Ernani, written by Giuseppe Verdi with a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the play Hernani by Victor Hugo, had its first absolute performance at the Fenice on 9 March 1844, achieving great success. Ernani is considered Verdi’s most beautiful early work, fifth in order of composition, together with Nabucco and Macbeth. The plot of the work, which takes place in Spain in 1519, tells of the passion of Ernani, the bandit under whose guise the noble Don Giovanni d’Aragona is hiding, for the young Elvira, betrothed to his old uncle Don Ruy Gomez de Silva is loved at the same time even by the king, Don Carlo, future emperor. The music is pure Verdi, with rousing choruses, passionate arias and emotional concertatos. From 16 to 28 March at La Fenice a new staging will be proposed in co-production with the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, directed by Andrea Bernard and Riccardo Frizza conducting Orchestra and Chorus.
