Misplaced Pages

#860139

69-547: The palazzo in which the theatre was situated had been originally constructed in 1451 by Cardinal Domenico Capranica , to serve as both his own residence and the future home of the Almo Collegio Capranica , a college for young clerics which he founded in 1457. One of the few remaining examples of Roman residential architecture of the early renaissance, it has a large side tower and a piano nobile lit by three cross mullion windows as well as three windows in

138-551: A cardinal's nomination. Capranica, having already suffered severe losses at Rome through the enmity of the Orsini , took refuge first with Filippo Maria Visconti of Milan and later appealed (1432) to the Council of Basle for recognition of his title. Among his entourage when he left for Basel was Enea Silvio Piccolomini , the future Pope Pius II. The Basel assembly recognized Capranica's promotion, but to punish him for adhering to

207-473: A change of title – to Il proscritto – and a change of characters' names: "The practice was followed in other cities where the names Victor Hugo and Hernani smacked of revolution." In Palermo in 1845 it became Elvira d'Aragona and in Messina in 1847 the title became Il proscritto ossia Il corsaro di Venezia . Overall, Ernani was staged in one form or another up to the mid-1850s, with "32 theatres [giving]

276-467: A chapel at Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome, near St. Catherine of Siena . He supposedly wrote an opusculum known as "The Art of Dying Well" (1487). He is said by Mansi to have written a history of that council, never printed. The cardinal actually compiled a systematic collection of Basel's documents, which is found only in manuscript form. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates text from

345-764: 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. Ernani is scored for one piccolo , one flute , two oboes , two clarinets , one bass clarinet , two bassoons , four horns , two trumpets , three trombones , one cimbasso , one harp , timpani , bass drum and cymbals , snare drum , on-stage band with on-stage bass drum, one offstage horn, six offstage trumpets, and strings . Noting that

414-640: A few weeks before Pope Callixtus. At his death the Milanese ambassador wrote home that "the wisest, the most perfect, the most learned, and the holiest prelate whom the Church has in our days possessed is gone from us". He added that the cardinal was universally considered as the next pope. Pastor himself says that of all the cardinals of the Renaissance Age none but Niccolò Albergati , Cesarini, and Juan Carvajal can be compared with him. He lies buried in

483-461: A free hand in composing his verses, "this would have perpetuated in a diminished form the word-music division that Verdi precisely wanted to get away from. The composer's desire to take charge of every aspect of an opera implied that he had the power to decide what weight to give the text and the music, respectively, depending upon the "moment" of the action. Budden sums up the opening night success of Ernani : nothing "prevented [the opera] from being

552-561: A friend of Brenna, the company's Secretary) proposed an opera, Cromwell, based on Victor Hugo 's play , and on which he had started work. Mocenigo assured the composer of Piave's sense of the theatre and of musical forms, and so they agreed to proceed, although by the time of its approval by the Fenice authorities, it had become Allan Cameron , a story set in the time just prior to the accession of Britain's Charles II . Immediately, Verdi took control and made it clear to Piave what he wanted in

621-409: A great deal of trouble for the poet but my first task would be to try and compensate him... all he would have to do would be to condense and tighten up; the action is already there ready made, and it's all immensely good theatre. Tomorrow I'll write at length to Piave setting out all the scenes from Hernani which seem to me suitable. At this point he continues with suggestions for the poet. For Verdi,

690-542: A hire basis. Under the proprietorship of the Hotel Nazionale and managed by Montecitorio Eventi S.r.l., it has hosted four small-scale opera productions by the association "Aulico – Opera & Musica" and over the years has been the setting for numerous meetings of Italian political parties. In January 2013, Silvio Berlusconi gave a two-hour speech there in which he introduced the Popolo della Libertà candidates for

759-646: A peasant, enters, but Elvira recognizes him and rejects the love that he offers her. As he attempts to use force, she grasps a dagger, but Ernani suddenly arrives and stops Carlo (Trio: "A friend comes quickly to your aid"). Carlo recognizes Ernani as the leader of the bandits. Ernani replies that Carlo robbed him of his lands and forced him into a life of banditry. As he invites Carlo to fight, Silva appears and sees Ernani ( Infelice!... e tu credevi ... che mai vegg'io! / "Dreadful sight"; Silva's cavatina: "Unhappy man! You thought this lovely...was yours"). Ernani offers to fight them both when Riccardo approaches and recognises

