Ernani is an early Verdi opera (1844) and it’s not performed that often (16th most performed Verdi opera according to Operabase). It was given at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in 2022, in a production by Leo Muscato, which was recorded for video release. How you react to it may partly depend on how you feel about bel canto operas on (more or less) serious themes. This is an opera about unrequited love and revenge (lots of revenge) but, in typical bel canto style, the music doesn’t always fit the mood. So here we open on a prelude where Ernani’s bandit gang are sorting out the corpses from their latest skirmish while the orchestra plays a rather jolly tune, then they break into a drinking song and then Ernani enters and sings a rather lovely cavatina. There are places where the music is darker and some of it is really rather good. In particular there are some strong duets for Ernani and his (everyone’s) love interest Elvira. Overall, I rather liked it musically.
So what does Muscato do with it? Not a whole lot in the sense that this is a fairly straightforward and literal production. Ok, he’s moved the setting from the early 16th century to the early 19th so there are occasional slightly incongruous lines but there’s no big concept. I guess it is a bit problematic that a major plot device hinges on the king (Charles V) being elected Holy Roman Emperor even though we are clearly post the abolition of that position. But, whatever, we aren’t in outer space and there are no lasers. It’s well done with careful detailed direction and a unit set that, with the help of a few projections, functions effectively for all four acts.
The acting is generally good and so is the singing from the principal men. Francesco Meli does a proper bit of Verdi tenoring in the title role and really has the heroic tenor sound down pat. Vitalij Kowaljow is splendidly solid as Silva. He has a true basso cantante voice with sonorous low notes but also great musicality. He’s very convincing as the elderly duke whose honour has been impinged both by Ernani and the king. The king is sung by Roberto Frontali and it’s a restrained but effective presentation and this is an opera where the baritone gets a lot of the best tunes. I really don’t think one could do much better than these three in these roles. The problem is María José Siri as Elvira. I’ve learnt that many people really like an incisive, slicey, top end in Verdi sopranos and that’s what you get here. It’s just not to my taste. I prefer a sweeter top end and this one is just short of nails on chalkboard much of the time. The house audience seemed to be close to my opinion given the lukewarm reception they gave to Siri’s opening aria.
The MMF orchestra is solid as ever. James Conlon conducts and is pretty unobtrusive but, to be honest, I rarely notice the conducting in this kind of opera. It’s only when someone like Speranza Scapucci grabs it by the scruff of the next that I really get excited. The. chorus is a bit lame. They sing well enough but in the Act 4 ball room scene where they actually need to do some acting, and dancing, they just sort of mill around. This may, of course, be something to do with union rules but it really makes that scene a bit rubbish.
Video direction is by Matteo Ricchetti and it’s very decent. The sound (hi-res stereo and DTS-HD-MA) and picture on Blu-ray are very good. There are a lot of dark scenes so I’d add the usual caveat about how it might look on standard DVD. The booklet has a synopsis, a decent essay and a detailed track listing. Subtitle options are Italian, English, French, German, Korean and Japanese.
I’m really quite conflicted about this one. I like the production, the singing from the principal men is very good and there are some real high points musically. That said, I find Siri hard to listen to so your reaction will likely depend on how you get on with that type of voice. Alternatives? There’s not much available on Blu-ray but there is a glitzy Met DVD with Pavarotti in the title role if that’s more your thing.
Catalogue number: Dynamic Blu-ray DYN37972
operaramblings 
I have only seen Ernani once, in an excellent concert performance here in Frankfurt in 2017, with Elza van den Heever as Elvira.
I think it would be a good role for her. I was thinking how much better Sondra Radvanovsky would have been!
I do remember seeing Ernani, decades ago – I think it was a student production at the Royal Northern College of Music. Just about all I recall about it is someone (Silva?) opening a conversation with something on the lines of “By the disgust I feel, I realise I am in the presence of Ernani! You are Ernani, the notorious bandit who infests this region!” Presumably they had surtitles, for me to have taken all that in. Also I remember that in the final scene Ernani and Elvira were in dressing gowns, although the text made it clear they had not yet married!