ERNANI
Opera
in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi
Adapted from Victor Hugo's drama 'Hernani'
First performance: 9 March 1844, at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice
(First performance in New York: 15 April 1847; at the Metropolitan
Opera: 28 January 1903)
THE STORY
ACT I.
The bandit. In Spain and Aachen in 1519. Don Carlo is
king of Spain and Ernani is planning a revolt to dethrone him.
The youth is in love with Elvira and, to meet her, goes disguised
to the de Sila family castle, where she lives. Elvira also loves
Ernani, but she has been promised to the old count Don Ruy.
But Elvira is also loved by the king, who is also at the castle.
Ernani, Elvira and Don Carlo meet in the young womans room,
when Count Ruy also turns up, at first angry, but calming rapidly
as the kings reveals his identity; however, he demands punishment
for Ernani. Aided by Don Carlo, who passes the young man off
as his messenger, Ernani manages to escape the ire of the count.
ACT II.
The guest. The revolt against the throne has failed: Ernani
takes refuge in the de Silva castle, the very day scheduled
for the wedding of the count and Elvira. Certain by now he has
lost his love forever, Ernani gives himself up to Don Ruy, who,
out of obligations of hospitality, instead of denouncing him,
takes him under his protection. The king arrives, and stealthy
spirits away Elvira. Ernani swears revenge; he admits to Don
Ruy his love for the girl and pledges to avenge both of them.
But the old count agrees on one condition: since he has saved
Ernani's life, Elvira belongs to him; if the count wants her,
he has only to sound the horn three times and Ernani must make
good his pledge.
ACT III.
Clemency. The conspiracy continues. Ernani meets his companions
in the underground chambers of the sepulchral monument to Charlemagne
in Aachen. In the meantime, Don Carlo is elected emperor.
He could have the rebels killed, but wishes to be merciful,
and, with the intercession of Elvira, lets them live provided
they pledge their loyalty. As a last proof of his generosity
he gives Ernani the hand of Elvira, having realised that she
will never love any other.
ACT VI.
The mask. The guests greet the happy couple during a sumptous
wedding feast. Among the guests, masked in a black cloak, there
is also Ruy de Silva. At the height of the feast he goes into
the garden and hast the horn blown three times. Ernani knows
what he must do: Castillian honour is severe, and he poisons
himself. Over his inanimate body, the woman he loved falls lifeless,
overcome by sorrow.
HISTORY
In 1843 Verdi signed a contract with the director of the Teatro
La Fenice in Venice for a new opera.
The subject chosen was Victor Hugo's 'Hernani'. At this point
the president of La Fenice, Count Nani Mocenigo, put forward
the name of a young protegé of his, Francesco Maria
Piave, as librettist. Verdi was very interested, very likely
because he hoped to be able to impose his ideas on someone
without an established reputation. Piave's acceptance of the
despotic ways of the Maestro made him Verdi's preferred librettist
for the next 20 years, even when the dubious quality of his
poetry had become proverbial.
Victor Hugo's drama 'Hernani' had been staged with great success
in 1830, becoming a sort of touchstone of French Romanticism.
Piave maintained the original names of the characters with
the exception of Doña Sol, renamed as Elvira. Considering
that some modifications were unavoidable, we can say that
the libretto closely follows the original of Hugo. The major
difference is in the dénouement: in Hugo's drama both
lovers drink poison in a moving death scene, whereupon Ruy
de Silva, desperate, kills himself. Verdi wanted a shorter
and quicker ending after the great scene at Charles V's grave,
so he opted for the rapid death of only Ernani. Hugo intensely
objected to the modification of his work, and condemned the
music drama decisively.
The opera was presented on March 9th, 1844, a triumphal success,
so much so that it was performed shortly thereafter in fourteen
other italian cities, and for the next decade and a half,
was the most performed work of Verdi.
Performed
on April 25, 2002, at the SYMPHONY SPACE THEATER, NY, at 7:30
PM.
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