Ernani is not one of Verdi's strongest plot-wise, but it has gorgeous music, from the legato-filled arias to the upbeat cabalettas, and the characters especially Silva are memorable. This Ernani is solid, if not amazing. I have seen two other productions of Ernani previous to this one, the 1983 Met production with Pavarotti, Mitchell, Raimondi and Milnes and the 1982 La Scala production with Domingo, Freni, Ghiaurov and Bruson, and especially the latter I prefer both over this one.
The production does look wonderful visually, if too dark at times especially in Act 3. The costumes do look gorgeous though, Elvira's attire is opulent and Hvorostovsky especially looks very handsome, and the sets especially the Act 2 staircase and Act 4 tower are traditional and huge. Musically, it is like this production mostly solid, the music is brilliant, and the orchestra play with power and beauty if occasionally a little passionless, and Marco Armiliato's conducting is brisk excelling more in the heroic parts of the music, where the orchestra are the epitome of resonance, than the more lyrically romantic moments which were well performed but could have been more elegiac.
Singing is mostly fine. The weakest of the four principals for me was Angela Meade(the only singer here I am not familiar with) as Elvira. Now don't get me wrong, she has a good voice, with lots of power and grace, and shows promise, particularly in Ernani, Ernani Involami. Against all this, some of her vibrato is excessive and the singing can sound unmusical, more mezza voce wouldn't have gone amiss. Plus she is rather mannered on stage, by the end I didn't care for Elvira as much as I did when hearing and seeing Freni, whose Elvira was touching and beautifully and musically sung even with a little harshness, and Mitchell, who I found quite sincere.
Marcello Giordani is not at his best vocally in the title role of Ernani, I found him in much better as Des Grieux(Manon Lescaut) and Pinkerton(Madama Butterfly). There is still the ring that I have come to associate from him, particularly the trio between him, Meade and Hvorostovsky and his Disfidotti O Re is beautiful. However, in some of the fourth act and the difficult cabaletta O Tu Che L'Alma Adora, Vein(of Pavarotti, Domingo and some of the other performances of this aria and cabaletta the only one so far to sing it perfectly is Del Monaco), Giordani sounds pushed. However, like Domingo(Pavarotti does a great job too if not always exciting) he is suitably ardent and heroic, and is very moving in the fourth act.
Feruccio Furlanetto is no stranger to Verdi. He has been responsible for some brilliant performances as King Phillip(Don Carlo), Fiesco(Simon Boccanegra), Sparafucile(Rigoletto) and especially Grand Inquisitor(Don Carlo), and his Silva, the most splendidly-drawn character of the opera, is no exception. His voice is bigger than Raimondi's but not as sumptuous as Ghiaurov's, in short it is a big, firm if not the most beautiful voice. He has been better before vocally, but the one or two times where he sounds tired are far outweighed by the number of times he is as sturdy as an oak. Dramatically, he is wonderful, very natural and really delving into Silva's character. Infin Che Un Brando Vindice is riveting on all counts, and one of the best individual aria performances of the broadcast.
But the best of the night, like with the 1983 and 1982 performances, was Dmitri Hvorostovsky's Carlo. He is nothing short of splendid. His voice is not a large one, but it is a very beautiful and warm(Bruson has the richer kind of sound, Milnes is more thrilling and has the best top even with the vocal crisis) one, making it always a pleasure to hear him. His best moment was by far the Act 3 killer aria O De' Verd'Anni Miei, while his habit of gasping audibly while breathing is still evident, the beautiful tone is also there and with him singing it is nostalgic, haunting, sad and regretful. Looking at him also, you don't see Hvorostovsky on stage, you see the King himself, Hvorostovsky is that commanding. La Vedremo Veglio Audace is sung with attention to phrasing and authority too, my only qualm that Furlanetto sounded firmer to me, considering what is happening in that scene(Carlo is threatening Silva with death) I think it should be the other way around.
All in all, solid and well-sung overall, but I recommend the other two productions over this one. Furlanetto and especially Hvorostovsky are simply great. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox
The production does look wonderful visually, if too dark at times especially in Act 3. The costumes do look gorgeous though, Elvira's attire is opulent and Hvorostovsky especially looks very handsome, and the sets especially the Act 2 staircase and Act 4 tower are traditional and huge. Musically, it is like this production mostly solid, the music is brilliant, and the orchestra play with power and beauty if occasionally a little passionless, and Marco Armiliato's conducting is brisk excelling more in the heroic parts of the music, where the orchestra are the epitome of resonance, than the more lyrically romantic moments which were well performed but could have been more elegiac.
Singing is mostly fine. The weakest of the four principals for me was Angela Meade(the only singer here I am not familiar with) as Elvira. Now don't get me wrong, she has a good voice, with lots of power and grace, and shows promise, particularly in Ernani, Ernani Involami. Against all this, some of her vibrato is excessive and the singing can sound unmusical, more mezza voce wouldn't have gone amiss. Plus she is rather mannered on stage, by the end I didn't care for Elvira as much as I did when hearing and seeing Freni, whose Elvira was touching and beautifully and musically sung even with a little harshness, and Mitchell, who I found quite sincere.
Marcello Giordani is not at his best vocally in the title role of Ernani, I found him in much better as Des Grieux(Manon Lescaut) and Pinkerton(Madama Butterfly). There is still the ring that I have come to associate from him, particularly the trio between him, Meade and Hvorostovsky and his Disfidotti O Re is beautiful. However, in some of the fourth act and the difficult cabaletta O Tu Che L'Alma Adora, Vein(of Pavarotti, Domingo and some of the other performances of this aria and cabaletta the only one so far to sing it perfectly is Del Monaco), Giordani sounds pushed. However, like Domingo(Pavarotti does a great job too if not always exciting) he is suitably ardent and heroic, and is very moving in the fourth act.
Feruccio Furlanetto is no stranger to Verdi. He has been responsible for some brilliant performances as King Phillip(Don Carlo), Fiesco(Simon Boccanegra), Sparafucile(Rigoletto) and especially Grand Inquisitor(Don Carlo), and his Silva, the most splendidly-drawn character of the opera, is no exception. His voice is bigger than Raimondi's but not as sumptuous as Ghiaurov's, in short it is a big, firm if not the most beautiful voice. He has been better before vocally, but the one or two times where he sounds tired are far outweighed by the number of times he is as sturdy as an oak. Dramatically, he is wonderful, very natural and really delving into Silva's character. Infin Che Un Brando Vindice is riveting on all counts, and one of the best individual aria performances of the broadcast.
But the best of the night, like with the 1983 and 1982 performances, was Dmitri Hvorostovsky's Carlo. He is nothing short of splendid. His voice is not a large one, but it is a very beautiful and warm(Bruson has the richer kind of sound, Milnes is more thrilling and has the best top even with the vocal crisis) one, making it always a pleasure to hear him. His best moment was by far the Act 3 killer aria O De' Verd'Anni Miei, while his habit of gasping audibly while breathing is still evident, the beautiful tone is also there and with him singing it is nostalgic, haunting, sad and regretful. Looking at him also, you don't see Hvorostovsky on stage, you see the King himself, Hvorostovsky is that commanding. La Vedremo Veglio Audace is sung with attention to phrasing and authority too, my only qualm that Furlanetto sounded firmer to me, considering what is happening in that scene(Carlo is threatening Silva with death) I think it should be the other way around.
All in all, solid and well-sung overall, but I recommend the other two productions over this one. Furlanetto and especially Hvorostovsky are simply great. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox
