He was one of the most controversial writers of the time.

MAZZOLA: Also Verdi’s use of the work of Victor Hugo was terribly modern. This is also his first opera closer to the present - it’s set in the 16th century, whereas the others were from biblical times or the Middle Ages. Along with Nabucco it was the first to be heard in London (in 1845) and it was Verdi’s first opera to be translated into English. It’s wonderful to explore a great opera by the young Verdi at his most energized, impassioned, and sincere.ĪNDRE: Ernani is Verdi at an international moment. And that’s why our audience should come to experience Ernani. And what is strange is that, probably until Il trovatore (1853) or La traviata (1853) or even Rigoletto (1851), Ernani was actually the most - in Italian we say un cavallo i vertalia libertalia. It was still performed at the beginning of the 20th century, when it became something of a rarity - it didn’t disappear, but it was never a big hit again. MAZZOLA: Ernani was an immediate, huge success, and it remained popular throughout the 19th century. The La Fenice theater in Venice comes calling and Verdi is like, “Sure, I’m interested. Then you get Nabucco (1842), and I Lombardi alla prima crociata (1843), which were both popular, and then offers start coming in. Then Un giorno di regno (1840), a comedy that flopped. He had gotten settled with four operas at La Scala, the best-known northern Italian theater, first with Oberto (1839), which was a success. A dark power, if you will - the violence of the jealousy, of the misunderstanding, of the price and cost of honor.ĪNDRE: For Verdi, Ernani is kind of a new beginning. Every operatic event is to be enjoyed, of course, but there is tremendous energy in Ernani. MAZZOLA: I don’t know if “charm” is really the correct word for the question, because “charm” suggests that you can just sit and enjoy it in a very pleasant way.

Bandit verdi opera