- Listen to Classical Music - Opera / Operetta Music

The World's Leading Classical Label Direct To You

Read reviews, listen to the music, and purchase the

Customer Service Toll Free 866.489.4152

Flash 9 required. Click to download.

Narrow your search
with our Music Browser

Classical Music

        Ballet
        Chamber Music
        Choral
        Concertos
        Film Music
        Instrumental
        Musicals
        Opera / Operetta
        Orchestral
        Vocal

Jazz

Jazz Contemporary
Jazz Icons

Wind Band

World

        Ballad
        Bhuddist
        Chinese Music
        Classical (World)
        Early Music (World)
        Folk
        Gamelan
        Gypsy
        Hindustani
        Jazz (World)
        Klezmer
        Vocal (World)
        World

Free MP3 Downloads

Catalogs

Internship Opportunities

Masters of American Music

Alice in Wonderland Promotion

Clearance

Penguin Guide

200 Essential Recordings

Recently Released

Upcoming Releases

SACD

DVD

        Ballet DVD
        Classical Concert
        Classical Documentary
        Dance Documentary
        Opera DVD
        Pop/Rock Concert

Audio Books

        Anthologies / Collections
        Arts
        Biographies
        Children's Classics
        Classic Fiction
        Great Epics and Tales
        History
        Junior Classic Fiction
        Junior History
        Literature
        Music Biographies
        Music Education
        Non-Fiction
        Philosophy
        Plays - Others
        Plays - Shakespeare
        Poetry
        Religion
        Samplers
        Sports
        Wine Guide

NaxosDirect Podcasts

Video Librarian Reviews

Labels

Naxos Label

        Naxos American Classics
        Naxos Best Of...
        Naxos Box Sets
        Naxos Cinema Classics
        Naxos Classics
        Naxos DVD
        Naxos DVD-Audio
        Naxos International
        Naxos Jazz
        Naxos Limited Edition
        Naxos Milken Archives
        Naxos Night Music
        Naxos Opera
        Naxos Orchestral
        Naxos Special Release
        Naxos Wind Band Classics
        Naxos World

Composers

Conductors

Ensembles

Orchestras

Choirs

Artists

Instruments

Producers

Home

Classical Music

Opera / Operetta

$0.00

This item is not currently available.

This item is currently out of print.

Link to this Link to this page

Umberto Giordano (1867-1948) Andrea Chenier The Italian tenor Beniamino Gigli (1980-1957) made commercial studio recordings over a period of 37 years...

Read more about this recording

Umberto Giordano (1867-1948)

Andrea Chenier

The Italian tenor Beniamino Gigli (1980-1957) made commercial studio recordings over a period of 37 years (1918-1955). He was also the first international singer to record a whole series of complete operas in the studio between 1934 and 1946. He began with Pagliacci in 1934 [Naxos 8.110155], followed by La Boh�me [8.11072-73] and Tosca [8.11096-97] in 1938, Madama Butterfly (1939) [8.110183-84], Cavalleria rusticana (1940) [8.110714-15], Andrea Chenier (1941), Un ballo in maschera (1943) [8.110178-79] and Aida in 1946 [8.110156-57]. The three made during the years of the Second World War are noteworthy in that no country other than Italy during this period undertook complete recordings of operas for commercial release. Furthermore, these recordings were made purely for the Italian market as all direct contact with EMI's head office in England had been severed with the outbreak of hostilities between Italy and Britain in the summer of 1940. In the case of Andrea Chenier, the recording was not released in Britain until 1949, and then only to special order, and in the United States only in 1954 on LP.

