Giordano’s Andrea Chénier from the Met Opera
(November-December 2025)
by Moisés Ordónes Alarcón
“Sous la direction de Tilman Michael, le Chœur du Met se fait tour à tour foule exaltée et masse implacable. Daniele Rustioni dirige l’Orchestre du Met avec nerf et contrastes, faisant alterner l’élan collectif (Ah, ça ira !) et l’intimité des scènes finales. La Révolution gronde autant dans la fosse que sur scène, sans jamais perdre le sens du théâtre.
Ovations nourries à chaque fin d’acte : le public new-yorkais salue longuement cette plongée lyrique dans une Révolution où l’on chante avec ferveur, mais où l’on survit rarement. Au rideau final, roses rouges pour Sonya Yoncheva et Piotr Beczała, roses blanches pour Daniele Rustioni : preuve qu’au Met, même la Terreur se conclut par des fleurs plutôt que par des têtes coupées.”
by Jim Pritchard
“The Met Chorus made a resounding contribution when called upon. In his first appearance as the Met’s new Principal Guest Conductor Daniele Rustioni whipped his wonderful orchestra through to the incandescent final few minutes – as Chénier and Maddalena fearlessly prepare for death – with a Romantic sweep.
There was ebb and flow as Rustioni navigated the opera’s dramatic shifts with an expert hand, without entirely disguising the longueurs. We heard from Rustioni during a pre-recorded segment about his connection to Andrea Chénier: ‘I grew up at home [in Italy] with the VHS of this wonderful production from the Met in 1996 and I consumed that VHS and for me it is a great honour and incredible pleasure to be at the centre of the musical storm and at the centre of this Reign of Terror and this French Revolution, it’s really an immense, immense joy.’ “
by Christian Peter
“L’autre triomphateur de la soirée est Daniele Rustioni dont la direction vigoureuse et théâtrale a galvanisé à la fois le plateau et l’assistance. Soucieux du moindre détail, il a embrasé la partition avec une énergie et une précision de chaque instant. Sa scène du procès au troisième acte, absolument spectaculaire, a mis la salle à genoux. Depuis le début de la saison, le chef italien a obtenu le titre de principal chef invité du Metropolitan Opera.”
by Christopher Corwin
“Principal guest conductor Daniele Rustioni demonstrated his love for the opera…
Though this season he has also led performances of Don Giovanni and La Bohème as the Met’s new principal guest conductor, Rustioni made his boldest statement yet with Chénier, a particular favorite of his which he recently led to great acclaim in Lyon and Paris…
Rustioni was fascinating to watch as he uncovered delightful felicities in Giordano’s orchestral writing.”
by Maria-Cristina Necula
“The Met has assembled a dream cast for this revival—Piotr Beczala in the title role, Sonya Yoncheva as Maddalena, and Igor Golovatenko as Gérard—and under the baton of Maestro Daniele Rustioni, the audience was truly enraptured by Giordano’s most enduring masterpiece.
… Maestro Daniele Rustioni’s leadership in the pit was crucial. His natural, thoughtful approach gave space to the orchestra to shine while also supporting the singers. Rustioni elicited a broad range of orchestral colors—from refined and delicate to thunderous and menacing tones to passionate and affecting—capturing the multilayered emotional landscape of this opera that is as much a love story as it is historical and political. Maestro and orchestra kept the musical momentum throughout in a fine equilibrium of driving the drama forward without rushing and without over lingering in particular passages. An absolutely exceptional performance, not to be missed!”
by Francesco Zanibellato
“Una convincente ripresa al Met di Andrea Chénier del duo Giordano-Illica soprattutto grazie alla direzione di Daniele Rustioni (che ha appena iniziato il mandato da “direttore principale ospite”) e la coppia Yoncheva-Beczała nei ruoli protagonisti.”
“…Daniele Rustioni è alla guida dell’orchestra in una delle sue prime produzioni come direttore principale ospite. Il ruolo è stato creato appositamente per dare continuità alle masse orchestrali…La sua direzione puntava soprattutto alla vivacità espressiva, senza paura di caricare sugli effetti veristi (ma senza farli diventare “effettacci”), e puntando soprattutto al supporto della linea melodica principale, che era sempre chiara ed espressiva.”
by Eli Jacobson
“The real hero was in the pit, as new principal guest conductor Daniele Rustioni revealed more of his artistic virtues than he did in Mozart earlier this month. Rustioni showed real love for this veristic gem, relishing its vibrant orchestration and dramatic details while giving the singers all the help and room they needed to carry the evening.
