Andrea Chénier
Synopsis
Live from ROH 1985. Giordano's Andrea Chenier is one of the greatest of verismo operas, full of heart-stopping big tunes and powerful emotional situations. If it is not as well-known as it should be, it is because in summary it sounds a little too like Puccini's Tosca: there is a tussle between political opponents over a woman, an attempt to save a condemned man, a tenor aria about writing poetry on the eve of execution. The difference is that Gerard (Giorgio Zancanaro) is not a villain like Scarpia, he is an idealist whom the French Revolution has betrayed as much as it has his rival the poet Chenier (Placido Domingo). His temptation to abuse his power to seduce the virtuous Maddalena (Anna Tomowa-Sintow) is a momentary one, though its consequences are terrible. There is a streak of post-Wagnerian decadence in much of this--Maddalena is at least as much in love with death as she is with Chenier, and the final love duet has a deeply sinister aspect. -- From Amazon.co.uk
Top Cast
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Plácido Domingo
Andrea Chénier
Anna Tomowa-Sintow
Maddalena di Coigny
Giorgio Zancanaro
Carlo Gérard
Jonathan Summers
Roucher
Cynthia Buchan
Bersi
John Dobson
Incredible
Roderick Earle
Dumas
Eric Garrett
Gaoler
John Gibbs
Major Domo
Patricia Johnson
Contessa di Coigny
Rodney Macann
Mathieu
Alexander Oliver
Abbé
Gordon Sandison
Fléville
Anny Schlemm
Madelon
Julius Rudel
Conductor
Release History & Theatrical Window
Live performance
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Lamberto Puggelli, Humphrey Burton
- Screenplay & Story
- Luigi Illica
- Original Score
- Umberto Giordano
- Original Title
- Andrea Chénier
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- Italian
- Runtime
- 1h 47m
- Production Studios
- NVC Arts
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Lamberto Puggelli, Humphrey Burton
Luigi Illica
Umberto Giordano
Department Leadership Roster
Umberto Giordano
Original Music Composer
Luigi Illica
Writer
Lamberto Puggelli
Director
Humphrey Burton
Director
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Andrea Chénier.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Andrea Chénier.
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agb List1
Entries I created
ROH
Royal Opera.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Andrea Chénier
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Andrea Chénier about?
Live from ROH 1985. Giordano's Andrea Chenier is one of the greatest of verismo operas, full of heart-stopping big tunes and powerful emotional situations. If it is not as well-known as it should be, it is because in summary it sounds a little too like Puccini's Tosca: there is a tussle between political opponents over a woman, an attempt to save a condemned man, a tenor aria about writing poetry on the eve of execution. The difference is that Gerard (Giorgio Zancanaro) is not a villain like Scarpia, he is an idealist whom the French Revolution has betrayed as much as it has his rival the poet Chenier (Placido Domingo). His temptation to abuse his power to seduce the virtuous Maddalena (Anna Tomowa-Sintow) is a momentary one, though its consequences are terrible. There is a streak of post-Wagnerian decadence in much of this--Maddalena is at least as much in love with death as she is with Chenier, and the final love duet has a deeply sinister aspect. -- From Amazon.co.uk
Who directed Andrea Chénier?
Andrea Chénier was directed by Lamberto Puggelli, Humphrey Burton.
Who stars in Andrea Chénier?
The principal cast of Andrea Chénier includes Plácido Domingo, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Giorgio Zancanaro, Jonathan Summers, Cynthia Buchan.
When was Andrea Chénier released and how long is it?
Andrea Chénier was released in 1985 with a total runtime of 1h 47m.
Who composed the musical score for Andrea Chénier?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Andrea Chénier was composed by Umberto Giordano.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Andrea Chénier?
Andrea Chénier holds official age classifications: GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.).