The coronation of Charles V as emperor in the Aachen Cathedral
Verdi’s Ernani tells the love story of a young woman, Elvira, who is trapped between three men. One is her lover, the nobleman Ernani. The second is her guardian, the wealthy, elderly De Silva. And the third is Don Carlo, the King of Spain who also has his eye on Elvira. In this play, a major historical event is taking place at the same time: the coronation of Charles V as emperor in the Aachen Cathedral.

A triumph
Just 14 years after the premiere of Victor Hugo’s play Hernani, Verdi adapted the play into his Ernani. The opera was an immediate triumph and marked Verdi’s skill in adapting a historical event into a compelling musical drama. The story of three men courting one woman offered Verdi the perfect opportunity to explore the expressive qualities of three types of male voice. The tenor as the youthful, suffering lover Ernani. The bass as the older ruthless De Silva. And the baritone as the more complex Don Carlo.

300 years of Theater Aken
On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of Theater Aken, this beautiful production can be visited with a bus trip. Under the footlights of the patriarch Charlemagne, the Opera of Aachen builds a bridge between the zeitgeist of then and now in this high-quality opera production.

Source : PLT website