Is it possible to feel like you’re visiting Madrid’s Prado museum, when in fact you’re only attending a performance at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre? This production of “Ernani“ is creating a magic of this exact kind: the concept of the production placed the principal character Elvira inside the pictures of the legendary Spanish painter Diego Velazquez. “In our ‘Ernani’ the three principal men are enchanted by Elvira, woman from the painting,“ – says director J.-C. Berutti. “We wanted to create a production that would be realistic, but also convey a dream-like atmosphere.“
Verdi’s "Ernani" differed from his earlier operas "Nabucco" (1842) and "I Lombardi" (1843) where main dramatic accents were hidden in choral scenes. This new opera marked composer’s transition from historical-choral operas to the music drama that became Verdi’s trademark. In "Ernani" we see prominent psychological types, the monumental all fresco is changed into individuality. "Ernani’s" dramatic structure enriched Italian opera forms with exceptionally expressive arias and duets.