ANDREA CHÉNIER Unrated, 1985, in Italian with subtitles and libretto, 123 minutes, Pioneer LaserDisc, $59.95.

Umberto Giordano's 1896 opera is about love blooming in the shadow of the guillotine, and for scattered moments this La Scala production brings the French Revolution visually to life. But the stage direction is often rather static, and video impact is not intensively cultivated. The chorus has some theatrical vitality and color, but the solo singers tend to hold stationary poses while belting out their big numbers; then the show is interrupted for applause, which is duly recorded for posterity. There are grounds for the applause and for the concentration on vocal rather than theatrical values. Giordano filled his score with fine arias and the singing is excellent (give or take a few strained notes) from José Carreras and Eva Marton. But the loudest applause goes to baritone Piero Cappucilli, the villain who reforms too late, after his big Act 3 aria, "Nemico della patria." That applause recognizes not only fine singing but the least wooden acting in any of the principal roles. Riccardo Chailly conducts a musically taut, dramatically tense interpretation.

Copyright © 1987 The Washington Post