[.ca] Andrea Chenier

Look no further, this is by far the best Chenier!:
Andrea Chenier is one of the best examples of verisimo opera. It Giordano's most popular opera and contains the aria "La Mamma morta" used in the film "Philadelphia". You won't hear a more idiomatic and all-around excellent recording than this 1957 Decca recording. The cast and conductor are all in superb form! Mario Del Monaco sings here one of his most famous roles and he's a thrilling Andrea Chenier! The voice is captured at it's best with ringing high notes and strong, handsome low ones. This is in my opinion his best studio recording (though many say it's La Gioconda). I've also listened to Corelli's impressive Chenier and though Franco is wonderful, it's Mario I prefer listening to. If Franco Corelli would be my second choice for an excellent Chenier when it comes to the role of Maddalena, there is no second choice. Renata Tebaldi IS Maddalena! It sounds as if the role was written for her instrument and personality. Her "La Mamma morta" (or any other moment) will blow you away! You feel the sorrow and pain of this woman in Tebaldi's singing. But the show goes on with another legend, Ettore Bastiannini who sings Geronte. Needless to say, he sings like a God! Like these three were not enough, decca chose the young but certainly promising mezzo Fiorenza Cossotto for the role of Bersi. And how happy we are that Gavazzeni is the conductor! Decca didn't often record operas with great conductors in the 50s but Gavazzeni is an exception. On the whole, a grand verisimo opera and a legendary recording in excellent stereo sound! Don't miss this!

Grand:
If you like grand opera sung in the grand manner, this one's for you. Tebaldi and Del Monaco pull out all the stops here, and the singing is glorious. Tebaldi never sounded better, and if Giordano provided us with a bit of "anything you can sing, I can sing louder," well, this is verismo after all. Perhaps not the greatest of operas, but some of the greatest singing on disc. Buy it before Decca drops it from the catalog.