A critic for Opera Wire describes Beczała as “one of the most elegant and riveting tenors in the world. His Adriana Lecouvreur, his Fedora, and his Luisa Miller performances were among the best I’ve seen from any tenor in the last decade. But his Andrea Chénier might top them all.
The critic stressed Beczała’s “luxurious legato singing” and “a honeyed quality to his voice throughout the initial phrases of the final aria.”
The New York Classical writes in its review of the production: “Piotr Beczała is in excellent vocal condition, and the role suits him perfectly. With his aloof, noble bearing, Beczała captured the poet’s revolutionary zeal and his regret that he has never experienced love“, adding: “Giordano wrote four great arias, one in each act, for Chénier and terrific duets with Maddalena and Gérard, and Beczała sailed through all of them.”
According to The Parterre Box website: “The silvery ring and golden warmth Beczała has brought to more lyrical repertoire was evident here along with a heroic aspect. He is always an elegant and musical singer, never bellowing his way through the role as lesser tenors have, nor was he ever underpowered. Beczała also cut a handsome figure onstage.”
The only critical voice comes from The New York Times, which claims that Beczała’s “singing has a declarative cast, his frequent use of soblike inflections, idiomatic in Italian opera when used judiciously, soon felt a touch hysterical.”
There will be four more performances of Andrea Chénier, on December 3, 6, 9 and 13.
The December 13 performance is to be transmitted across the globe in the Met: Live in HD series.
(mk/tf)