SECTION 10

#1732802391861

828-496: A performance of Clearco in Negroponte a three-act opera jointly composed by Giovanni Lorenzo Lulier , Tommaso Gaffi and Carlo Francesco Cesarini . However, the new theatre still lacked a public entrance opening onto the street. Audiences could only enter through the workshop of a carpenter on the ground floor of the palazzo. His lease required him to close his workshop during the opera season and to provide at his own expense

897-558: A publication now in the public domain :  Shahan, Thomas Joseph (1908). " Domenico Capranica ". Catholic Encyclopedia . Vol. 3. Ernani Ernani is an operatic dramma lirico in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave , based on the 1830 play Hernani by Victor Hugo . Verdi was commissioned by the Teatro La Fenice in Venice to write an opera, but finding

966-406: A special building for the college. Cardinal Capranica left all his property to ecclesiastical uses, saying: "The Church gave it to me; I give it back, for I am not its master, but its steward. I should indeed have reaped but little profit from the nights spent in studying ecclesiastical discipline if I were to leave to my relatives the goods of the Church which belong to the poor") The cardinal died

1035-513: A tremendous success. With it, Verdi's fame took a new leap which carried it at once across the boundaries of Italy. For better or worse, he was now a world composer ... [and] wherever there was an Italian opera house, Ernani arrived sooner or later." However, it was not all smooth sailing: due to Hugo's opposition, the first performances in Paris at the Théâtre des Italiens two years later required

1104-513: A wooden staircase to enable the spectators to climb into the theatre. It was a situation that was not rectified until the 19th century. Under Pope Innocent XII , public theatrical performances were once again forbidden and the theatre remained closed from 1699 to 1711. When the prohibition on public performances was lifted, the Capranica brothers re-opened the theatre and soon attracted the patronage of Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni who contributed to

1173-551: Is granted a relationship with the woman, although on different levels. This relationship varies in intensity of passion according to the distance between the soprano register and the particular male voice. Therefore, it is the lowest voice [the bass, de Silva], which is "farthest away, and thus his relationship is the coldest and most retrained". The baritone [the King, Don Carlo] "manages to draw somewhat closer, although indirectly and ambiguously", but Baldini continues by noting that it

1242-424: 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 them both and places Elvira's hand in that of Ernani. Ernani's Castle Elvira and Ernani have just been married, when, in consternation, Ernani hears a bugle call. Silva arrives and silently hands Ernani

1311-537: The opera buffa genre, such as Galuppi 's La cantarina (1756) or Piccinni 's La donna di spirito (1770). Many of the shorter ones, such as Antonio Sacchini 's La vendemmia (1760), were specifically written to be performed as comic intermezzos for prose plays. Other operas premiered at the Capranica include: Notes Sources 41°54′01″N 12°28′40″E  /  41.9002°N 12.4778°E  / 41.9002; 12.4778 Domenico Capranica Domenico Capranica (1400 – 14 July 1458)

1380-536: The 2013 Italian general election . During a meeting of the Partito Democratico at the Capranica that lasted late into the night of 19 April 2013, Pier Luigi Bersani resigned as party leader following his failure to form a coalition government. More than 50 works (including operas, oratorios, cantatas, and plays) have premiered at the Teatro Capranica. The first opera to be premiered there

1449-580: The Apostolic See and King Alfonso V of Aragon and the princes of Germany. During the plague of 1456 he remained at Rome. He took a very prominent part in all the negotiations for a crusade against the Turks in the hope of restoring Constantinople to the Palæologi . He is now best known as the founder of the Almo Collegio Capranica , which he opened in his own palace (the oldest Roman monument of

SECTION 20

#1732802391861

1518-471: The Capranica which premiered several of his early operas beginning in 1679. When he returned to Rome in 1718 after his years in Naples, he produced his three finest operas for the theatre, Telemaco , Marco Attilio Regolo and Griselda . Between 1718 and 1721, the Capranica also saw the premieres of Scarlatti's oratorio , La gloriosa gara tra la Santità e la Sapienza , and several of his cantatas . With

