by Giuseppe Verdi
seen at Covent Garden on 22 May 2017
This revival of Nicholas Hytner's production of the 1884 'Modena' version of Don Carlo featured Brian Hymel as Don Carlo, Kristin Lewis as Elizabeth of Valois, Idar Abdrazakov as King Philip II of Spain, Simone Piazzola as Rodrigo of Posa, Ekaterina Semenchuk as Princess Eboli and Paata Burchuladze as the Grand Inquisitor. Bertrand de Billy conducted, and the designer was Bob Crowley.
The opera, based on the play Don Carlos by Schiller, is not especially historical, since it re-tells the story that Don Carlo, the eldest son of Philip II of Spain, was in love with Elizabeth of Valois, who was originally intended to be his bride, but who became his stepmother instead. While true that the two were of an age and apparently enjoyed one another's company, the idea that they were romantically involved is unlikely, given that the prince was extremely unstable. He did die at an early age (23) but the circumstances are not those of the sentimental story that grew up later.
