Don Carlo, an opera in four acts. Music composed by Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901). Libretto by Joseph Méry and Camille Du Locle after Friedrich von Schiller’s dramatic poem Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien. Revised version in four acts (French text revised by Du Locle, Italian translation by Achille de Lauzières and Angelo Zanardini).
First Performance: 11 March 1867 at the Opéra, Paris. Revised version 10 January 1884 at Teatro alla Scala, Milan.
| Principal Characters: | |
| Philip II, King of Spain | Bass |
| Rodrigue/Rodrigo, Marquis of Pisa | Baritone |
| Don Carlos/Don Carlo, Infante of Spain | Tenor |
| The Grand Inquisitor | Bass |
| Elisabeth de Valois, Philip's queen | Soprano |
| Princess Eboli, Elisabeth's lady-in-waiting | Mezzo-Soprano |
| Thibault, Eisabeth's page | Soprano |
| The Countess of Aremberg | Silent role |
| The Count of Lerma | Tenor |
| An Old Monk | Bass |
| A Voice from Heaven | Soprano |
| A Royal Herald | Tenor |
| Flemish Deputies | Basses |
| Inquisitors | Basses |
Setting: France and Spain, about 1560
Synopsis:
Act I
Summary: Don Carlo, the heir to the throne of Spain, is in love with his young stepmother, Elisabeth of Valois. His friend Rodrigo, the Marquis of Posa, attempts to distract him and begs him to take steps on behalf of the oppressed Low Countries. Carlos asks Elisabeth to intervene with the King, Philip II. Carlos then gives his emotions free rein, at which Elisabeth reproves him, even though she loves him also. Carlos flees. The King arrives and is furious that he finds the Queen alone. Rodrigo pleads for the Low Countries with the King, but Philip tells him of his worries about Elisabeth and Carlos.
Sequence:
| Part 1 | ||
| Carlo il sommo Imperatore | Male Chorus | |
| Io la vidi e al suo sorriso | Don Carlo | |
| Scena: Il duolo della terra | Don Carlo, Monk | |
| Mio salvator (Duet) | Don Carlo, Rodrigo | |
| Tristo me! (Duet) | Don Carlo, Rodrigo | |
| Dio, che nell'alma (Duet) | Don Carlo, Rodrigo, Mon, Male Chorus | |
| Sotto ai folti | Female Chorus | |
| Nei giardin del bello (Song of the Veil) | Eboli, Tebaldo, Female Chorus | |
| Chi mai si fa | Elisabeth, Eboli, Rodrigo, Female Chorus | |
| Carlo ch' è sol il nostro amore | Elisabeth, Eboli, Rodrigo | |
| Part 2 | ||
| Io vengo a domandar (Duet) | Elisabeth, Don Carlo | |
| Perduto ben, mio sol tesor (Duet) | Elisabeth, Don Carlo | |
| Qual voce a me (Duet) | Elisabeth, Don Carlo | |
| Il Re! (Scena) | Tebaldo, Philip, Chorus | |
| Non pianger, mia compagna (Romanza) | Elisabeth, Rodrigo, Philip, Female Chorus | |
| Restate! (Duet) | Philip, Rodrigo | |
| Ah! sia benedetto Iddio (Duet) | Philip, Rodrigo | |
| Quest' è la pace (Duet) | Philip, Rodrigo | |
| Il lor destin (Duet) | Philip, Rodrigo |
Act II
Summary: It is evening.Carlos has received an anonymous letter and is waiting for the Queen in the garden. The letter’s writer was the princess Eboli, who is also in love with him. Carlos reveals that he loves Elisabeth and rejects Eboli, who swears vengeance. Rodrigo asks Carlos to entrust any incriminating documents concerning the Low Countries that he might possess to him. An auto-da-fé is about to begin; deputies from the Low Countries approach and beg the King for aid. He sends them away, at which Carlos draws his sword and demands to be sent to the Low Countries. Rodrigo disarms him. Philip creates Rodrigo a duke and has Carlo arrested.
