On 4, 5 and 6 July the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will host one of the most anticipated premieres of the XXXIII Music Festival Stars of the White Nights – Giuseppe Verdi’s Ernani, adapted by the renowned Bulgarian bass and opera director Orlin Anastassov. The production team includes set and costume designer Denis Ivanov, choreographer Yulia Smirnova, chorus master Konstantin Rylov and principal répétiteur Yuri Kokko. The production is under the musical direction of Valery Gergiev.
The Mariinsky Theatre is rightly known as the “House of Verdi”. Its repertoire currently features fourteen operas by the composer, and Ernani will soon become the fifteenth – a brilliant addition to this unique Verdi collection.
Ernani is among Verdi’s early works. At the time the young composer – whose success after Nabucco (1842) and I Lombardi alla prima crociata (1843) was soaring – received commissions from Italy’s most prestigious theatres. For his fifth opera he chose Victor Hugo’s drama Hernani as the basis. This was Verdi’s first collaboration with librettist Francesco Maria Piave, who would go on to become one of his most trusted creative partners. From the outset the composer was deeply involved in shaping the libretto, seeking to bring the principles of dramatic theatre into opera.
Ernani premiered on 9 March 1844 at La Fenice in Venice and was met with great acclaim. Its popularity grew with each performance, and within two years the opera had conquered the stages of fourteen Italian cities and gone on to achieve international recognition. The St Petersburg premiere took place on 18 September 1846 at the Bolshoi (Stone) Theatre, presented by the Imperial Italian Opera Company. Ernani remained in the repertoire for over thirty years and was performed by both Italian and Russian artists.
Though Verdi’s later masterpieces gradually eclipsed Ernani, the opera never vanished entirely: arias and ensembles from the work continued to be performed in concert halls worldwide. In December 2024 the Mariinsky Theatre revisited the opera with a chamber version accompanied by piano. Now this emotionally charged drama returns to the stage in all its orchestral and theatrical richness – in a full-scale production by Orlin Anastassov. Much like Verdi himself, who was known to involve himself in every detail of a production – from coaching singers to advising set designers – Anastassov brings to the rehearsal process not only his directorial vision but also his deep experience as a singer, guiding performers through the material with authority and insight.
“Choosing Ernani for a Mariinsky production felt natural – there are very few Verdi operas left that the theatre hasn’t explored. I know this work intimately; I’ve sung it often and directed it before. When I proposed it to maestro Valery Gergiev, he responded immediately – the St Petersburg audience is always eager for something new and unexpected. I wanted to create something never before seen here – and I believe I’ve succeeded,” says Anastassov.
His approach to direction involves meticulous study of both the score and the libretto, reading between the lines – and between the notes. He places great emphasis on understanding the historical context, the composer’s style and the interplay between characters within musical numbers. No less important is his attentive and individual work with singers, bringing out their strengths and shaping the dramatic arc through their interpretations.
This production will make full use of the Mariinsky II’s cutting-edge technical capabilities, including a rotating stage that transforms the space before the audience’s eyes. “It will be a visually stunning production in every sense,” says Anastassov. “And extremely dynamic – with no pauses between scenes, everything unfolds continuously. Ernani may not be the most famous of Verdi’s operas, but it is a phenomenal work. I’ve approached it with enthusiasm and absolute confidence from the start – and I have no doubt the result will be magnificent.”
The premiere of Ernani takes place as part of the XXXIII Music Festival Stars of the White Nights, presented with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. Artistic Director of the festival is Valery Gergiev.
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