ROH - Andrea Chenier

David McVicar revives Giordano's great historical opera of ill-fated love in a spectacular new production. During the French revolution, noblewoman Maddalena (Eva-Maria Westbroek) falls for the charms of poet Andrea Chenier (Jonas Kaufmann). But Chenier has a romantic rival in the form of Robespierre's spy, Carlo Gerard (Zeljko Lucic). Italian composer Umberto Giordano's greatest verismo opera fictionalises the last years of real-life French poet Andre Chenier, who was guillotined in 1794. Having triumphed at The Royal Opera with his productions of the likes of 'Rigoletto' and 'Les Troyens', Sir David McVicar now conjures up the dramatic backdrop of the Reign of Terror on the Covent Garden stage for the first time since 1985. The cast is led by Jonas Kaufman, who sings Chenier's trio of outstanding arias. Dutch soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek sings the role of Maddalena, which includes the Maria Callas showpiece aria 'La mamma morta'. Serbian baritone Zeljko Lucic is cast as Gerard.