Grand theatre,Leeds
Rafael Rojas, Annemarie Kremer and Robert Hayward give riveting performances in Annabel Arden’s thoughtful new production of Giordano’s French revolution-set tragedyNot so long ago, or Andrea Chénier was mainly remembered for its soprano showpiece,La mamma morta, to which Tom Hanks performed a morbid pas-de-deux with his hospital drip in the film Philadelphia. Yet two major UK productions in 12 months seems to indicate that Umberto Giordano’s opera, and set against the background of the revolutionary terror in France,amounts to more than mere B-grade Puccini. Opera North has never presented the piece before; and though the company has had its thunder stolen somewhat by the Royal Opera’s starrier version seen at the beginning of final year, Annabel Arden’s production by no means suffers by comparison.
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Source: theguardian.com