The opera, composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, tells the story of Ernani and the love of his life, Elvira. Together they overcome the obstacles in the way of their love, including Elvira's upcoming marriage to old Gomez de Silva, to be together before their romance ultimately meets a tragic end. Based on Victor Hugo's Hernani, this opera is considered one of Verdi's best. Encore presentation on March 31, 2012.