Sweltering heat, Spanish passions: Verdi’s Ernani in concert

Verdi: Ernani ***

Chelsea Opera Group, Queen Elizabeth Hall, 3rd July 2015

It’s inconceivable that The Royal Opera can have offered us two productions of Verdi’s I due Foscari in the past two decades, yet has never staged its immediate predecessor, Ernani. Elijah Moshinsky’s venerable production for Welsh National Opera creaked its way to the Coliseum in 2004, since when… niente. Three cheers then for Chelsea Opera Group for continuing to champion early Verdi in this red-blooded concert performance, low in subtlety but high in excitement, in a sweltering Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Read the full review on Bachtrack.