel the terror that the people feel when the terrible judges come. So act 3 was a little blass.

In the whole the crowd scene was not really good represented on the stage. Very few angry men did get into the gilded house during the party in act 1, the house guests outnumbered them. The crowds was really small and in this huge stage it almost looked stupid, it is afterall supposed to be Paris, a rather overcrowded city.

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