by usia review

Tenor Piotr Beczała and soprano Sonya Yoncheva return to the magnificent stage of the Metropolitan Opera, under the direction of Daniele Rustioni

The opera Andrea Chénier, produced by the New York Metropolitan Opera, was presented in a live broadcast at the Gulbenkian Foundation Auditorium on December 13th, 2025. The musical direction was entrusted to Daniele Rustioni, with staging by Nicolas Joël. Scenography and costumes were designed by Hubert Monloup, while J. Knighten Smit served as Stage Director. Composed by Umberto Giordano, with a libretto by Luigi Illica, the opera unfolds in four acts.

Act I

The first act takes place in 1789 at the Château de Coigny. Carlo Gérard, a servant secretly in love with Madeleine de Coigny, is portrayed by baritone Igor Golovatenko. Guests arrive at the château, among them the poet Andrea Chénier, sung by tenor Piotr Beczała. Chénier improvises a poem and performs the celebrated and dramatic aria “Un dì all’azzurro spazio,” fiercely criticizing luxury, the clergy, and the aristocracy—thus setting the ideological and emotional foundations of the drama.

Opera is a complete auditory and visual spectacle, involving a wide multidisciplinary team. On the acoustic side stand the conductor and the orchestra; on the visual side, scenographers, costume designers, prop masters, stage directors, and numerous technical professionals work together to create a unified artistic experience. At the heart of this creation stands the singer, whose role is crucial to the artistic realization of the work. Through vocal technique, power, articulation, and musicality, the singer must project beyond the orchestra pit and establish an empathetic connection with the audience. More than sheer volume, the voice must convey passion, emotion, and inner tension, offering a convincing dramatic interpretation. A great operatic voice must possess inner warmth—never coldness.

Tenor Piotr Beczała, now firmly established as a lyric spinto, embodies these qualities to an exceptional degree. Endowed with a round and luminous timbre, impeccable breath control, and effortless command of the high register—including numerous beautifully placed B-flats—he delivered a performance of remarkable intensity and refinement. I dare even say that I preferred his interpretation to that of the legendary Franco Corelli, whom I had the privilege of hearing live at Teatro São Carlos in Lisbon in the same role.

Act II

At the Café Hottot in Paris, the spy Incredibile observes the scene while taking notes. Chénier is warned to flee, yet he chooses to wait for a mysterious lady who has been sending him anonymous letters. When Madeleine appears, the two declare their love.

Gérard, now a prominent revolutionary figure, suddenly enters, introducing a powerful dramatic shock. At first, he fails to recognize Chénier. A confrontation ensues, leading to a violent struggle in which the poet wounds his former servant, as both men are in love with Madeleine. Once again, the set design stands out for its effectiveness, particularly in creating dynamic circular movements on stage.

Eventually, Gérard regains his memory and allows the poet to escape.

Special mention must be made of Maestro Daniele Rustioni, whose firm control of the rhythmic pulse renders the musical energy irresistibly contagious.

Act III

One year later, the scene shifts to the Revolutionary Tribunal. Gérard delivers the powerful aria “Nemico della patria,” as he is urged to write an indictment against Chénier. Madeleine intervenes passionately on the poet’s behalf, and Gérard, deeply moved, ultimately takes up his defense. Despite this, Chénier is condemned to death.

Act IV

The final act unfolds in the courtyard of the Prison of Saint-Lazare. Chénier composes a poem and sings the sublime aria “Come un bel dì di maggio.” Here, Beczała offers a refined interpretation, his sweet and lyrical voice shaping one of the most beautiful and melancholic melodies in the operatic repertoire.

Granted the opportunity to defend himself, Chénier sings “Sì, fui soldato” with great vehemence. Madeleine then appears and succeeds in taking the place of another condemned prisoner. In the celebrated aria “La mamma morta,” lyric spinto soprano Sonya Yoncheva reveals herself as a true diva, distinguished by her impeccable technique, musicality, vocal timbre, and sheer beauty of tone.

As they walk toward the scaffold, the lovers sing “Vicino a te,” a duet filled with exaltation, repeatedly invoking “La morte! La morte!” in a moment of transcendent intensity.

Giordano also composed another well-known opera, “Fedora,” though it has never achieved the same enduring success as “Andrea Chénier.”

Conclusion

The performance of the Chorus is simply dazzling, providing remarkable emotional depth and elevating every scene.

The Metropolitan Opera production stands as a true masterpiece, in which every detail—from set design to stage direction—is meticulously conceived. All elements converge in a creation that resonates far beyond the stage itself. The delayed broadcast at the Gulbenkian Foundation Auditorium offered an outstanding experience, leaving the audience immersed in tension and ecstasy.

A Metropolitan Opera production at Gulbenkian in live broadcast

António Lourenço

António Lourenço is an opera and cinema enthusiast whose life has been deeply intertwined with the performing arts, both as a musician and as a devoted observer of the world’s great cultural stages.

He received his lyrical training as a singer at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos in Lisbon, where he performed as a tenor with the São Carlos Choir. For more than two decades, he also sang with the Lisboa Cantat Symphonic Choir, dedicating himself especially to the great masterpieces of sacred choral music. Alongside his choral work, he performed solo recitals of Italian opera arias and pursued studies in sight-singing and piano.

He refined his vocal and musical skills in masterclasses in Italy and Spain with distinguished artists, including the legendary soprano Montserrat Caballé and the renowned baritone Renato Bruson, as well as other prominent singers, pianists, and instrumental virtuosos. His repertoire has spanned a wide range of composers, from Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Verdi, Puccini, and Wagner to Fauré, Poulenc, and Gershwin, embracing opera, symphonic-choral works, and sacred music. He has taken part in numerous large-scale works, including more than thirty performances of Carmina Burana, and has sung in eight languages.

Beyond performing, António has spent decades attending opera and concerts in many of the world’s leading venues. Since 1959, he has followed the seasons at São Carlos and has attended performances at houses such as the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Royal Opera House in London, the Palais Garnier and Opéra Bastille in Paris, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Wiener Staatsoper, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, and the Bayreuth Festival. He has also attended concerts in major European halls and at the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, hearing many of the 20th century’s most celebrated conductors, singers, and instrumentalists during what he considers a golden era of performance.

His passion for the arts extends equally to cinema. A dedicated film lover, he has watched thousands of films at the Cinemateca in Lisbon and in Spain, attended masterclasses with filmmakers, interviewed director Costa-Gavras, and taken part in some film productions. His interest in live performance also includes theatre, with memorable experiences attending productions in London featuring actors such as Laurence Olivier, Paul Scofield, and Maggie Smith.

As a critic and commentator, António Lourenço approaches both opera and film with a sensitivity to detail, artistic intention, and cultural context. He listens and watches with the ear of a musician and the eye of a storyteller, always attentive to the dialogue between tradition and innovation, and eager to share that lifelong passion with others.