The r�le of the revolutionary poet suited Gigli to perfection: it was always one of his favourite parts. Furthermore, it was this opera which introduced the tenor to London in 1931. There is a splendid ardour and passion in his singing. His career had taken wing when he won first prize in an international contest in Parma in 1914, the year he also made his debut in Rovigo as Enzo in La Gioconda. Four years later Gigli appeared at the Teatro alla Scala as Faust in Mefistofele, the r�le in which he would make his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1920. The tenor would continue to sing at the New York house every season until 1932 when he left in protest against salary cuts. He would return in 1938-39. Gigli sang at Covent Garden in the years 1930-31 and 1938-39 and in 1946 sang with the visiting San Carlo Opera with his daughter Rina in La Boh�me and Pagliacci. He sang throughout Europe and South America and continued to make stage appearances until 1953. In 1955 he made a farewell tour of both Britain and the United States, in addition to making his final studio recordings at the age of 65. During the 1930s and 1940s he also appeared in over fifteen films. Anything he may have lacked in acting ability was more than compensated by the sheer beauty of his voice.

The lyrico-spinto soprano Maria Caniglia (1905-1979) was born and studied in Naples, making her debut in Turin in 1930 as Chrysothemis in Elektra. The same year she appeared at the Teatro alla Scala as Maria in Pizzetti's Lo straniero, a house where she would sing regularly until 1943 and again from 1948-1951. Her international career took flight in 1935 when she sang Alice in Falstaff under Toscanini at the Salzburg Festival. Caniglia appeared at Covent Garden in 1937, 1939 and again in 1950 with the visiting La Scala Company. She visited Buenos Aires in 1937 and her single season at the Metropolitan in New York was during 1938-39. She also created a variety of r�les including Respighi's Lucrezia in Milan in 1937. She retired during the late 1950s. Never the most finished or polished of performers she always conveyed a dramatic excitement and commitment to her interpretations. Caniglia appeared in a single film Il vento mi a cantato una canzone in 1947. She recorded Tosca, Un ballo in maschera and Aida with Gigli. She was married to the Italian composer Pino Donati (1907-1975).

The baritone Gino Bechi (1913-1993) was born and studied in Florence before making his debut in Empoli as Germont p�re in La traviata in 1936. He was then engaged by the Teatro Reale in Rome in 1938, appearing regularly until 1952, and at La Scala from 1939 to 1953. He became the leading Italian dramatic baritone during these years, especially in Verdi and verismo r�les, as can be witnessed by the complete recordings alongside Gigli in the 1940s. Bechi's London debut was with the visiting La Scala Company in 1950 and he also appeared in the title-r�le of Rossini's Guglielmo Tell in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in 1958. The baritone's American appearances were confined to Chicago and Buenos Aires. Sadly, much of the beauty of his voice had diminished by the 1950s and he then moved into films, making in all a total of ten. He retired in 1965, later teaching and also directing operas.

The mezzo-soprano Giulietta Simionato (born 1910) studied in both Rovigo and Padua. She won a singing competition in Florence in 1933 before making her debut in Florence in Pizzetti's Ors�olo in 1935. Her first appearance at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan was as Beppe in L'amico Fritz in 1939. Her international career began when she sang at the first Edinburgh Festival in 1947. This was followed by engagements throughout Europe before singing at Covent Garden in 1953 as Adalgisa in Norma and Amneris in Aida opposite Callas; she would return again during the years 1963-65. Simionato was a regular performer at the Salzburg Festival between 1957 and 1963 before making her belated American debut in New York in October 1959 as Azucena in Il trovatore, a house to which she returned in 1960 and 1962. Simionato retired from the stage in 1966. She was among the finest mezzos of her time, being a much-admired interpreter of the principal Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini and Verdi r�les.

The baritone Giuseppe Taddei (born 1916) was born and initially studied in Genoa and later Rome. His debut was as the Herald in Lohengrin in 1936. After war service in the Italian army, he first appeared in Vienna between 1946 and 1948, before singing in London with the New London Opera Company at the Cambridge Theatre as Rigoletto and Scarpia in 1947. The following year he was engaged as Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro at the Salzburg Festival. Taddei's first appearances at the Teatro alla Scala took place in the autumn of that year and he would continue to sing at this house until 1961. His Covent Garden debut was in 1960 and he returned regularly until 1967, while his belated introduction to New York was in 1985 in the title-r�le of Falstaff. Renowned as a memorable interpreter of all the main Verdi baritone r�les, Taddei was a much-admired Mozartian and also excelled as Hans Sachs, Wolfram in Tannhauser and the Dutchman. He also sang buffo parts to great effect.

