{"product_id":"giordano-andrea-chenier-live","title":"Giordano: Andrea Chénier (Live)","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis stereo edition is far cleaner and more open than any prior release.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003ctitle\u003e3053960.zzhf_GIORDANO_Andrea_Chenier_Lovro.html\u003c\/title\u003e  \u003cmeta http-equiv=\"Content-Type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eGIORDANO \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eAndrea Chénier \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12b\"\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Lovro von Matacic, cond; Franco Corelli (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eAndrea Chénier\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Renata Tebaldi (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eMaddalena\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Ettore Bastianini (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eGérard\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Vienna St Op O \u0026amp; Ch \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12b\"\u003e• \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12U\"\u003eORFEO\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e 682 062 (2 CDs: 117:41) Live: Vienna 6\/26\/1960 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eThis performance of Giordano’s masterpiece has been around on a number of labels (Fonit Cetra, Melodram, etc.), but now Orfeo has given it legitimacy, with an authorized release taken from the archival tapes of the Vienna State Opera. Although the prior versions were adequate, given that their sources were off-the-air broadcasts, this stereo edition is far cleaner and more open than any prior release. The sound is too bright, but one can fix that at home by attenuating the highs. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eAlthough \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eChénier\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e has received many studio recordings and a number of other live performance releases, only a few really convey the thrills this opera is capable of giving the listener. The two truly great modern Chéniers since World War II have been Mario Del Monaco and Franco Corelli. (Yes, Domingo has done it well—but never had the genuine heft and metal in the voice the role ideally wants.) Del Monaco made a terrific studio recording for Decca (with Tebaldi and Bastianini, brilliantly conducted by Gavazzeni), and there is a splendid live Del Monaco Met performance circulating, with Milanov and Warren conducted by Cleva. Corelli, on the other hand, finds himself in less fortuitous surroundings for his EMI recording. The biggest negative is Gabriele Santini’s lead-footed conducting, lacking propulsion, color, and intensity. Antonietta Stella is an above average Maddalena, but she is no Tebaldi, and Sereni too is quite good without achieving greatness. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eThis was one of those nights when everything in the opera house was “on.” Matacic (who conducted Corelli’s splendid EMI \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003ePagliacci\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e set) has the measure of this score, and knows when to expand the line and when to push ahead. The conducting is splendid throughout. Tebaldi, as was her wont, strains a bit for some of the top notes, but is at home in one of her signature roles. If there was ever a more beautiful natural soprano voice, I haven’t heard it in 50 years of listening to live and recorded opera, and her natural feel for the shape of this kind of music was inborn. Gérard was also one of Bastianini’s signature roles, and I’ve never heard him sing it any better than he does here. His “Nemico della patria” brings the house down. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eIn every way, this is a classic recording of the \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003everismo\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e school of Italian opera. \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eAndrea Chénier \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eis, first and foremost, about thrilling grand operatic singing—and you get that for every minute of the almost two hours. When you get tired of old fogies like me complaining about the good old days, take this set off your shelves and listen to it, and then tell me that you can even imagine encountering a performance of this music on this level today. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eOrfeo includes illuminating notes about the history of Italian opera performance in postwar Vienna, and the place of this production in the house’s history (it was only performed twice with this cast, and the recording is of the first night). Put simply, this set is what grand opera is all about. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: Henry Fogel \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Orfeo","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49377946927384,"sku":"4011790682228","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/2056347.jpg?v=1747162925","url":"https:\/\/hbdirect.com\/products\/giordano-andrea-chenier-live","provider":"HBDirect","version":"1.0","type":"link"}