Verdi - Ernani / Domingo, Freni, Bruson, Ghiaurov, Muti, La Scala Opera
by Preben Montel
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Joranda Michieli, Mirella Freni, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Plácido Domingo, Renato BrusonDirector: Preben Montel
Brand: Kultur
Writer: Francesco Maria Piave
Writer: Victor Hugo
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Classical, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 138 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-08-31
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Kultur Video
Movie Reviews of Verdi - Ernani / Domingo, Freni, Bruson, Ghiaurov, Muti, La Scala Opera
Movie Review: For lovers of early Verdi, this is an unqualified treat
Summary: 5 Stars
Ernani is a contender for silliest opera ever, and damned if I don't love every minute of it! Okay, okay, I know all the knocks against early Verdi put forth by the highminded intellectuals of academia who want everything to be Wagner, it's crude, it's empty, yada yada yada. Crude in comparison to what? Aida? Well, duh! Crude in comparison to Bellini or Donizetti? Hardly. Early Verdi is bel canto but amped up with a heavy metal attitude, overflowing with melodiousness but with enough youthful energy to make the Sex Pistols envious. It may not be profound, but the music is so infectious it's hard to even care. No music, any time, anywhere, by any other composer, sounds like this. In short, early Verdi rules!
Even by the standards of mid-nineteenth century Italian opera, the story of Ernani is excessively preposterous. We're supposed to believe that the titular nobleman masquerading as a bandit is so driven by personal honor that he would take an oath to kill himself if his romantic rival ever decides to cash in his IOU. Not only that, but the rival is to issue this suicide signal by blowing a trumpet. Not only that, but once the time comes and the horn sounds, the poor sap actually follows through! Oh, he whines about it and wavers and tries to reason with his cold-hearted rival(who apparently thinks forcing the man she loves to kill himself will drive Elvira to his arms) as his lady love backs him up, to some of the loveliest and most tuneful music you will ever hear I might add, but in the end he takes a knife and finishes himself off, on his wedding day no less, all because of a stupid vow. Hey, Ernani, there's such a thing as backing out. Are the words "I was only kidding" not in your vocabulary? Come on. Add to that a scene in act one where not one, not two, but three hotblooded suitors all traipse into the bedroom of the poor beleaguered heroine and vie for her affections at the same time and you have a story ripe for parody. Blame Victor Hugo and Francesco Maria Piave for the narrative. It's Verdi's brilliant music that makes this puppy fly.
Ernani is as good as early Verdi gets, which from my point of view is not just good, it's stupendous. Okay, at this stage Verdi's melodies are often formulaic, but even in these early years you can sense Verdi tinkering with the bel canto conventions. Arias are truncated and segue directly into duets and ensembles, and some of the arias veer from the usual patterns of the times. Ernani is so musically consistent, however, that even the formulaic stuff is breathtaking. For example, Elvira's act one showpiece is one of the most beautiful aria-cabaletta combinations ever written. People who deny themselves early Verdi, especially Ernani, because of its reputation of being "crude music" are keeping themselves from a lyrical, sometimes elegant, never less than entertaining listening experience.
But enough about the opera itself. What about this La Scala production? This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime nights where everything clicks, where the audience had to have left the theater feeling blessed. Domingo worried me at first, his early aria sounded a little rough to my ears, but the remainder of his performance is stellar. This is young Domingo, in movie idol mode, and he is a completely convincing romantic lead. Freni's voice sounds a little large for a few of the coloratura moments, not that that's bad, her beauty of voice certainly compensates for the occasional note or two that might not sound exactly as the composer intended, over all she pulls off the role exceedingly well. One of the other reviewers said that Renato Bruson has an off night here. If this is an off night, I would love to hear him when he's on because I couldn't find a single thing wrong, I was completely enthralled. Nicolai Ghiaurov is also on the mark with his august voice and impeccable singing. Muti and the orchestra perform very well, the passion and commitment is felt all around, from the stage to the orchestra pit. From the opening of the curtain it is clear that all of these performers take this music seriously, as they should, and the result is a performance that brings out the very best of early Verdi, unashamed of the glorious meretriciousness of the story and some of the melodies, but also cognizant of the genuine beauty and, yes, genius at work here.
Some brief commentary on the sound quality which other reviewers have alluded to in a negative light. I have a standard stereo television, no frills, rather primitive I suppose, and the sound was acceptable. A little unbalanced, causing me to fiddle with the volume more than I would have liked, but a lot of productions from the same era that haven't been remastered have the same problem. For me, this isn't enough to detract any stars from what is an overall magnificent operatic experience. I was completely caught up in this performance start to finish and have been humming the melodies ever since. Which is what this whole crazy thing called opera is all about, right?
Summary of Verdi - Ernani / Domingo, Freni, Bruson, Ghiaurov, Muti, La Scala Opera
Studio: Kultur Release Date: 08/31/2004 Run time: 140 minutesIn this thrilling performance at La Scala, Plácido Domingo and Mirella Freni show why, when they were in the prime of their careers, they could carry even the most melodramatic of Verdi vehicles on their shoulders. As Donna Elvira, whom a trio of men has designs on for various honest and sordid reasons, Freni is a wellspring of ardent passion that sweeps the audience along, while Domingo's title hero is an equally inspired creation; their singing during the tragic finale underscores its worth as one of Verdi's most moving denouements.
Luca Ronconi's functional production isn't particularly inspired yet manages to conjure the necessary atmosphere. Obviously, it's Verdi's vivid music that carries the day, with Riccardo Muti conducting the score to a fare-thee-well, from the subdued and mood-setting prelude to the crackling choruses and the beautifully handled ending. Ably abetting Freni and Domingo with their full-throated portrayals are the other male leads, Renato Bruson (Don Carlo) and Nicolai Ghiaurov (Don Ruy), creating a quartet of masterly Verdi singers not often seen and heard on the same stage. --Kevin Filipski
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