Sequence:
| Part 1 | ||
| Prelude | Orchestra | |
| A mezza note | Don Carlo | |
| Sei tu, sei tu | Don Carlo, Eboli | |
| V' è ignoto forse | Don Carlo, Eboli, Rodrigo | |
| Al mio furor | Don Carlo, Eboli, Rodrigo | |
| Trema per te, falso figliuolo | Don Carlo, Eboli, Rodrigo | |
| Part 2 | ||
| Gran finale (Auto de Fé) | ||
| Spuntato ecco il di | Chorus | |
| Il di spunto | Monks (Male Chorus) | |
| Spuntato ecco il di | Chorus | |
| Schiusa or si la porta | Herald, Philip, Elisabeth, Rodrigo, Chorus | |
| Sire, no, l'ora estrema (Flemish Deputies) | Don Carlo, Herald, Philip, Elisabeth, Rodrigo, Tebaldo, 6 Deputies, Chorus | |
| Sire! egli è tempo ch'io viva | Don Carlo, Philip, Elisabeth, Tebaldo, Rodrigo, Monks | |
| Spuntato è il di | Heavenly Voice, Deputies, Monks, Chorus |
Act III
Summary: Philip obtains help from the Grand Inquisitor in setting up a trial for his son. Princess Eboli has passed Elisabeth’s jewel box on to the King; a portrait of Carlos is inside. The King confronts the Queen with it, at which she faints.Eboli then confesses everything, including the fact that she has been the King’s mistress. Elisabeth bans her from the Court. The incriminating documents have been found in Rodrigo's possessions. He goes to see Carlos in prison, knowing that his own last hour is upon him. A gun fires and Rodrigo falls; mortally wounded, he dies in Carlos' arms. Philip enters and goes to give Carlos back his sword, but Carlos rejects him, having realised that Rodrigo has died to save him. The populace storm the prison and Carlos flees.
Sequence:
| Part 1 | ||
| Ella giammai m'amo | Philip | |
| Il Grand' Inquisitor! | Philip, Inquisitor, Lerma | |
| Nell' ispano suol | Inquisitor, Philip | |
| Le idee dei novator | Inquisitor, Philip | |
| Giustizia, sire! | Elisabeth, Philip | |
| Ardita troppo | Elisabeth, Philip, Eboli | |
| Ah! sii maledetto | Philip, Eboli, Rodrigo | |
| O don fatale | Elisabeth, Eboli | |
| O mia Regina | Eboli | |
| Part 2 | ||
| Son io, mio Carlo | Rodrigo, Don Carlo | |
| Per me giunto | Rodrigo, Don Carlo | |
| Io morrò, ma lieto | Rodrigo, Don Carlo | |
| Mio Carlo, a te la spada | Philip, Don Carlo | |
| Ciel! suona a stormo! | Lerma, Philip, Eboli, Chorus | |
| Sacrilegio infame! | Lerma, Philip, Eboli, Inquisitor, Chorus |
Act IV
Summary: Elisabeth and Carlos bid each other farewell in the gardens of the monastery of San Yuste.They are taken by surprise by the King and the Grand Inquisitor, but a mysterious monk appears (the ghost of Carlos V?) before the guards can take Carlos prisoner and drags him away into the monastery.
Sequence:
| Tu che le vanita | Elisabeth | |
| È dessa! (Final Scene) | Elisabeth, Don Carlo | |
| Si . . . l'eroismo è questo | Elisabeth, Don Carlo | |
| Ma lassù ci vedremo | Elisabeth, Don Carlo | |
| Si per sempre! | Philip, Elisabeth, Inquisitor, Don Carlo, Monks, 4 Brothers |
[Synopsis Source: De Nederlandse Opera]
Click here for the complete libretto.
Click here for the text of Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien (English translation).