Ernani: opera in four acts

Giuseppe Verdi’s opera in four acts with libretto by Francesco Maria Piave produced for television and performed at Teatro Alla Scala, Milan in 1982. “Ernani” (based on Victor Hugo’s play Hernani) is Verdi’s fifth opera and perhaps one of his most successful pieces of work. First presented on March 9, 1844, Verdi’s “Ernani” went on to become his most performed work for the next fifteen years. It is a passionate story of unrequited love, rivalry, honour, ambition, and revenge leading ultimately to a tragic conclusion. Set in 16th century Spain and Aachen the stage sets for the first three acts are sombre and atmospheric in hues of blues, greys and silver contrasted by the fourth act of warm colours of sunset, gold and bronze. This is quite a spectacular production featuring four world leading Verdi singers in the major roles - Placido Domingo as the bandit Ernani, Mirella Freni as the heroine Donna Elvira, Renato Bruson as the scheming and very suave Don Carlo, King Charles of Spain and Nicolai Ghiaurov as the proud older Don Ruy Gomez de Silva, Donna Elvira’s intended betrothed. The four singers are superb in the way their voices compliment each other and they are supported by an equally class performance from the Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala, with Romano Gandolfi as Chorus Master and Riccardo Muti as Conductor. Sung in Italian with no subtitles.