Editing Don Carlos (section)

===Act 4===
:[This is Act 3 in the 1883 revision]

''Scene 1: Dawn in King Philip's study in Madrid''

Alone and suffering from [[insomnia]], the King, in a reverie, laments that Elisabeth has never loved him, that his position means that he has to be eternally vigilant and that he will only sleep properly when he is in his tomb in the [[El Escorial|Escorial]] (Aria: "Elle ne m'aime pas" / "[[Ella giammai m'amò]]"). The blind, ninety-year-old Grand Inquisitor is announced and shuffles into the King's apartment. When the King asks if the Church will object to him putting his own son to death, the Inquisitor replies that the King will be in good company: God sacrificed ''His'' own son. In return for his support, the Inquisitor demands that the King have Rodrigue killed. The King refuses at first to kill his friend, whom he admires and likes. However, the Grand Inquisitor reminds the King that the Inquisition can take down any king; he has created and destroyed other rulers before. Frightened and overwhelmed, the King begs the Grand Inquisitor to forget about the past discussion. The latter replies "Peut-être" / "Forse!" – perhaps! – and leaves.  The King bitterly muses on his helplessness to oppose the Church.

Elisabeth enters, alarmed at the apparent theft of her jewel casket.<ref>For the premiere, the second eight measures of the orchestral introduction to Elisabeth's entry were omitted and the first half of the ninth measure slightly revised (Verdi; Günther 1986, p. 454–455). This change was retained in the 1883 revision (Verdi; Günther 1986, p. 504).</ref> However, the King produces it and points to the portrait of Don Carlos which it contains, accusing her of adultery. She protests her innocence but, when the King threatens her, she faints. In response to his calls for help, into the chamber come Eboli and Rodrigue. Their laments of suspicion cause the King to realize that he has been wrong to suspect his wife (Quartet: "Maudit soit le soupçon infâme" / "Ah, sia maledetto, il rio sospetto"<ref>Verdi; Günther 1986, pp. 467 (letter N) – 468.</ref>). Aside, Rodrigue resolves to save Carlos, though it may mean his own death. Eboli feels remorse for betraying Elisabeth; the latter, recovering, expresses her despair.

:[The quartet was revised by Verdi in 1883 and begins: "Maudit soit, maudit le soupçon infâme" / "Ah! sii maledetto, sospetto fatale".<ref>Verdi; Günther 1986, pp. 513–521.</ref>]

Elisabeth and Eboli are left together.  Eboli confesses that it was she who told the King that Elisabeth and Carlos were having an affair, for revenge against Carlos for having rejected her. This is followed by the duet "J'ai tout compris". Eboli also confesses that she herself is guilty of that which she accused the Queen, and has become the King's mistress. Elisabeth leaves, and the Count di Lerma orders Eboli to choose between exile or the convent, then leaves.<ref>Verdi; Günther 1986, pp. 479–492.</ref>

:[At the premiere, the duet "J'ai tout compris" and Eboli's second confession, of her affair with the king, were omitted. Elisabeth orders Eboli to choose between exile or the convent immediately after Eboli's first confession.<ref>Verdi; Günther 1986, pp. 493–497.</ref> In 1883, the duet was omitted, but Eboli's second confession was reinstated in a revised version, and Elisabeth remains on stage to sing the Count di Lerma's lines.<ref>Verdi; Günther 1986, pp. 522–527.</ref>]

Eboli, left alone, curses her own beauty and pride, and resolves to make amends by trying to save Carlos from the Inquisition (Aria: "O don fatal" / "O don fatale").<ref>Verdi; Günther 1986, pp. 498–503. The orchestral introduction to the aria 'O don fatal' was slightly revised in the 1883 version (Verdi; Günther 1986, p. 527). The rest of the aria is essentially unchanged, but printed again (on pp. 527–532 in the 1986 edition), as Andrew Porter mentions in his review of the 1980 edition (Porter 1982, p. 367).</ref>

''Scene 2: A prison''
[[File:Verdi-caricature-Don Carlos-1867.png|thumb|150px|Baril Gédéon, "Il Maestro Verdi", cartoon by ''Le Hanneron'', 14 March 1867. (Museum of the Paris Opera)]]
Don Carlos has been imprisoned. Rodrigue arrives and tells Carlos that he (Rodrigue) has saved Carlos from being executed, by allowing himself (Rodrigue) to be incriminated by the politically sensitive documents which he had obtained from Carlos earlier (Aria, part 1: "C'est mon jour suprême" / "Per me giunto è il dì supremo"). A shadowy figure appears—one of the Grand Inquisitor's assassins—and shoots Rodrigue in the chest. As he dies, Rodrigue tells Carlos that Elisabeth will meet him at Saint-Just the following day. He adds that he is content to die if his friend can save Flanders and rule over a happier Spain (Aria, part 2: "Ah, je meurs, l'âme joyeuse" / "Io morrò, ma lieto in core"). At that moment, the King enters, offering his son freedom, as Rodrigue had arranged. Carlos repulses him for having murdered Rodrigue. The King sees that Rodrigue is dead and cries out in sorrow.

:[Duet: Carlos and the King- "Qui me rendra ce mort ?" /"Chi rende a me quest'uom" It was cut before the première and, following it, Verdi authorized its optional removal. The music was later re-used by Verdi for the [[Lacrimosa (Requiem)|Lacrimosa]] of his ''[[Requiem (Verdi)|Messa da Requiem]]'' of 1874]

Bells ring as Elisabeth and Eboli enter. The crowd pushes its way into the prison and threatens the King, demanding the release of Carlos. In the confusion, Eboli escapes with Carlos. The people are brave enough at first in the presence of the King, but they are terrified by the arrival of the Grand Inquisitor, and instantly obey his angry command to quiet down and pay homage to the King.

:[After the première, some productions ended this act with the death of Rodrigue. However, in 1883 Verdi provided a much shortened version of the insurrection, as he felt that otherwise it would not be clear how Eboli had fulfilled her promise to rescue Carlos]