Umberto Giordano (1867-1948) wrote the four-act verismo opera Andrea Ch�nier in 1896, and it remains his best-known work. It premiered on March 28, 1896, at La Scala in Milan. Loosely based on the life of French poet Andr� Ch�nier, the libretto by Luigi Illica sets the story of love and class conflict with the French Revolution as a backdrop. While the tenor playing the title character has numerous wonderful arias, perhaps the most popular is the soprano aria La mamma morta, sung by Maddalena, the daughter of a Duchess, as she describes everything she has lost to the Revolution, including her own mother. Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2.2.2: 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(2): Harp: Str (4-4-3-3-3 in set).