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Overview
Synopsis
Verdi’s grand opera Don Carlos is a story of love and devotion conflicting with political and religious upheaval. Lost on a hunting expedition, Elisabeth de Valois runs into the young Prince of Spain, Don Carlos. They immediately fall in love, and are delighted to find out that they are actually betrothed. Their happiness is not to last, and with the end of the war comes the end of their relationship: Elisabeth has been promised as bride to King Philippe, Carlos’s father, and must fulfill her duty to keep the peace.
Looking for solace in his distress, Carlos visits the grave of his grandfather, Charles V, in the local monastery. It is here that he makes an alliance with the Marquis of Posa, Rodrigue, a friendship which will prove to be of vital importance in both men’s lives. Rodrigue tells Carlos to take up the fight for peace in Flanders to take himself away from this woman, but when Carlos asks for this duty from the king, he is refused.
The King’s mistress, the Princess Eboli makes advances on Carlos and when they are rejected, she betrays his love of Elisabeth to the King. He is sent to prison and, in an incredible duet for two bass voices, King Philippe asks The Grand Inquisitor for guidance on how to deal with his son. It is decided, Carlos is to be executed and the day has been appointed. Eboli and Elisabeth help Carlos to escape, but they are found out and he is captured again by the Inquisitor’s men. Before he is able to fight or make a get away the ghostly voice of his grandfather Charles V, is heard. The tomb where he was laid to rest opens and a ghostly arm drags Don Carlos into the afterlife.
Against the backdrop of the brutal torturing and executions performed by the Spanish Inquisition, which they used to rapidly convert ‘heretics’ to Catholicism, this powerful story of intense love, and immense loss has remained popular, in its many forms, since it was first performed in 1867, and remains a strong contender in the operatic canon.
Show Information
- Music
- Giuseppe Verdi
- Libretto
- Camille du Locle , Joseph Méry
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien by Friedrich Schiller
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 5
- First Produced
- 1867
- Genres
- Historical/Biographical, Tragedy
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- 16th Century, France, Spain
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Mostly Male Cast, Professional Opera, Includes Mature Adult, Adult, Elderly, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Soprano |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Famously, this opera has received many different editions and versions across the centuries, each with different levels of popularity for directors and audiences. This guide will focus on the original French five-act version of the opera, although the opera is presented in Italian as often as French.
Act One
France, The Forest of Fontainbleau
Introduction: ‘Le cerf s’enfuit sous la ramure’ - Chorus of Hunters
No. 1 ‘Fontainebleau foret immensé et solitaire!’ - Carlos
Romance ’Je l’ai vue et dans son sourire’ - Carlos
No. 2 ‘Le bruit du cor s'éteint sous l’ombre épaisse’ - Carlos, Thibaut, Elisabeth
Duet ‘Que faites-vous donc?’ Carlos, Elisabeth
No. 3 ‘A celui qui vous vient, Madame’ - Thibaut, Elisabeth, Carlos
Finale ‘O chant de fête et d'allégresse’ - Elisabeth, Carlos, Le Comte de Lerme, Ambassador of Spain, Valets, Ladies-in-waiting, Countess d’Aremberg
Act Two
The Monastery of San Yuste
Introduction
No. 4 ‘Charles-Quint, l’auguste Empereur’ - Chorus of Monks, A Monk
Recitative ‘Au couvent de Saint-Just’ - Carlos, Monks
No. 5 Duet ‘Le voilà, c’est l’Infant!’ - Rodrigue, Don Carlos, ‘Charles Quint l'auguste Empereur’ Monks, Carlos, A Monk, Rodrigues
A garden outside the monastery
No. 6 ‘Sous ces bois auf feuillage immense’ - Ladies-in-waiting, Thibaut
‘Puisque dans ce couvent la Reine des Espagnes’ - Eboli, Ladies-in-waiting
No. 7 Song of the Veil ‘An palais de fées des Roise Grenadins’ - Eboli, Thibaut, Ladies-in-waiting
‘La Reine!’ - Elisabeth, Eboli, Thibaut, Rodrigue
No. 8 ‘Que fait-on a la cour de France’ - Eboli, Rodrigue, Elisabeth
‘L’Infant Carlos, notre esperance’ - Rodrigue, Elisabeth, Eboli
No. 9 Duet ‘Je viens solliciter de la Reine une grace’ - Elisabeth, Carlos
No. 10 ‘Le Roi’ ‘Pourquoi seule madame!’ -Thibaut, Philippe, Chorus
Romance ‘O ma chère compagne’ - Elisabeth, Rodrigue, Philippe, Chorus
No. 11 Duet ‘Restez. Aupres de ma personne’ - Rodrigue, Philippe
Act Three
The gardens of the Queen of Spain
No. 12 ‘Que de fleurs et que d'étoiles’ - Chorus
‘Viens, Eboli’ - Elisabeth, Eboli, Chorus
Ballet
No. 13 ‘A Minuit aux jardins de la Reine’ - Carlos
Duet ‘C’est vous ma bien aimée’ - Carlos, Eboli
Trio ‘Que dit-it?’ - Rodrigue, Carlos, Eboli
A square in Madrid, at the church of Nuestra Senora de Arocha
No. 14 Finale ‘Ce jour heureux est plein d’allegresse’ - Chorus, Monks
March
‘Ce jour heureux est plein d’allegresse’ - Chorus, Monks
‘Ouvrez vous, ô portes sacrées’ - A herald, Chorus
‘En plaçant sur mon front cette couronne’ - Philippe, Chorus
‘O ciel! Carlos! - Elisabeth, Rodrigues, Philippe, Carlos
‘Sire, sire, la dernière heure’ - Six deputies, Six Monks, Elisabeth, Thibaut, Carlos, Rodrigue, Philippe, A voice from above, Chorus
Act Four
King Philippe’s room
No. 15 ‘Elle ne m’aime pas’ - Philippe
‘Je dormirai dans mon manteau royal’ - Philippe
No. 16 ‘Le Grand Inquisiteur!’ - Comte de Lerme, Philippe, L’inquisiteur
Duet ‘Dans ce beau pays’ - Philippe, L’inquisiteur
No. 17 ‘Justice! Justice!’ - Elisabeth, Philippe
‘Oh Ciel! Que vois-je!’ - Eboli, Rodrigue
Quartet ‘Maudit soit le soupçon in fame’ - Philippe, Rodrigue, Eboli, Elisabeth
No. 18 ‘Pitie! Pardon pour la femme coupable!’ - Eboli, Elisabeth
Aria ‘O don fatal et deteste’ - Eboli
A prison, where Carlos is prisoner
No. 19 ‘C’est moi Carlos’ - Rodrigue, Carlos
Aria: ‘C’est mon jour’ - Rodrigue
‘Que parles-tu de mort?’ - Carlos, Rodrigue
No. 20 ‘Mon fils reprenez votre épée’ - Carlos, Philippe
Finale ‘Ciel! Le tocsin!’ - Courtiers, Chorus of People, L’Inquisiteur, Le Comte de Lerme, Carlos, Elisabeth
Act Five
The Cloisters of the Monastery of San Yuste
No. 22 Duet ‘C’est elle!’ - Elisabeth, Carlos
No. 23 Finale ‘Il faut un double sacrifice’ - Philippe, Le Grand Inquisiteur, Charles V (Monk), Elisabeth, Carlos, Chorus of Monks
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.