ERNANI (Verdi) Met New York 1983 Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, Leona Mitchell
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ERNANI by Giuseppe Verdi
Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center, New York City
1983
CAST
Luciano Pavarotti – Ernani
Leona Mitchell – Donna Elvira
Ruggero Raimondi – Don Ruy Gomez de Silva
Sherrill Milnes – Don Carlos
Charles Anthony – Don Riccardo
Richard Vernon – Jago
Jean Craft – Giovanna
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Conductor: James Levine
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Metropolitan Opera Ballet
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Stage Director: Pier Luigi Samaritani
Stage Designer: Pier Luigi Samaritani
Costume Designer: Peter J.Hall
Lighting Designer: Gil Wechsler
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Ernani is an operatic dramma lirico in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the 1830 play Hernani by Victor Hugo.
Verdi was commissioned by the Teatro La Fenice in Venice to write an opera, but finding the right subject took some time, and the composer worked with the inexperienced Piave in shaping first one and then another drama by Hugo into an acceptable libretto. As musicologist Roger Parker notes, the composer “intervened on several important points, insisting for example that the role of Ernani be sung by a tenor (rather than by a contralto as had originally been planned)”.
Ernani was first performed on 9 March 1844, and it was “immensely popular, and was revived countless times during its early years”.
It became Verdi’s most popular opera until it was superseded by Il trovatore after 1853. In 1903, it became the first opera to be recorded completely.
Synopsis
Act 1
Mountains of Aragon
The bandits demand the reason for Ernani’s gloom (Chorus: Evviva! Beviam! Beviam! / “To you we drink”; Ernani pensoso! / “Ernani, so gloomy? Why, oh strong one, does care sit on your brow?”). Ernani replies that he loves Elvira (Recitative: “Thanks, dear friends”; Cavatina: Come rugiada al cespite / “As the flower turns to the sun”), who is about to be married against her will to old Gomez de Silva (O tu che l’alma adora). He asks the bandits to abduct her.
In Elvira’s chamber
Elvira worries about her upcoming marriage (Scena: “Now sinks the sun and Silva does not return”; Cavatina: Ernani, Ernani involami / “Ernani, Ernani, save me”) as servants deliver Silva’s wedding presents to her. She reaffirms her love for Ernani (Tutto sprezzo che d’Ernani / “I scorn everything which does not speak to my heart of Ernani”). King Carlo enters, declaring his love for Elvira, who rejects it, admitting she is in love with another man. As Carlo attempts to use force, she grasps a dagger, while Ernani suddenly arrives to defend her. Carlo recognizes Ernani as the leader of the bandits. (Trio: “Tu se’ Ernani! Me ‘l dice lo sdegno” / “You are Ernani! The scorn that invades this soul tells that to me”). Ernani replies that Carlo killed his father, robbed him of his lands and forced him into a life of banditry. As he invites Carlo to fight, Silva appears and sees them both, guessing correctly that they are trying to seduce Elvira (Infelice!… e tu credevi… che mai vegg’io! / “Dreadful sight”; Silva’s cavatina: “Unhappy man! You thought this lovely…was yours”).
- [La Scala, Autumn 1844,[1] Silva’s cabaletta added: “Infin che un brando vindice” using music originally written for Verdi’s first opera, Oberto][18][19]
Silva wants to fight both the seductors to restore his honour, when Riccardo approaches and recognises the king. Silva is horrified and apologizes to the king, who in turn decides to save Ernani, saying that is one of his servants. Ernani whispers to Elvira to prepare to flee, while Carlo starts talking with Silva about his rights for the Holy Roman Empire.
Act 2
A hall in Silva’s palace
Ernani enters disguised as a pilgrim. He asks for shelter, which Silva grants him, and then learns from Silva that he is about to marry Elvira, who believes Ernani to be dead. Ernani reveals his true identity to everyone, begging to be handed to the king. Silva however decides to keep his word and protect Ernani. The bandit then confronts Elvira, who tells him that she was planning to kill herself at the altar (Duet: Ah, morir potessi adesso / “Ah, if I could die now”). Silva walks in, discovering the pair, and furiously decides to kill Ernani. However, he is stopped by one of his men, Jago, who tells of the impending arrival of the king. Silva decides to hide Ernani and exact his vengeance on him later. (Trio: No, vendetta più tremenda / “No, I want to keep a greater revenge”). Carlo arrives and wishes to know why the castle is barred. Silva refuses to surrender Ernani (Carlo’s aria: Lo vedremo, veglio audace / “We shall see, you bold old man”) and Don Carlo’s men cannot find Ernani’s hiding place. Silva keeps his word, even when the king secures Elvira as a hostage. Finally alone, Silva releases Ernani, challenging him to a duel. Ernani refuses to fight, pleading to see on last time Elvira and die. After Silva reveals that the king has taken her as hostage, Ernani reveals that Carlo loves Elvira, too. After that, Silva is convinced to posticipate again his revenge on Ernani. They join forces to retrieve Elvira and kill Carlo. Therefore, Ernani swears to die whenever Silva will sound a horn he gives to him. (“Se uno squillo intenderà, tosto Ernani morirà” / “If Ernani will hear a sound, Ernani will die at moment”)
[Added for Parma, 26 December 1844: “at Rossini’s request, Verdi wrote a grand aria for the tenor Nicola Ivanoff“.[20] Ernani gathers his men to him. His aria of vengeance: Sprezzo la vita né più m’alletta / “Life means nothing to me, only hope of vengeance” concludes the act].
Act 3
In the burial vault of Charles the Great at Aachen
Carlo visits the grave of the emperor Charlemagne (Carlo Magno), whose successor, the new Holy Roman Emperor, is being elected by delegates from the relevant countries. Carlo resolves to change his life if he is crowned (Cavatina: Oh, de’ verd’anni miei/ “Oh, the dreams and deceits of my youth”). Hiding behind the vault, he overhears a gathering of conspirators including Silva and Ernani. Ernani swears to murder Carlo. (Choir: “Si ridesti il leon di Castiglia” / “Let the lion of Castille awaken”) The conspiracy is foiled when Carlo’s attendants enter and surprise the conspirators. The king commands that all the traitorous noblemen be executed. Ernani steps forward, declaring that thus he must die too; he is not the bandit Ernani, but Don Juan of Aragon, whose lands were taken from him. Elvira, who had been brought to Carlo as his intended empress, begs mercy for her lover, and Carlo, whose mood has changed, forgives all the conspirators and places Elvira’s hand in that of Ernani. Silva is furious.
Act 4
Ernani’s Castle
Elvira and Ernani have just been married, when, in consternation, Ernani hears a bugle call. Silva arrives, wearing a mask, and hands him a cup of poison and a dagger. Ernani asks for time to “sip from the cup of love” (Ascolta, ascolta un detto ancor/ “Listen, just one word…”) but, cursed by Silva as a coward, Ernani keeps his oath and stabs himself in the heart (Trio with Silva: È vano, o donna, il piangere, è vano / “Your weeping is in vain, woman”). He dies in Elvira’s arms, telling her to live.
Quoted from Wikipedia