The bass Italo Tajo (1915-1993) studied in Turin, making his debut there as Fafner in Das Rheingold in 1935, the same year he appeared at the fledgling Glyndebourne Festival. After singing in various provincial Italian houses, he was engaged in Rome in 1942 as the Doctor in a famous wartime production of Berg's Wozzeck. After his debut at La Scala in 1946, Tajo soon made his American debut in Chicago, and within two years was singing Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, a house in which he would appear until 1950. The bass returned to Britain in 1947, singing Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro and the title-r�le in Don Pasquale at the Edinburgh Festival. He also appeared in San Francisco between 1948 and 1952. In 1966 Tajo was appointed 'basso in residence' at the University of Cincinatti College-Conservatory. Then in 1976 he returned to the Metropolitan to sing character parts, continuing until 1982. He was also much admired for his performances in contemporary works by Malipiero, Milhaud, Nono and Pizzetti.

The conductor and composer Oliviero de Fabriitis (1902-1982) studied composition and conducting with Refice and Setaccioli in his home city of Rome, before making his debut at the Teatro Adriano in 1920. Created Artistic Secretary to the Rome Opera in 1934, a post he would hold until 1943, he also continued to conduct at this house until 1961. He also inaugurated the summer seasons at the outdoor Baths of Caracalla in Rome in 1937. During these years de Fabriitis also conducted throughout Europe in addition to seasons in Mexico City. His British debut was at the 1963 Edinburgh Festival with the visiting San Carlo Opera conducting Adriana Lecouvreur and he appeared at Covent Garden two years later directing the first performances of Simon Boccanegra in that house. In 1971 de Fabriitis was appointed artistic adviser to the Vienna Festival. He also conducted Gigli in recordings of Tosca and Madama Butterfly.

Malcolm Walker

Synopsis

CD 1

Act I

[1] In the ch�teau of the de Coigny family preparations are being made for an evening reception. The majordomo supervises arrangements, as Gerard and other servants bring in a heavy blue sofa. Gerard mocks the behaviour and conventions of the aristocracy, angry and menacing when he sees his old father struggling to carry in more furniture, sixty years old and still a servant.

[2] The Countess gives orders to the majordomo, while Maddalena and her maid Bersi come forward. Gerard admires the beauty of Maddalena. The countess busies herself with the arrangements for the evening and urges her daughter to make herself ready.

[3] Maddalena complains about the restrictions of her dress. The guests are heard arriving, the writer Fleville, the poet Chenier and an Italian musician, introduced by Fleville. They are followed by the Abbe, from Paris with the latest gossip.

[4] Fleville looks forward to an agreeable evening, as singers dressed as shepherds and shepherdesses come in to entertain the company. The Countess urges Chenier to recite one of his poems, but he demurs.

[5] It is only at the express desire of Maddalena that Chenier is willing to recite.

[6] All listen to Chenier's poem, in which he contrasts the beauty of nature with the wretchedness that man creates, inveighing against the clergy and the nobility, to the disapproval of the company.

[7] Maddalena seeks his pardon, while the Countess changes the subject and calls the guests to dance. This is interrupted by sounds from without and then by a group of beggars, led by Gerard, who introduces them as 'His Highness Misery'. The Countess tells them to go, and Gerard with them. His father kneels to beg pardon, but Gerard urges him away, casting off his livery, while the Countess, having sunk down on the sofa, pulls herself together and tries to save the social situation.

Act II

[8] The scene is Paris. To the right is an altar dedicated to Marat and to the left the Cafe Hottot, with the Perronet bridge over the Seine in the background. By the altar stand Mathieu, a sans-culottes, and Orazio Coclite, demolishing the bust of Marat. Chenier is sitting alone at a table in the cafe. Bersi is with the spy, L'Incredibile, who asks her if she is afraid.

[9] Bersi has nothing to fear, as a true daughter of the Revolution, glad of her freedom and of the executions she sees. L'Incredibile is suspicious of her, however, and of Chenier.