1587-491: The Capranica's demise. It closed permanently following a performance of Verdi's opera Ernani on 1 March 1881. At first it was rented out as a furniture warehouse, but then stood completely empty from 1895 until 1922 when it was converted into a cinema. After the closure of the Cinema Capranica in 2000, the 800-seat theatre with its now minimal stage was re-opened as a conference and performance venue available on

1656-471: The King's first appearance in the play is from a cupboard where he has been hiding since some time after his arrival and before he meets Elvira. Thus he overhears much of the interaction between Elvira and Ernani before finally revealing himself. Verdi must have realized that no king "would ever be allowed to hide in a cupboard", according to Budden. But the La Fenice directorate did approve the concept and

1725-515: The Venetian Foscari family, he found that it was forbidden by the censor in order to avoid upsetting any of the descendants of that family who were then living in Venice. (Both of these subjects were to become later Verdi operas, Il corsaro and I due Foscari , the latter opening in Rome later in 1844.) An unsolicited manuscript from the unknown Francesco Piave (who was La Fenice's resident poet and stage manager in addition to being

1794-437: The accession of Pope Alexander VIII , Pompeo Capranica and his brother Federico received permission to enlarge the theatre and open it to the public. They entrusted the task to Carlo Buratti (a student of Carlo Fontana ) who completely rebuilt the theatre in 1694 transforming it into the standard U-shape with rich ornamentation and 6 tiers of 26 boxes each. It re-opened as a public theatre (Rome's second) on 18 January 1695 with

1863-577: The altar (Duet: Ah, morir potessi adesso / "Ah, if I could die now"). Silva walks in at that moment, discovers the pair, but agrees to keep his word to Ernani and protect him from the king, for which Ernani will owe him a perpetual debt. (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

1932-653: The appeal of Hugo's work – which the latter described as "Romanticism or the Liberalism in literature" – was "the struggle between love and honour", and Budden sums up this appeal as "Within Hugo's scheme each illogical action follows logically from the one that precedes it, giving Verdi the pace, the eventfulness and above all the dramatic unity that he has been looking for." However, Piave was not at all pleased by this turn of events and felt that an opera based on Hernani could not be staged because of censorship. For instance,

2001-427: 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, disguised as

2070-414: The bass Rosi had disappeared from consideration as de Silva but was replaced by Meini, who then withdrew because he found the part too low. Verdi then engaged a member of the chorus, the bass Antonio Selva who went on to a distinguished career. And, in spite of complaints from the soprano, Sophie Löwe , that she was not to be front and centre for the finale, she became part of the final trio. Budden notes

2139-493: The concept of male vocal archetypes, something which is echoed in Budden's 1984 chapter on this opera. Baldini writes of the musical conflicts inherent in the drama as a result of the use of certain voice types: A youthful, passionate female voice is besieged by three male voices, each of whom establishes a specific relationship with her. The siege is fruitless. The male voices, or rather registers, meet with various fates, and each

Teatro Capranica - Misplaced Pages Continue

2208-500: The construction of new public theatres in Rome such as the Teatro Alibert (1718), Teatro Valle (1727) and Teatro Argentina (1732), the Capranica gradually declined in importance, although in the 1750s it was much favoured by Goldoni for their stagings of his plays. In 1760, he wrote his comedy Pamela maritata expressly for the theatre. The theatre went through several more renovations, closures, and proprietors starting in

2277-458: The contralto Carolina Vietti when the opera was Allan Cameron , he was against making the leading character of Ernani a musico contralto. However, he compromised somewhat and, by the end of October, it appeared that the four voice types were to be soprano (Elvira), contralto (Ernani), tenor (Don Carlo), and baritone (de Silva), but after the acceptance of the libretto by the Venetian police, Verdi

2346-420: The cost the renovation after its long closure and hired his architect, Filippo Juvarra , to renovate the stage. The two decades after the re-opening marked the heyday of the theatre which would become Rome's primary public opera house and see the premieres of many new operas and innovative sets designed by Filippo Juvarra and Francesco Galli Bibiena . The composer Alessandro Scarlatti was closely associated with

