by usia review

Verdi’s Ernani: A Triumphant Concert Performance at São Carlos

It was one of the greatest operatic successes of recent years in Lisbon. Verdi’s Ernani, one of the composer’s less frequently performed operas, returned to Teatro Nacional de São Carlos after an absence of 51 years—the last staging having taken place in 1971. Presented in concert version, without sets or costumes, this performance allowed the audience to rediscover the opera as a true bel canto treasure, revealed through music, voices, and dramatic intensity alone.

The concert format proved especially effective. Free from scenic distractions, it highlighted Verdi’s early genius and the expressive power of his vocal writing. With a cast worthy of the world’s leading opera houses—La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, the Liceu of Barcelona, and the Teatro Real of Madrid—this production reached an exceptional artistic level. Perhaps due to the post-pandemic scarcity of performances worldwide, Lisbon was fortunate to welcome such a luxurious international cast.

Remarkably, all the singers performed from memory, with expressive gestures and genuine dramatic involvement, transforming the concert into a fully lived theatrical experience.

American tenor Gregory Kunde, aged 56, took on the title role. Endowed with a beautiful lyric-spinto tenor voice, he delivered splendid, ringing high notes that soared effortlessly through the theatre. At times, the middle register revealed a slight loss of timbral richness, but this was amply compensated by the brilliance and security of his upper range.

As Don Carlo, King of Spain and future Emperor Charles V, baritone Simone Piazzola, born in Verona, was one of the evening’s revelations. His rare timbre and vocal color, characteristic of a true lyric baritone, combined with deep emotional expression, captivated the audience. Winner of Second Prize and the Audience Prize at the 2013 Operalia Competition in Verona, as well as the prestigious Abbiati Prize, Piazzola clearly confirms a promising international career.

Elvira—loved by three men—was superbly sung and portrayed by Chinese-born soprano Hui He. Possessing a powerful, dramatic voice of great volume and roundness, she dominated the role with authority and intensity. Her instrument is so expansive that even the Metropolitan Opera, with its 4,070 seats, might seem scarcely large enough to contain it. Unsurprisingly, she is in high demand at the world’s foremost opera houses.

Bass Fabrizio Beggi gave a compelling portrayal of Don Ruy Gómez de Silva, with a deep basso profondo voice and strong dramatic presence. Like his colleagues, he performed with full theatrical commitment, as if on stage in a fully staged production rather than a concert version.

Among the Portuguese artists, special mention goes to coloratura soprano Rita Marques, as well as Sérgio Martins and João Oliveira, who contributed solid and stylish performances.

Maestro Antonio Pirolli conducted with authority and elevation, playing a decisive role in the evening’s success. At times, the orchestral sound slightly overwhelmed the ensemble singing, but this did little to diminish the overall impact.

The audience’s enthusiasm and prolonged applause confirmed once again that opera in concert form, when performed at this level, can be a transcendental and deeply exciting experience.

A Teatro Nacional de São Carlos Opera

 @TNSC

Thanks to: TNSC