Edito de Giordano - Andrea Chénier, Vol. 1 (1941)Andrea Chénier is a verismo opera in four acts by the composer Umberto Giordano, set to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica. It is based loosely on the life of the French poet, André Chénier (1762-1794), who was executed during the French Revolution. Setting Time: 1789-93. Place: In and around Paris. Act I The servants of the Countess of Coigny are preparing for a ball. Among them is Gérard, who is filled with indignation at the sight of his aged father suffering as the result of long years of abusive labor for the aristocrats. When the guests have arrived, a typical eighteenth century court pastoral with the chorus, dressed as shepherds and shepherdesses, singing idealized rustic music and the ballet mimicking a rural love story in stately court fashion. Among the guests is the dashingly popular poet, Andrea Chénier. When the Countess asks him to improvise a poem he refuses initially; but when Countess's beautiful daughter, Maddalena, pleads with Andrea Chénier, he consents. Maddalena flirtatiously suggests the subject ?Love,? but he soon forgets this, and sings of the misery and suffering of the poor instead which leads to a tirade against those in power in church and state. With the exception of Maddalena, the ball's privileged guests are outraged by Chénier's idealistic social and human creed Act II Chénier is now a revolutionary activist and a wanted man. He is advised to flee by his friend Roucher, who has acquired a passport he can use. Chénier, however, has fallen in love with Maddalena and refuses to leave without her. Coincidentally, Maddalena soon arrives having sneaked away from her family with the desire of joining the revolution. The lovers rejoice in each other's company briefly but are interrupted when they are discovered by Gérard, who is also infatuated with Maddalena. They fight over her with swords and Gérard is wounded. Believing he is dying, he warns Chénier to flee from the wrath of his revolutionary enemies, and asks him to save Maddalena also. When a mob arrives on the scene a few minutes later, Gérard tells them that his assailant is unknown to him. Act III Gérard has recovered and is presiding over a revolutionary tribunal. A spy announces Chénier?s arrest for having dared criticize the cruelty of the powerful revolutionary leader Robespierre. This is too good an opportunity to make away with a rival, and as he is about to put his signature to the fatal document, he laughingly asks himself, ?An enemy of his country?? He knows well that is the standard charge against one?s personal enemies. Yet he hesitates for a moment recalling that it was Chénier?s inspired verse that first awakened his own patriotism. Now to satisfy his passion he sacrifices a friend. "La Marseillaise" is suggestively quoted by the orchestra. Finally desire triumphs and Gérard resigns in a mood of cynicism. Hurried before the tribunal, Chénier pleads for himself vehemently, saying that he, a soldier, fought for his country; if he must die, let him die fighting for it, not shamefully executed. Maddalena, whose mother has meanwhile perished, also appears. She offers to give herself to Gérard to save Chénier?s life. Gérard then pleads for the poet; but it is now too late. The mob thirsts for blood. Act IV While confined in the gloomy St. Lazare prison, Chénier awaits his execution. He spends his time writing verses of poetry which express his faith in truth and beauty. Meanwhile, Maddalena bribes her way into the prison. She is ushered in to see Chénier by Gérard. The lovers have a brief tender moment before making one more failed appeal to Robespierre for a pardon. At dawn, Chénier is due to be beheaded. Unable to live without her grand passion, Maddalena takes the place of a condemned woman and chooses to go to the guillotine with her lover. Lire la suite