2415-577: The council Eugene IV deprived him of all honors and dignities, also of his possessions. Capranica sought a reconciliation with the pope at Florence (30 April 1434). Eugene restored to him his offices and goods, assigned to him the cardinal's church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme , and sent him to the Council at Ferrara with a special commission to treat with the Greek bishops and theologians concerning

2484-433: The dramatic structure of this opera "brought about a fresh consideration of the fixed forms of Italian opera, in particular an expansion and enrichment of the solo aria and duet together with a more flexible approach to the musical sequences that bind together lyrical pieces", Roger Parker continues by stating that of greatest importance was "Verdi's gathering sense of musical drama's larger rhetoric, his increasing control over

2553-469: The duties of his office open and free of speech, also quite fearless. He insisted on a personal examination of the votes cast for Nicholas V, whose election greatly surprised him, and remonstrated vigorously with Pope Callixtus III for his nepotism , especially in the nomination of Don Pedro Luis Borgia as Vicar (governor) of Spoleto . Capranica was eminent as a peacemaker, notable at Genoa, where he healed grievous municipal dissensions, and again between

2622-467: The dynamics of entire acts rather than merely of entire numbers. In this respect, the third act of Ernani sets up an imposing standard of coherence, one that is rarely equalled until the operas of the early 1850s." However, it is writer Gabriele Baldini (whose specialization was in English literature) who in 1980 points to one of the most significant aspects of Ernani' s dramatic and musical structure,

2691-484: The early Renaissance) for thirty-one poor scholars, sixteen in theology and the liberal arts , and fifteen in canon law. Its constitutions, drawn up by himself, are praised as a model of their kind. The college itself is the oldest of the Roman colleges and therefore rejoices in the peculiar title of "Almo Collegio". His manuscript library passed to the college. In 1460 his brother Cardinal Angelo Capranica erected nearby

2760-454: The following in regard to the specific relationship between this opera and the work of Victor Hugo: ...from the first the spirit of Hugo is there. Verdi [ten years younger than the playwright] was part of that youthful audience to which the play Hernani is addressed. The bounding energy of Hugo's alexandrines is reflected in the spirit of Verdi's music, which is far more forceful than anything he had written so far. Victor Hugo, one might say,

2829-448: The highest male voice [the tenor, Ernani] who "gets near a relationship which if not complete ... is at least reciprocated for long periods". Finally, while Baldini agrees with Parker that it is act 3 of Ernani which is the strongest – "in my opinion it marks the first occasion on which Verdi enclosed within a fairly extended musical space (about twenty five minutes) a perfect structural unit" – he also echoes Budden and De Van in noting

Teatro Capranica - Misplaced Pages Continue

2898-414: The king secures Elvira as a hostage. Silva releases Ernani, and then challenges him to a duel. Ernani refuses to fight, but unites with Silva in his plans to free Elvira from the king. Ernani swears to appear at the summons of Silva, wherever he may be at that time ( Odi il voto o grande Iddio / "Oh God, hear the vow"), [ Added for Parma, 26 December 1844: "at Rossini's request, Verdi wrote a grand aria for

2967-462: The king. Silva is horrified and apologizes to the king, while Ernani whispers to Elvira to prepare to flee. A hall in Silva's palace 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 Elvira and she tells him that she plans to kill herself at

3036-458: The late Gothic style which suggest that the palace may have incorporated an earlier building on the site. In the late 1670s, another member of the family, Pompeo Capranica, had a private theatre carved out from existing family apartments without changing the exterior of the building. The theatre was inaugurated on 6 January 1679 with Arcangelo Corelli leading the orchestra for the premiere of Bernardo Pasquini 's opera Dov'è amore è pietà . With

3105-616: The librettist was offered compensation, although he saved his Allan Cameron in reserve in case of mishap. As it evolved, the opera – originally titled Don Ruy Gomez de Silva in synopsis form – came more and more "to reflect the unique character of the parent drama" as Verdi wished to stick as closely as possible to the original play. For Budden, this "marks a new outlook in Italian opera", because this would never have occurred to either Rossini or Donizetti , for whom plots were interchangeable. Although Verdi had agreed to try to accommodate