…Rustioni conducted like one of those great old Italian masters of the verismo game like Gavazzeni or Serafin and the orchestra played superbly for him.
There is enough good singing up there so that the opera is well served and it was a fun evening out. It showed that a fine and enjoyable Andrea Chénier experience is still possible in this new century; no need to live in the past.”
by Luciana Capretti
The Italian conductor debuts as principal guest with Giordano’s Andrea Chénier
“In the hushed atmosphere of the opera house, Daniele Rustioni radiates energy—precise, passionate and assured. On the podium for Umberto Giordano’s Andrea Chénier at the Metropolitan Opera, he guides the orchestra from the pastoral lyricism of the first act to the anguished crescendos of the Reign of Terror. The production marks his debut in his new role as principal guest conductor of the Met, a title previously held by only two predecessors, Valery Gergiev and Fabio Luisi.
This revival met every challenge. Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva, Polish tenor Piotr Beczała and Russian baritone Igor Golovatenko were met with ovations after every aria. Rustioni, bringing a distinctly Italian musical sensibility to the pit, received an equally warm reception.
…At 42, Rustioni embodies both tradition and perseverance. The son of a choir singer, he entered the children’s chorus at La Scala of Milan as a boy before turning his focus to conducting. During rehearsals for The Magic Flute, he famously approached Riccardo Muti and told him he wanted to follow in his footsteps. Muti replied bluntly that he would need ten years of piano study and ten of composition before even thinking of such a career. Rustioni took the advice to heart, earning diplomas in organ, piano, traditional composition and conducting.
Rustioni made his Met debut in 2017 with Aida, followed by Rigoletto and Carmen. He has also conducted the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center. The New York Times hailed his Met debut as “admirable.” Muti has described him as “a conductor in the old-school tradition, who takes music seriously.” Met general manager Peter Gelb has called him “a born conductor,” while concertmaster Benjamin Bowman credits his sense of humor with keeping even the toughest rehearsals light.
More appearances are already on the horizon. In addition to Andrea Chénier, Rustioni will return to the Met later this season for Don Giovanni and La Bohème.
Andrea Chénier runs at the Met through December 13.”
by Anthony Pizzalio
“Daniele Rustioni, on the podium, imbued the piece with all the romantic and revolutionary force it required, and under his baton, the Met orchestra sounded extraordinary, with perfectly timed tempi. Furthermore, Rustioni, leading a vast cast of singers, skillfully guided the performance at every moment, complementing the extraordinary power of each singer without the orchestra ever losing its equally passionate touch.
There is no doubt that this production of Andrea Chénier is one of the best events to see in New York this November/December season.”
by David Salazar
“…Then there’s Daniele Rustioni. Honestly, given his position at the Met, he should be the first choice for, if possible, all of the Italian repertory. The orchestra simply sounds great in his hands, but more importantly, there’s a naturalness to how he conducts this repertory. Unlike other conductors, who seem overindulgent to overemphasize every little gesture to squeeze out every drop of expression out of it, Rustioni is more confident in the music, being far less intrusive in his approach. J.S. Bach is famously credited with saying that “It’s easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.” This seems in line with Rustioni’s approach to the music-making. And it works wonders. The balance in the orchestra is pristine. Ensembles coalesce. Singers always sound supported in their arias and duets. …More importantly, this performance flew by but never felt rushed...
If you couldn’t tell, I love “Andrea Chénier.” It’s an opera with a tight drama and powerful music that when given its due is an operatic experience like no other. This is the first time this season that I’m itching to go back and re-experience it all over again. There are five such opportunities through Dec. 13, 2025.”
by Susan Stempleski
“…with fine work from the chorus and the orchestra’s excellent rendition of Giordano’s lush and stirring score led by Daniele Rustioni, the evening was more notable for its standout singing and orchestral playing than for its stage dressing.”
by Rick Perdian
“The Met has assembled such a cast, and with Daniele Rustioni in the pit, the audience was swept up in a riveting performance of Giordano’s most enduring creation.
…Rustioni is a commanding presence on the podium, conveying his intentions through expansive arm movements and the intensity of his facial expressions. The orchestra responded with playing that ranged from graceful, transparent sounds epitomizing the ancient régime, to thunderous, ominous utterances that manifested the horrors of the Reign of Terror. The best were the love-fueled waves of sound that transported Yoncheva and Beczała to such heights.
In a season rich with must-see performances, add Andrea Chénier to the list.”