View source for Ernani

== Synopsis ==
[[File:Francesco_Maria_Piave_-_Granger.jpg|thumb|upright|Francesco Maria Piave, the librettist]]
:Time: 1519.
:Place: [[Aragon]], [[Aachen]], and [[Zaragoza]].

===Act 1===
''Mountains of Aragon''

The bandits demand the reason for Ernani's gloom (Chorus: ''Evviva! Beviam! Beviam!'' / "To you we drink"; ''Ernani pensoso!'' / "Ernani, so gloomy? Why, oh strong one, does care sit on your brow?"). Ernani replies that he loves Elvira (Recitative: "Thanks, dear friends"; Cavatina: ''Come rugiada al cespite'' / "As the flower turns to the sun"), who is about to be married against her will to old Gomez de Silva (''O tu che l'alma adora''). He asks the bandits to abduct her.

''In Elvira's chamber''

Elvira worries about her upcoming marriage (Scena: "Now sinks the sun and Silva does not return"; [[Cavatina]]: ''Ernani, Ernani involami'' / "Ernani, Ernani, save me") as servants deliver Silva's wedding presents to her. She reaffirms her love for Ernani (''Tutto sprezzo che d'Ernani'' / "I scorn everything which does not speak to my heart of Ernani"). King Carlo enters, declaring his love for Elvira, who rejects it, admitting she is in love with another man. As Carlo attempts to use force, she grasps a dagger, while Ernani suddenly arrives to defend her. Carlo recognizes Ernani as the leader of the bandits. (Trio: "Tu se' Ernani! Me 'l dice lo sdegno" / "You are Ernani! The scorn that invades this soul tells that to me"). Ernani replies that Carlo killed his father, robbed him of his lands and forced him into a life of banditry. As he invites Carlo to fight, Silva appears and sees them both, guessing correctly that they are trying to seduce Elvira (''Infelice!... e tu credevi''... ''che mai vegg'io!'' / "Dreadful sight"; Silva's cavatina: "Unhappy man! You thought this lovely...was yours").

:[''La Scala, Autumn 1844,<ref name="PARK"/> Silva's cabaletta added'': "Infin che un brando vindice" ''using music originally written for Verdi's first opera, [[Oberto (opera)|Oberto]]'']<ref>Budden notes: "the cabaletta is a thoroughly undistinguished piece and it offers the ultimate absurdity of an 'exit aria' with no exit to follow", pp. 167-168</ref><ref>Parker notes that there is no direct evidence that Verdi sanctioned this addition, p. 71.</ref>

Silva wants to fight both the seductors to restore his honour, when Riccardo approaches and recognises the king. Silva is horrified and apologizes to the king, who in turn decides to save Ernani, saying that is one of his servants. Ernani whispers to Elvira to prepare to flee, while Carlo starts talking with Silva about his rights for the Holy Roman Empire.

===Act 2===
''A hall in Silva's palace''
[[File:Hernani-Hugo play-act 3.jpg|thumb|upright|Scene from Hugo's play: Ernani seeks shelter]]
Ernani enters disguised as a pilgrim. He asks for shelter, which Silva grants him, and then learns from Silva that he is about to marry Elvira, who believes Ernani to be dead. Ernani reveals his true identity to everyone, begging to be handed to the king. Silva however decides to keep his word and protect Ernani. The bandit then confronts Elvira, who tells him that she was planning to kill herself at the altar (Duet: ''Ah, morir potessi adesso'' / "Ah, if I could die now"). Silva walks in, discovering the pair,  and furiously decides to kill Ernani. However, he is stopped by one of his men, Jago, who tells of the impending arrival of the king. Silva decides to hide Ernani and exact his vengeance on him later. (Trio: ''No, vendetta più tremenda'' / "No, I want to keep a greater revenge"). Carlo arrives and wishes to know why the castle is barred. Silva refuses to surrender Ernani (Carlo's aria: ''Lo vedremo, veglio audace'' / "We shall see, you bold old man") and Don Carlo's men cannot find Ernani's hiding place. Silva keeps his word, even when the king secures Elvira as a hostage. Finally alone, Silva releases Ernani, challenging him to a duel. Ernani refuses to fight, pleading to see on last time Elvira and die. After Silva reveals that the king has taken her as hostage, Ernani reveals that Carlo loves Elvira, too. After that, Silva is convinced to posticipate again his revenge on Ernani. They join forces to retrieve Elvira and kill Carlo. Therefore, Ernani swears to die whenever Silva will sound a horn he gives to him. ("Se uno squillo intenderà, tosto Ernani morirà" / "If Ernani will hear a sound, Ernani will die at moment")

[''Added for Parma, 26 December 1844: "at Rossini's request, Verdi wrote a grand aria for the tenor {{ill|Nicola Ivanoff|it|Nicola Ivanoff (tenore)}}".<ref>Budden, p. 169</ref> Ernani gathers his men to him. His aria of vengeance: ''Sprezzo la vita né più m'alletta'' / "Life means nothing to me, only hope of vengeance" concludes the act]''.

===Act 3===
{{Listen|image=none|help=no
|title=Act 3: "O sommo Carlo"
|filename=Mattia_Battistini,_Emilia_Corsi,_Luigi_Colazza,_Aristodemo_Sillich,_Giuseppi_Verdi,_O_sommo_Carlo_(Ernani).ogg
|description=Sung by Mattia Battistini, Emilia Corsi, Luigi Colazza, Aristodemo Sillich, and the La Scala chorus in 1906
}}
[[File:Aken dom.jpg|thumb|Shrine of Charles at Aachen]]
''In the burial vault of [[Charles the Great]] at Aachen''

Carlo visits the grave of the emperor [[Charlemagne]] (Carlo Magno), whose successor, the new Holy Roman Emperor, is being elected by delegates from the relevant countries. Carlo resolves to change his life if he is crowned (Cavatina: ''Oh, de' verd'anni miei''/ "Oh, the dreams and deceits of my youth"). Hiding behind the vault, he overhears a gathering of conspirators including Silva and Ernani. Ernani swears to murder Carlo. (Choir: "Si ridesti il leon di Castiglia" / "Let the lion of Castille awaken") The conspiracy is foiled when Carlo's attendants enter and surprise the conspirators. The king commands that all the traitorous noblemen be executed. Ernani steps forward, declaring that thus he must die too; he is not the bandit Ernani, but Don Juan of Aragon, whose lands were taken from him. Elvira, who had been brought to Carlo as his intended empress, begs mercy for her lover, and Carlo, whose mood has changed, forgives all the conspirators and places Elvira's hand in that of Ernani. Silva is furious.

===Act 4===
''Ernani's Castle''

Elvira and Ernani have just been married, when, in consternation, Ernani hears a bugle call. Silva arrives, wearing a mask, and hands him a cup of poison and a dagger. Ernani asks for time to "sip from the cup of love" (''Ascolta, ascolta un detto ancor''/ "Listen, just one word...") but, cursed by Silva as a coward, Ernani keeps his oath and stabs himself in the heart (Trio with Silva: ''È vano, o donna, il piangere, è vano'' / "Your weeping is in vain, woman"). He dies in Elvira's arms, telling her to live.