Opera Australia has a summer season of opera at the Sydney Opera House after a 12 month drought. 4 works Merry Widow, Ernani, Tosca and Blue Beard's Castle. Last night on a perfect Sydney summer's night I attended Ernani. This was a co production with La Scala and the first time Opera Australia has performed the work, although interestingly it was the first Verdi opera ever performed in Australia, in Melbourne in the late 19th century. It was a wonderful production, slightly tongue in cheek sending up the silly plot (3 guys after the one girl) but colourful and appreciated by the audience.
The singing was very good with 2 local singers in the lead roles and an imported baritone and bass. The singer who made the most impact was the bass in the role of Silva, Vitalij Kowaljow. He has sung in worlds leading houses including the Met and La Scala. This was early Verdi at his finest with glorious melodies and rousing choruses. The opera deserves to be performed more often.
The performance was given under COVID restrictions, with only 75% of the seats in the Opera House sold (social distancing) and the audience had to wear masks. One amusing footnote. My companion and I were having a drink on the terrace overlooking the harbour before the performance when an American guy came up to us and introduced himself as the Sydney correspondent for the New York Times. He was writing a story on the opening of the opera season (bearing in mind we are one of the few cities at the moment with opera), and what was it like to be back at the Opera House, how were we coping with COVID restrictions etc etc. This is likely to be the one and only time I am quoted in the New York Times!
