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Giordano: Andrea Chenier / Votto, Callas, Del Monaco, Protti


Release Date: 11/15/2011 
Label:  Emi Classics   Catalog #: 0882252    Spars Code: DDD 
Composer:  Umberto Giordano
Performer:  Mario Del Monaco,  Aldo Protti,  Silvana Zanolli,  Maria Amadini,   ... 
Conductor:  Antonino Votto
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Milan Teatro alla Scala Orchestra,  Milan Teatro alla Scala Chorus
Number of Discs: 2 
Recorded in: Mono 
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Notes and Editorial Reviews

This is a 2 CD set with a bonus CD-Rom containing a libretto and synopsis.

Review of previious release of this recording:
Although this performance has been available on "private" labels for years, this is the first time it has been "generally" available; EMI has cleaned up the sound as best it could, but it's still below par. Nonetheless, you can clearly hear the main attraction, which of course is the Maddalena of Maria Callas. Since she never recorded the opera commercially and only sang the role six times, few heard her in the part. As we know, Andrea Chénier is a tenor's opera--he has arias in each of the four acts, two big duets, and is the absolute focus--which probably is why Read more Callas rarely performed it. As it is, she was vaguely tricked into it: the scheduled opera was Trovatore, but a week before, Mario del Monaco announced that he was too indisposed to sing Manrico, so he wanted to substitute Chénier! Being the bigger star (at the time), he got his way. He also knew that Callas didn't know the role and perhaps this was a way of not having to share the limelight with the diva that was beginning to take the world by storm and who always garnered the attention. Never one to be tricked, Callas learned the role in five days, and this is the result.

Maddalena is not a very interesting character, but she has a bunch of emotions that she can express in a big aria ("La mamma morta") and a pair of exciting duets. Callas is in terrific voice throughout, singing in her most straightforward, verismo, no-frills style. At the start of the opera she's just a thoughtless rich girl; her tone darkens and her passions grow as the opera progresses. The big aria is grand indeed, and in the duets she holds her own against the trumpet-like del Monaco (who clearly wasn't even remotely indisposed) with her usual devotion to both text and music. Del Monaco recorded the opera commercially (and a few other versions have floated around from time to time) and there are no surprises here. As suggested, he's in glorious voice, albeit at one volume level throughout. The normally tedious baritone Aldo Protti sings the servant/big-shot revolutionary Gérard brilliantly, with just the right snarl and ringing tone. Antonino Votto keeps the action moving. If you love Callas, this is self-recommending.

--Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com
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Works on This Recording

1. Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordano
Performer:  Mario Del Monaco (Tenor), Aldo Protti (Baritone), Silvana Zanolli (Soprano),
Maria Amadini (Mezzo Soprano), Lucia Danieli (Mezzo Soprano), Enrico Campi (Baritone),
Enzo Sordello (Baritone), Vittorio Tatozzi (Bass), Michele Cazzato (Bass),
Mariano Caruso (Tenor), Mario Carlin (Tenor), Carlo Forti (Bass),
Eraldo Coda (Bass), Giuseppe Morresi (Bass), Maria Callas (Soprano)
Conductor:  Antonino Votto
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Milan Teatro alla Scala Orchestra,  Milan Teatro alla Scala Chorus
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1896; Italy 
 Date of Recording: 01/08/1955 
Venue:  Live  La Scala, Milan, Italy 
Length: 107 Minutes 45 Secs. 
Language: Italian 

Sound Samples

Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Questo azzuro sofà là collochiam (Il Maestro di Casa)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Compiacente a'colloqui (Gérard)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Son sessant'anni, o vecchio, che tu servi! (Gérard)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Il giorno intorno già s'inserra lentamente! (Maddalena/Gérard)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Via, v'affrettate (Contessa/Gérard/Maddalena/Bersi)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Soffoco, moro tutta chiusa (Maddalena/Bersi/Contessa)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Oh! Come elegante (Contessa/Fléville/Maddalena/L'Abate)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Debole è il Re! (L'Abate/Fléville/Contessa/Coro)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Passiamo la sera allegramente! (Fléville/Coro/L'Abate)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: O Pastorell, addio! (Coro di Pastori e Pastorelle)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Signor Chénier...Madame la Contessa?(Contessa/Chénier/Fléville/L'Abate/Maddalena)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Al mio dire perdono (Maddalena/Coro/Chénier/Contessa)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Colpito qui m'avete ov'io geloso celo (Chénier)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Un di all'azzuro spazio (Chénier)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO PRIMO: Perdonatemi! (Maddalena/Contessa/Coro/Gérard/Maestro di Casa)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO SECONDO: Per l'ex inferno! (Mathieu/Bersi/L'Incredibile)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO SECONDO: Temer? Perché? (Bersi)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO SECONDO: No, non m'inganno! (L'Incredibile/Chénier/Roucher)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO SECONDO: Credo a una possanza arcana...Io non ho amato ancor...(Chénier/Roucher)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO SECONDO: Calligrafia invero femminil! (Roucher/Chénier/Coro/Mathieu/L'Incredibile/Gérard)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO SECONDO: Eccole! Strani tempi! (Roucher/Chénier/Bersi/L'Incredibile/Mathieu)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO SECONDO: Ecco l'altare...(Maddalena/Chénier/L'Incredibile)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO SECONDO: Eravate possente....(Maddalena)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO SECONDO: Udite! Son sola! Ora soave, sublime ora d'amore! (Maddalena/Chénier)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO SECONDO: Maddalena di Coigny! (Gérard/Maddalena/Chénier/Roucher/L'Incredibile/Mathieu/Coro
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Dumouriez traditore e giacobino (Mathieu/Coro/Gérard)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Lacrime e sangue dà la Francia! (Gérard/Coro/Una vecchia{Madelon})
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Son la vecchia Madelon (Madelon/Gérard)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Amici ancor cantiam (Coro/L'Incredibile/Gérard)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Donnina innamorata (L'Incredibile/Gérard)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Nemico della Patria?! (Gérard/L'Incredibile)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Carlo Gérard?....Là entrate! (Maddalena/Mathieu/Gérard)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Io t'ho voluto allor che tu piccina...(Gérard/Maddalena)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: La mamma morta...(Maddalena/Gérard)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Il tuo perdono è la mia forza! (Gérard/Coro/Mathieu)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Passo ai giurati! (Mathieu/Gérard/Coro/Maddalena)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Gravier de Vergennes! (Dumas/Fouquier-Tinville/Coro)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Andrea Chenier!....Coraggio! Sì, fui soldato...(Dumas/Gérard/Maddalena/Coro/Fouquier-Tinville/Chénier)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO TERZO: Udiamo i testimoni (Fouquier-Tinville/Gérard/Coro/Chénier/Dumas)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO QUARTO: Cittadino, men duol, ma è tardi assai (Schmidt/Roucher/Chénier)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO QUARTO: Come un bel dì di maggio (Mathieu)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO QUARTO: 'La Marseillais' (Mathieu)....Viene a costei concesso (Gérard/Schmidt)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO QUARTO: Il vostro giuramento vi sovvengo (Maddalena/Schmidt)
Andrea Chénier (2002 Digital Remaster), ATTO QUARTO: Benedico il destino! (Maddalena/Gérard/Chénier/Schmidt)

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