Andrea Chenier - ROH (Kaufmann etc)

[Barbirollians]

Went tonight - I thought it was terrific- the production does not put a foot wrong although it seemed a slightly sluggish audience !

Kaufmann was superb what a splendid actor he is too , Westbroek was warmed up alright tonight and produced a very fine La Mamma Morta but almost hard not to see Lucic as the star of the show - a magnificent Gerard all bile and hatred in Act 1 and a wonderful mixture of yearning and guilt in Act 3 and what a voice .

Pappano the orchestra and the chorus all really shone . Just hard not to feel this was a ten star production of a three star opera .

[gradus]

Saw it at the cinema this evening and blown away by the whole thing especially the third act which is surely up there with the best. Wonderful singing especially from Mr Lucic whom I have never heard before but was sensational as Gerard. What a great production and performance.

[french frank]

I saw nothing of this thread but chose tomorrow's live broadcast on Opera on 3 as the one to look out for in our 'Looking Ahead' box. I investigated the story a bit and was also highly impressed by the 'possibilities' for a stunning opera. It seems to have all the ingredients against what must be one of the most awful [literally] backdrops in history.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b050sgmc

[makropulos]

Just hard not to feel this was a ten star production of a three star opera .

Each to their own. It's an opera I love, and a stunningly effective one when it's done well. Frankly, I just don't buy this patronising and sniffy attitude to Giordano. It started with Ernest Newman (at his pompous worst in the 1920s) describing the finale as "brainless", and unfortunately something of that has stuck. Giordano deserves much better, and fortunately Pappano and McVicar really believe in this opera.

We went last night and from the front row of the Amphitheatre the whole thing was electrifying on all counts. A genuinely great cast (I simply can't imagine a better Gérard or Chénier), and Pappano set the whole thing on fire in the pit. The staging was highly intelligent as well as looking gorgeous.

I hope Opus Arte won't keep us waiting too long for the DVD.

[Nick Armstrong]

Oh dear, it just shows how I think I'm constitutionally unsuited to opera. I switched on part way through, endured a few moments of what sounded to me to be some unpleasantly gusty soprano singing, and had to switch off. A pathetic attempt at engaging with it, I know - and also the live experience of some singers totally eclipses how they come across on the pitiless digital microphones. But then, going makes one prey to the lottery of 'opera production'... I guess it's a pleasure I'm happy to leave to others, like seeing the dawn from mountain tops.