Ernani, Verdi’s fifth work for the lyric stage, is so filled with handsome arias, thrilling duos, trios, and ensembles, and full-blooded dramatic (albeit antiquated) situations that there’s enough here to fill three operas. It’s been well served on CD, with the Price-Bergonzi set on RCA still the most pleasing, though a “private” set with Cerquetti, del Monaco, and Christoff is still to be treasured. Of course, this new entry is in a class by itself since it’s sung in English–however, as with previous releases in its Operas in English series, Chandos’ engineers have done a good job of making every word intelligible. Indeed, sonically this set is a gem, with balances just right, the big moments thrilling without blaring, and the intimate moments, with their occasional felicities of scoring, audible in the most natural manner. Another great plus is the conducting of David Parry–is there no opera this man can’t lead well? He manages to underplay most of Verdi’s oom-pah moments and emphasize the dramatic predicaments of the individual characters and their circumstances–no mean feat when dealing with what must, in all honesty, be seen as stock characters in a plot that in the 21st century is difficult to identify with.
The singing of the individual artists is another matter, one that certainly will be a matter of taste–but only up to a point. Julian Gavin, a singer new to my ears, possesses a strong, ringing, lyric tenor, but one that lacks colors and dynamic range. If you can forgive and forget the sameness of his delivery, there is much to enjoy, but he is nowhere near the class of Bergonzi, del Monaco, or Domingo. I might say exactly the same about Susan Patterson, also a voice new to me. Her singing is expressive and she has all the notes, agility, and power for Elvira, but it is not a sound that charms. She appears to be a lyric on the verge of spinto, which is just right for Elvira–but Cerquetti, Price, and even a weakish Freni need not fear.
With the lower-voiced men we have better luck. Precisely why baritone Alan Opie is not more famous remains a mystery: I’ve never heard a performance from him that was less than ideal. He is a true Verdi baritone, and if the voice lacks the juice of Bastianini and creaminess of Bruson, it certainly outclasses Nucci (on Decca, with a slightly over-the-hill Sutherland and Pavarotti). Every word he sings is clear, and he gives us a noble Don Carlo, worthy of his crown and his followers’ loyalty. As Silva, Peter Rose must compete on CD with Christoff (tough, just from an imperious point of view), Flagello (so-so), Burchuladze (your grandfather is more noble), and with Ghiaurov (the standard, so far). He’s pretty impressive in such company, and if he misses sheer tonal beauty, his way with the text and character remain first class nonetheless. In short, this set is for those who really love opera in English. Ernani, particularly if you see it as very much a soprano and tenor’s opera (as I do), is better served elsewhere.
