Performers rehearse a scene from Andrea Chenier at the NCPA in Beijing on Wednesday. (Photo: Courtesy of the NCPA)
A highlight of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) Opera Festival, Giordano Umberto's Andrea Chenier, a co-production between the NCPA, The Royal Opera House in London and the San Francisco Opera, is being held at the NCPA from Thursday to Sunday.
Originally premiering in London in January, the co-produced opera features a love triangle set against the French Revolution that leads to tragedy. During a time when nobles still hold balls as the country falls apart around them, the poet Andrea Chenier is invited to one of these parties to demonstrate his patriotic passion to the nation. After writing an ode at the request of the Contessa's daughter, Maddalena, Chenier becomes the object of Maddalena's obsession. However before their relationship can progress the starving and struggling poor storm the house. Seeing the people finally rise up against the aristocracy, the Contessa's servant Gerard joins the revolution to fight against the nobility he served for so long and secretly resented. As the Revolution continues to expand, Chenier chooses to stay in his motherland, while Maddalena, who lost her family and lives in constant danger, finds him and becomes his lover. However Gerard's affection for Maddalena and jealousy of Chenier leads him to accuse Chenier as a traitor to the country.
The real life poet Andre Chenier, who was active during the French Revolution, was the basis for the character in the opera. Born in Constantinople in 1762, he was sent to the gallows when he was only 32 for writing poetry against Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794). Meanwhile, the character of Gerard is partly based on Jean-Lambert Tallien, a leader of the Revolution.
Andrea Chenier is one of the two most frequently presented works composed by Umberto Giordano (1867-1948), the other being Fedora, and is usually held at the same level of Puccini's La boheme and Cavalleria rusticana. However, since it is very difficult for a tenor to perfectly capture both the lyricism of a poet and the power of a revolutionary, the opera is not as widely performed as the others.
Despite the difficulty the opera presents, Maddalena actress Sun Xiuwei was a highlight showing a brave noble girl who eventually grows up after experiencing a family tragedy and war. The aria "Nemico del la patria" and "Un di all' azzurro spaz" were my personal favorites from the opera.
Another highlight really stood out for me. In the first act, when two ballet dancers play a shepherd couple, the choir melody was both elegant and beautiful. Talking about her son who died in the war, she reveals the pride she feels that her little grandson is now old enough to fight and die for her country. Little details like this help fill the opera with little bright lights of humanity.
Costume design for the opera is also incredibly well done. Strictly following the principles of verism, designer Jenny Tiramani clearly conducted her historical research in order to realistically portray the exquisite lifestyles of the French aristocracy of the 18th century on stage.
In order to reinforce the opera's realistic atmosphere all the costumes are based on actual history. Although the stage is always full of actors during the first three acts, it was easy to differentiate between members of different classes at first look. Even the clothing for background dancers and children dancers have been designed with delicate details.
