In Giordano’s most celebrated opera, Andrea Chénier, the French Revolution seizes the stage of Milan’s Teatro alla Scala! This elaborate 1985 production stars the legendary José Carreras as the title's tragic poet, accompanied by the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala under the baton of the inimitable Maestro Riccardo Chailly.
One of the great composers of the verismo movement in opera, Umberto Giordano explores the struggles of ordinary people placed in desperate circumstances with this work premiered at La Scala in 1896. The opera's plot follows André Chénier, an idealistic poet, Maddalena di Coigny, a young noble lady, and Gérard, servant-turned-revolutionary, whose lives are upended by the French Revolution, and who find themselves caught in a love triangle. With a beautifully realistic period staging, a first-rate cast, and an exquisite orchestra under Chailly’s leadership, Lamberto Puggelli’s 1985 production transports us to the heart of this tragic tale.