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 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.

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.

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 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 to 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.

A Metropolitan Opera production at Gulbenkian in live broadcast

#andreachenier #MET #FundaçãoCalousteGulbenkian #MetropolitanOperaOrchestra @MetropolitanOpera @gulbenkian

Thanks to: The Metropolitan Opera, Zoë Pigott; Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Sara Huberty Ramos