This recording documents a celebrated production of this early Verdi work, at the time still relatively unfamiliar. The previous year, Dmitri Mitropoulos had presided over a Met revival of the opera (a broadcast recording of that production with Del Monaco in the title role is available for streaming). Here the tenor joins a new and interesting cast, and Mitropoulos’ swift tempos make for an exciting night. Cerquetti is in prime voice, secure in both chesty low passages and brilliant high notes. She sings the shortened version of her entry scene, with the cabaletta (one verse only) run in with the cavatina. It is a game effort at a fearsome task: some roulades are suggested rather than sung and some abrupt high notes are screeched rather than placed. This may be due to the brisk tempo set by the conductor, however. Still, the audience is more than delighted by what she does. This scene past, she sings the rest of the demanding role with powerful, secure high notes and, more memorably, with distinctive, dramatic colors in the quieter moments. In the subsequent duo with baritone Don Carlo, she memorably colors “Ogni cor serba un mistero...” (Every heart hides a mystery).The other roles are strongly cast. Bastianini brings both a rich voice and a dramatic sense to Don Carlo, getting cheers for his big moments in Act 3, while the granitic timbre of Boris Christoff’s voice fits the bitter and revengeful Don Silva. Del Monaco is in lush voice, and while his presentation of the character is mainly one-dimensional, he fills out the Verdian melodies and wows his crowd. He is also able to scale down his voice for the Act 2 duet with Cerquetti. The chorus gets a little raucous in the opening scene but stays tuneful and united in all their subsequent avatars. The celebratory anthem to the two Carlos ending Act 3 is especially fine and gets a strong reaction by the audience. Sound is excellent. This recording is well worth having, both as a landmark rendering of this opera and as one of our best documents of Cerquetti’s singing/acting abilities at her prime.

This legendary “Ernani” stands equal to, and perhaps greater than another artistic summit achieved six months prior at the Met. There, Mitropoulos conducted Del Monaco, Milanov, Warren, Siepi. Arguing the supremacy of either performance may prove a fascinating parlour game, but happily futile. You deserve the thrill of both!