New-York tribune., 1921-02-20
Andrea Chenier'
Feature Of Week
AT Metropolitan

andrea Chenier," the opera dealing
with the French Revolution, for which
Luigi Illica, one of Italy's best known
contemporary dramatists and essayists,
provided the libretto and Urnberto
Giordano the music, will have it's first
performance by the Metropolitan Opera
Produced at the Scala of Milan in
1896, it was given three times in the
fall of that year at the Academy of
Music during the last season Of opera
attempted here by the late Colonel j.
H. Mapleson. Since then it has been
heard in New York on but few occa-
sions and is practically unknown to
the generality of present day opera
goers. The late Gustave Kobb6 sum
marizes the action of the play, which
Illica has woven around the romantic
personality of the poet Chenier, as
follows:
Act l. Ballroom in 8 chcateau, Ger
ard, a servant, but also a Revolutionst,
is secretly in love with Madeleine, the
Countess's daughter. Among the guests
at ball is Andre Chenier, a poet with
revolutionary tendencies, Madeleine
asks him to improvise poem of love.
Instead he sings of the wrongs of the
poor. Gerard appears with crowd of
ragged men and women, but at the
Countess command servants force the
intruders out. Chenier and Madeleine,
the latter weary of the routine of
fashion, have been attracted to each
other.
Act TI-Cafe Hottot IN Paris, several
years later. Chenier has offended the
Revolutionists by denouncing Robes
pierre. A spy is watching Bersi,
Madeleine's old nurse, and sees her
hand Chenier a letter 1t is, from
Madeleine. She loves him. She is
dogged by spies, begs him to come to
her aid and arranges meeting. Robes
pierre passes, followed by mob.
Gerard, now high in favor, seeks to
the poet They are about to fee, when
Gerard, notified by the spy, interposes.
Chenier and Gerard fight with swords.
Gerard is wounded. The lovers escape.
Act III - Revolutionary tribunal.
The crowds sing the "Carmagnole."
Chenier has been captured. Gerard
writes the indictment for his rival.
Madeleine pleads for her lover, finally
promising to give herself to Gerard
if Chenier is spared. Gerard, moved by
he girls love, agrees to save Chenier
that the indictment against Chenier is
false But the mob, thirsting for more
blood, demands the poets death.
Act IV--Prison Of Saint Lazare at
midnight. Madeleine enters TO Chenier
with Gerard. She has bribed the jailer
to allow her to substitute for another
woman prisoner If she cannot live
for her lover, she can at least die with
him. Together she and Chenier go to
the scaffold.
Maestro Roberto Moranzoni who has
: ri Ily, will
duct. The chorus has been trained by
Maestro Giulio Setti, while the stage
management is in charge of Samuel
Thewman. Miss Rosina CALI has ar
ranged the incidental dances. The ex-
terror scenes have been painted by the
Triangle Studios and the interiors by
James Fox Nine. Castelbert has made
the costumes. The east in detail will
be as follows:
Countess de Coigny. Kathleen Howard
Madelon - -'...''.'''''.' Flora Pertni
Bersa s!ien palossy
Charles Gerard ......,... Giuseppe Danise
Matthew ............,...... Adamo Didur
Flevitle ................ Mario laurent
The Abbe ............ Giordano Paltrinieri
Schmidt ............. Pompilio Malatesta
Fouquier G9i Tinvlls ..,....., Paoio Ananian
Dumas OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Louis d Angelo
A Major Domo. 49,. .Vincenzo Reschslian
Other Operas of the Week
"Parsifal' will be sung on Tuesday
as a special Washington's Birthday
matinee beginning st / O'clock. The
cast will include Mines. Matzenauer,
Gordon, Ellis, Mellish, Ingram, Sunde-
lius, Delaunois, Roselle and Tiffany
and Messrs. Sembach, Whitehili, Roth
ier, Didur, Gustafson, Bada. d'Angelo.
I a,,ranfi and Piscn Mp RadsnyL.r v,fil
conduct.
Carmen" will be sung on tuesday
evening for the benefit OF the Euro
pean Relief Council for starving chill
tren. The cast will include Mmes. Far
rar, Miriam, Sparkes and Berat and
Messrs. Martinelli, Mardones, Roth
ieg. LauretSi. An2nizn and Psltrinieri.