3174-497: The libretto had turned out. Then Mocenigo's casual reference to Hugo's successful 1830 drama Hernani as an idea for a libretto caught Verdi's imagination, as seen in a letter which the latter wrote to Mocenigo in early September which expressed concerns about Allan Cameron and the way it had turned out, though noting that this was "the fault of the subject and not the poet". He continues: But oh, if only we could do Hernani instead that would be tremendous. I know that it would mean

3243-425: The libretto was completed to his satisfaction because "when I have a general conception of the whole poem, the music comes of its own accord" Once this agreement was settled upon, the next step was to choose a subject, something which took some time. Several subjects came to Verdi's attention: for example, Byron's The Corsair was considered, but the right baritone was not available. In thinking about an opera about

3312-466: The one for what became Ernani . With this shift came many changes of direction as issues such as casting came into consideration, and Verdi asks Brenna to communicate his feelings to the librettist: However little experience I may have had, I do go to the theatre [Verdi is referring to the opera house] all the year round and I pay the most careful attention to what I see and hear. I've been able to put my finger on so many works which wouldn't have failed if

3381-412: The pieces had been better laid out, the effects better calculated, the musical forms clearer, etc... in a word, if either the composer or the poet had been more experienced. In effect, Verdi is taking control over all aspects of the piece, which includes the condensation of the sprawling play into his four acts. (The first two acts of Hugo's play become act 1 of the opera). Rather than allow the librettist

3450-407: The public ceremonies at which he was to be made cardinal. Despite his protest, and their previous agreement with Martin V, the cardinals of the conclave that followed the latter's death (1431) refused to recognize Capranica's nomination, and the new pope, Pope Eugene IV , sustained their decision on the ground that the delivery of the hat and assignment of the title were necessary for the validity of

3519-491: 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. 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

SECTION 50

#1732802391861

3588-415: The resort for the Roman minenti decked in all their bravery. Here came the shoemaker, the tailor, and the small artisan, all with their wives or women, and with them the wealthy peasant who had ten cents to pay for entrance. Here the audience wept and laughed, applauded the actors, and talked to each other from one side of the house to the other. Eventually, the costs of upkeep and dwindling audiences led to

3657-585: The reunion of the Churches. Cardinal Capranica executed twelve responsible embassies for the Apostolic See, and was named Grand Penitentiary (1449) and Archpriest of the Lateran . Capranica inaugurated the restoration of primitive fervor among the Cistercians of Tuscany, and drew up for Pope Nicholas V , in 1449, a model plan of a general religious reform. He was stern and severe in character, and in

3726-442: The right subject took some time, and the composer worked with the inexperienced Piave in shaping first one and then another drama by Hugo into an acceptable libretto. As musicologist Roger Parker notes, the composer "intervened on several important points, insisting for example that the role of Ernani be sung by a tenor (rather than by a contralto as had originally been planned)". Ernani was first performed on 9 March 1844, and it

3795-435: The right to choose his own subject and his own librettist, and also to pay him directly, as well as refusing to accept the requirement that a full orchestral score be available in advance. In addition, he had the right to choose the singers from the assembled company for that season. David Kimbell notes one additional demand: He explains [to Mocenigo at La Fenice]—and this was rare at the time—that he began to compose only when

3864-573: The second half of the 18th century. By the 19th century, it had ceased being a leading opera house in the city and tended to concentrate on comic operas and plays (often in Roman dialect ), acrobatic displays, and puppet shows. The theatre returned to the Capranica family in 1853 when Marchese Bartolomeo Capranica bought it back from Prince Alessandro Torlonia and spent a great deal of money renovating it. However, it never regained its former prestige. The American writer Henry P. Leland described it in 1863 as:

3933-472: The tenor Nicola Ivanoff  [ it ] ". 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] . 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