[10] Chenier is joined by his friend Roucher, who has a passport for him to leave Paris. Chenier, however, is confident in his own destiny, compelled now by his vision of a woman from whom he has received letters.

[11] He shows one of them and Roucher looks quizzically at it, with its signature 'Speranza'. He presses Chenier to leave Paris and forget the letters.

[12] The mob gathers, cheering Robespierre, with Gerard, and L'Incredibile asks Gerard about the woman he is looking for. He describes Maddalena to him.

[13] Bersi approaches Roucher, observed by L'Incredibile. Chenier is about to leave, but Bersi tells him that Speranza, the woman who has written to him and is in danger, wishes to see him.

[14] Watched by L'Incredibile, Maddalena approaches, hoping to meet Chenier. She reminds him of his words at the ch�teau, revealing herself as Maddalena, recognised by the watchful L'Incredibile as the woman that Gerard is seeking. She explains her situation, followed by spies, and relying only on Bersi and now seeking his love and protection. Chenier promises both, until death.

[15] Gerard rushes in, warned by L'Incredibile, but Chenier protects her, draws his sword, and Gerard falls wounded, warning Chenier to fly, as his name is on the list of those proscribed. Mathieu and the crowd with him seek to know who has attacked him, but Gerard tells them that the name of the assassin is unknown, while they call for his death.

CD 2

Act III

[1] The Committee of Public Safety is in session. Mathieu is reading out a list of traitors, appealing to the crowd for money. Gerard enters, now recovered from his injury.

[2] He appeals for money and for men to fight against their enemies.

[3] An old blind woman offers her only remaining grandson to the service of the country. There is the sound of popular celebration off-stage.

[4] L'Incredibile approaches Gerard, telling him that the bird is in the net. Chenier has now been arrested, and Maddalena is certain to come looking for him. He tells Gerard to prepare the accusation against Chenier.

[5] Gerard has qualms of conscience about denouncing Chenier, his personal rival. Nevertheless, spurred on by jealousy, he writes the indictment, as L'Incredibile approaches again.

[6] Maddalena seeks an audience with him and is alarmed at his declaration of his own feelings and motives. She offers herself to him as the price of Chenier's release.

[7] Maddalena goes on to recount the death of her mother in the flames of the burning ch�teau. Gerard promises to do what he can, although Chenier is already condemned.

[8] The tribunal is in session and various condemnations are confirmed. Chenier is brought in, the proceedings watched by Maddalena. He angrily denies treachery.

[9] He tells them how he has fought for his country with the sword, and with the pen against hypocrites.

[10] Fouquier-Tinville is about to condemn Chenier, when Gerard confesses that the indictment he has written is false and attacks the injustice of the whole proceeding. His plea is in vain.

Act IV

[11] Chenier is sitting by a lantern in the courtyard of the prison of St Lazare, writing on a scrap of paper. Roucher is near him, reminded by Schmidt that it is time to go.

[12] He finishes writing and in answer to Roucher's request reads the poem he has written, echoing his poem of the first act and expressing the feelings of a poet near to death. Roucher leaves him. The voice of Mathieu is heard in the distance, as Gerard approaches the prison, with Maddalena.

[13] She exhorts Gerard to remember his promise, as she bribes Schmidt to allow her to take the place of another woman who is to be executed. Gerard begs her to save herself, as he moves away into the second courtyard.

[14] Chenier is brought in, now ready to die, having seen Maddalena. She tells him that she will die with him.

[15] They join together in a final declaration of love.

Keith Anderson

Producer's Note

This recording of Andrea Chenier, made by Italian HMV during World War II, was first published on pressings manufactured in Italy specifically for the Italian market. Although these pressings are free of the crackle that often afflicts British HMV pressings, they yield too high a degree of surface hiss for them to be a good source for digital transfer. Several years after the war, this recording was published on English pressings that were amazingly quiet and two mint condition sets of these pressings were used for the present edition. In order to preserve the sonic integrity of the performance, no excessive filtering and noise reduction techniques have been employed, and no artificial reverberation has been added. In remastering this recording, care has been taken to reproduce the music at proper score pitch since the original speeds are somewhat inconsistent from one side to another. In fact, the side containing the soprano aria La mamma morta was accidentally recorded 4rpm below the standard 78rpm speed. For this transfer, each side was checked against the score and adjusted accordingly.

