Andrea Chénier was first performed in 1896, the year that also saw the premiere of La bohème. It was an immediate success and established Giordano, not yet 30, as one of the leaders of the so-called ‘giovane scuola’, the group of young composers seeking to take Italian opera forward after the end of Verdi’s long creative life.
The opera is set during the French Revolution. The librettist, Luigi Illica, took his inspiration not from a literary model but from the real-life figure of André Chénier, a poet and revolutionary who was guillotined in 1794. The music for Chénier and his aristocratic lover Maddalena is powerfully passionate, while Giordano also makes skilful use of revolutionary songs and pastiches of 18th-century music.
The performance will be conducted by Gianluca Marcianò, Chelsea Opera Group's Artistic Director, who led us in several great performances earlier in his career. It provides a notable vehicle for a charismatic tenor and we are delighted to welcome Gwyn Hughes Jones as Chénier with a cast that includes Claire Rutter, Yvonne Howard and Fiona Kimm, emerging artists and full orchestra and chorus.
There will be a pre-opera talk for ticket holders 4:45-5:15pm, to be given by Simon Bainbridge.