4002-445: The way of a theatrical experience: "...Let's have as few words as possible ... Remember that brevity is never a fault ... But I do insist on brevity because that's what the public wants..." The Cromwell libretto arrived from Piave in pieces, and Verdi put it away until he had the complete version to work from. However, when the composer and La Fenice's president met in Venice in late August, Verdi expressed some dissatisfaction at how

4071-653: The work in 1844, 60 in 1845, and at least 65 in 1846, not including revivals in houses that had already presented it." The United Kingdom premiere, the first of Verdi's operas to be translated into English, took place at Her Majesty's Theatre in London on 8 March 1845 followed on 13 April 1847 by its US premiere in New York City. Ernani appeared on the roster of the Metropolitan Opera as early as 1903 and has been given many times since then. The opera

4140-480: The world. 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

4209-415: Was Pasquini 's Dov'è amore è pietà which inaugurated the theatre in 1679. The 1728 premiere of Riccardo Broschi 's L'isola di Alcina was marked by the presence of his brother, the celebrated castrato singer Farinelli , in the role of Ruggiero . Like most of the operas premiered at the Capranica prior to 1750, it was an opera seria . The premieres at the theatre after 1750 were almost exclusively of

SECTION 60

#1732802391861

4278-458: Was "immensely popular, and was revived countless times during its early years". It became Verdi's most popular opera until it was superseded by Il trovatore after 1853. In 1903, it became the first opera to be recorded completely . Following the success of both Nabucco and I Lombardi , Verdi was approached by many opera companies wanting to commission him to write an opera for their houses. Rather than prepare another for La Scala, he

4347-423: Was a disaster, with terrible singing from the tenor Domenico Conti. Two other operas early in the 1843/44 season were equally poorly received. Having heard one other potential tenor, Vitali, as a possible replacement, the composer presented an ultimatum: either be released from his contract or the company would engage Carlo Guasco in the role of Ernani. With a premiere set for March, two final glitches were overcome:

4416-464: Was able to hold firm and ultimately get what he wanted: a soprano, a tenor, a baritone, and – although Rosi was not an experienced enough singer – a bass in the role of de Silva. Thus it became a comprimario role, one to be sung by a second-rung singer in the company. But, as Budden notes, Verdi's "difficulties with singers were not yet over". The season opened with I Lombardi in December 1843. It

4485-530: Was an Italian theologian, canonist , statesman, and cardinal . Cardinal Capranica was born in Capranica Prenestina . His younger brother, Angelo , also became a cardinal. After studies in canon and civil law at Padua and Bologna, under teachers probably including Giuliano Cesarini , he received the title of Doctor of Both Laws at the age of twenty-one. Soon he became secretary to Pope Martin V , and Apostolic prothonotary , and in 1423 or 1426

4554-431: Was good for Verdi; and it significant that both the operas that he based on Hugo's plays (the other was of course Rigoletto ) were landmarks in his career. But it is the composer himself who, in a letter to Brenna, the La Fenice secretary and a friend of Piave's, sums up his own sense of theatre, of what works and what does not. This was written at a time when Piave was unhappy about the shift from his original libretto to

4623-618: Was interested in a commission for two operas for the 1843–44 season (one of which would be I Lombardi ) which came from the President of the Teatro la Fenice in Venice, Marquis Nanni Mocenigo. However, the composer was only willing to accept the terms which he proposed: 12,000 Austrian lire to be paid after the first performance, not the third as proposed by Venice (Verdi recalled what had happened to Un giorno di regno with its one and only performance). Amongst other stipulations, he demanded

4692-399: Was made cardinal by this pope, though his nomination was not published in a secret consistory until 1430. Capranica had earned this rapid promotion by various political and military services, notable by his administration of Imola and Forlì and by his successful reduction of rebellious Bologna . In the meantime he had become Bishop of Fermo , but for some reason did not go to Rome for

4761-722: Was revived in a series of new productions at the San Francisco Opera (1982), the Met (1983), the Lyric Opera of Chicago (1984), and at La Scala (1984). It was given as part of the 1997 season of the Sarasota Opera 's "Verdi Cycle". The Teatro Regio di Parma , another company with the aim of presenting every Verdi opera, gave it in October 2005. Today Ernani receives numerous performances at opera houses around

#860139