Ward Marston

Disc 1

Andrea Chenier

(more info)

Performed by: Milan La Scala Orchestra
Composed by: Umberto Giordano
Conducted by: Oliviero de Fabritiis
Italo Tajo, baritone
Vittoria Palombini, alto
Lilia Grevtzova, soprano
Beniamino Gigli, tenor
Maria Caniglia, soprano
Leone Paci, baritone
Gino Bechi, baritone
Recording date: November 1941
Produced by: Marston, Ward

Act I: Questo azzurro sofa - 4:40
Act I: Il giorno intorno gia s'insera lentamente! - 2:12
Act I: Soffoco, moro tutta chiusa - 4:55
Act I: Passiamo la sera allegramente! - 5:14
Act I: Al mio dire perdono - 1:51
Act I: Colpito qui m'avete... Un di all'azzurro spazio - 5:08
Act I: Perdonatemi!...Creatura strana assai! - 4:13
Act II: Per l'ex inferno! - 1:10
Act II: Temer? Perche? - 2:32
Act II: Roucher! Chenier!... Credo a una possanza - 4:32
Act II: Calligrafia invero femminil! - 2:14
Act II: Ecco laggiu Gerard! - 3:07
Act II: Non mi saluti? - 2:49
Act II: Ecco l'altare - 7:12
Act II: Maddalena di Coigny! Gerard! - 1:52

Disc 2

Andrea Chenier

(more info)

Act III: Dumouriez traditore e giacobino - 3:03
Act III: Lacrime e sangue da la Francia! - 2:04
Act III: Son la vecchia Madelon - 4:05
Act III: L'uccello e nella rete! - 3:33
Act III: Nemico della Patria?! - 5:05
Act III: Carlo Gerard?...La! entrate! - 4:51
Act III: La mamma morta - 6:05
Act III: Mamma Cadet! Presso alla sbarra, qui! - 3:41
Act III: Si, fui soldato - 2:38
Act III: Udiamo i testimoni - 2:43
Act IV: Cittadino, men duol, ma e tardi assai - 1:18
Act IV: Come un bel di di maggio - 3:49
Act IV: Il vostro giuramento vi sovvengo - 3:22
Act IV: Vicino a te s'acqueta - 3:45
Act IV: La nostra morte e il trionfo dell'amor! - 3:40

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: Un di all�azzurro spazio

(more info)

Composed by: Umberto Giordano
Giacomo Lauri Volpi, tenor
Recording date: July 1934

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: Un di all'azzurro spazio - 4:04

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: Io non amato ancor

(more info)

Composed by: Umberto Giordano
Antonio Cortis, tenor
Recording date: 19 September 1930

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: Io non amato ancor - 3:06

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: Nemico della Patria

(more info)

Composed by: Umberto Giordano
Cesare Formichi, baritone
Recording date: 1 September 1927

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: Nemico della Patria - 3:47

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: La mamma morta

(more info)

Composed by: Umberto Giordano
Claudia Muzio, soprano
Recording date: 5 June 1935

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: La mamma morta - 4:30

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: Si, fui soldato

(more info)

Composed by: Umberto Giordano
Francesco Merli, tenor
Recording date: 6 March 1928

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: Si, fui soldato - 2:50

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: Come un bel di di maggio

(more info)

Composed by: Umberto Giordano
Aureliano Pertile, tenor
Recording date: 28 January 1930

Andrea Chenier - Appendix: Come un bel di di maggio - 2:56

Reviews

Be the first to review this title

Free shipping on orders
of 5 items or more!

Subscribe to our newsletter and unlock Naxos Rewards by creating an account. Create your account here.

See all of our great site features here.