Umberto Giordano achieved sensational success with this opera before his thirtieth birthday. He thus became immortal and, together with Mascagni, Leoncavallo and Puccini, one of the four brightest shining stars in the “verismo sky”.
“Nemico della patria“
This aria and scene immediately brings to mind the brutal and ice-cold Scarpia. No wonder the originals were both penned by Illica. It requires a baritone with a strong, dramatic voice. The first part of the aria is somber, the second part shows a passionate Gerard, and the aria ends with an ecstatic rallentando on “tutte le genti amar.”
Listen to an impressive television recording by Giuseppe Taddei, a great singer and excellent actor. He performed the three parts with vocal and acting precision and skill. His vocal and acting stage presence in this piece is impressive.
Nemico della patria – Taddei
“La mamma morta“
This aria of Maddalena consists of two parts. At the beginning is a bitter indictment of the cruelties of the Revolution; in the second part we hear an ecstatic hymn of love. The aria begins with a lone cello that enters “Con espressione.” Maddalena begins with ten notes whispered on the same pitch “La Mamma morta”, wan and resigned. Suddenly and filled with horror, the music speeds up and she sees before her eye the burning house of her family. Horrifyingly, in the pale tremolo of the strings, one hears the crackling of the fire. At the mention of Bersi, warmth flickers; shortly thereafter, the tone turns back to bitterness that Bersi had to wear her beauty to brand to ensure both of their survival. A lone viola with a painful and comforting motive of four soaring notes leads into the second part. The mood changes within a few measures. Maddalena sings of her love. With a beautiful passage “nei miei occhi” the heart literally opens. Subsequently, Giordano increases the tempo and intensity several times, reaching the highest note B on “Ah io son l’amor”. At the end, Maddalena falls back into the resignation of the beginning with the gruesome “e vi bacia la morte” (and death kisses you).
If you know the movie “Philadelphia”, you may remember Tom Hanks explaining to Denzel Washington the scene from Andrea Chenier “La Mamma morta”, sung by Maria Callas.
La mamma morta – Callas
Come un bel di maggio – Chénier’s great farewell aria
This famous aria begins in a minor key atmosphere (introduced by an infinitely sad clarinet) and turns to a passionate major key ecstasy.
Hear this scene in a beautiful, almost overwhelming interpretation by Jussi Björling. He has never sung Chenier in the opera house. His interpretation is convincing with its beautiful line and Björling’s melancholy timbre.
Come un bel di maggio – Björling
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