Editing Don Carlos (section)

==Performance history==

===19th century===

====As ''Don Carlos'' in French====
After the première and before leaving Paris, Verdi authorised the Opéra authorities to end Act 4, Scene 2 with the death of Posa (thereby omitting the insurrection scene) if they thought fit. This was done, beginning with the second performance on 13 March, after his departure. Further (unauthorised) cuts were apparently made during the remaining performances.<ref>Budden 1981, p. 25–26.</ref> Despite a grandiose production designed by scenic artists [[Charles-Antoine Cambon]] and Joseph Thierry (Acts I and III), [[Édouard Desplechin]] and [[Jean-Baptiste Lavastre]] (Acts II and V), and [[Auguste Alfred Rubé]] and [[Philippe Chaperon]] (Act IV), it appears to have been a "problem opera" for the Opéra—it disappeared from its repertoire after 1869.<ref>Kimbell 2001, in Holden, p. 1003.</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="220px" caption="1867 Paris premiere">
File:Marie Sasse as Elisabeth in Don Carlos, 1867 photograph by Numa Blanc – Gallica btv1b52502563r (adjusted).jpg|[[Marie Sasse]] as Elisabeth
File:Carlo V (basso), figurino di Alfred Albert per Don Carlos (1867) - Archivio Storico Ricordi ICON001220.jpg|Costume design for [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]], act 5
File:Don Carlos poster.png|Poster depicting the death of Rodrigo in the King's presence
</gallery>

====As ''Don Carlo'' in an Italian translation====
[[File:Don Carlo poster.jpg|thumb|Title page of a libretto for performances at the [[Teatro Pagliano]] in Florence in April–May 1869 which used the Italian translation by Achille de Lauzières]]

It was common practice at the time for most theatres (other than those in French-speaking communities) to perform operas in Italian,<ref>Budden 1981, p. 156.</ref> and an Italian translation of ''Don Carlos'' was prepared in the autumn of 1866 by [[Achille de Lauzières]].<ref>Budden 1981, p. 26; for the Italian translation by Achille de Lauzières, see {{OCLC|21815071}} (vocal score); {{OCLC|777337258}} (libretto).</ref> On 18 November 1866 Verdi wrote to [[Giovanni Ricordi]], offering the Milan publisher the Italian rights, but insisting that the opera:
:must be performed in its entirety as it will be performed for the first time at the Paris Opéra. ''Don Carlos'' is an opera in five acts with ballet: if nevertheless the management of Italian theatres would like to pair it with a different ballet, this must be placed either before or after the uncut opera, never in the middle, following the barbarous custom of our day.<ref>Quoted and translated in Budden 1981, p. 27.</ref>

However, the Italian translation was first performed not in Italy but in London at the [[Royal Opera House]], Covent Garden on 4 June 1867, where it was produced and conducted by [[Michael Costa (conductor)|Michael Costa]]. However, it was not as Verdi desired; the opera was given in a cut and altered form, with the first act being removed, the ballet in Act 3 being omitted, and Carlo's aria ''Io la vidi'' (originally in Act 1) being moved to Act 3, just before the terzetto. Additionally, the duet between Philip and the Inquisitor was shortened by four lines, and Elisabeth's aria in Act 5 consisted only of part of the middle section and the reprise. The production was initially considered a success, and Verdi sent a congratulatory note to Costa. Later when he learned of the alterations, Verdi was greatly irritated, but Costa's version anticipated revisions Verdi himself would make a few years later in 1882–83.<ref>Budden 1981, p. 27.</ref>

The Italian premiere on 27 October 1867 at the [[Teatro Comunale di Bologna]], conducted by Verdi's close friend [[Angelo Mariani (conductor)|Angelo Mariani]], was an "instant success", and this version, although produced in Verdi's absence, was more complete and included the ballet.<ref name="BUDD">Budden 1981, p. 28.</ref> For the Rome premiere on 9 February 1868 at the [[Teatro Apollo]], perhaps unsurprisingly, the Papal censor changed the Inquisitor into a Gran Cancelliere (Grand Chancellor) and the Monk/Emperor into a Solitario (Recluse).

This version of the opera was first performed in Milan at [[La Scala]] on 25 March 1868, and prestige productions in most other Italian opera houses followed, but it did not become a popular success. The length was a particular problem, and subsequent performances were generally heavily cut. The first production in Naples in 1871 was indisputably a failure.<ref name="BUDD"/><ref>Walker 1962, p. 326.</ref>

====1872 revisions for Naples====
Following the unsuccessful performance in [[Naples]] in 1871, Verdi was persuaded to visit the city for further performances in November / December 1872,<ref>Walker 1962, p. 417.</ref> and he made two more modifications to the score: (a) a revision of the closing two-thirds of the Philippe-Rodrigue duet in Act 2, Scene 2 (to Italian verses, almost certainly by [[Antonio Ghislanzoni]]<ref name=Porter1982p368>Porter 1982, p. 368.</ref>), which replaced some of the previously cut material, and (b) the removal of the ''allegro marziale'' section of the final Elisabeth-Carlos duet (replaced with an 8-bar patch).<ref>Verdi; Günther 1986, pp. XX, 263–276 (a), 623 (b). Budden 1981, pp. 28–29. Porter 1982, p. 362.</ref> These are the only portions of the opera that were composed to an Italian rather than a French text.<ref name=Porter1982p368/> According to Julian Budden, Verdi "was to regret both modifications".<ref>Budden 1981, p. 29.</ref> Ricordi incorporated the revisions into later prints of the opera without changing the plate numbers. This subsequently confused some authors, e.g. [[Francis Toye]] and [[Ernest Newman]], who dated them to 1883.<ref>Porter 1982, pp. 362–363.</ref>

====1882/83 and 1886 revisions: "Milan version" and "Modena version"====
The idea of reducing the scope and scale of ''Don Carlos'' had originally come to Verdi in 1875, partly as a result of his having heard reports of productions, such as Costa's, which had removed Act 1 and the ballet and introduced cuts to other parts of the opera. By April 1882, he was in Paris where he was ready to make changes. He was already familiar with the work of [[Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter]], who had worked on French translations of ''[[Macbeth (Verdi)|Macbeth]]'', ''[[La forza del destino]]'' and ''[[Aida]]'' with du Locle, and the three proceeded to spend nine months on major revisions of the French text and the music to create a four-act version. This omitted Act 1 and the ballet, and was completed by March 1883.<ref>Budden 1981, pp. 31–38.</ref> An Italian translation of this revised French text, re-using much of the original 1866 translation by de Lauzières, was made by {{Interlanguage link|Angelo Zanardini|it}}. The La Scala première of the 1883 revised version took place on 10 January 1884 in Italian.<ref>1884 Milan version: [http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb41450457d/PUBLIC Notice de spectacle] at [[BnF]].</ref>

Although Verdi had accepted the need to remove the first act, it seems that he changed his mind and allowed a performance which presented the "Fontainebleau" first act along with the revised four-act version. It was given on 29 December 1886 in Modena, and has become known as the "Modena version", which was published by [[Giulio Ricordi|Ricordi]] as "a new edition in five acts without ballet".<ref>Budden 1981, p. 39.</ref>

===20th century and beyond===
'''In Italian'''

Performances of ''Don Carlo'' in the first half of the twentieth century were rare, but in the post Second World War period it has been regularly performed, particularly in the four-act 1884 "Milan version" in Italian. In 1950, to open [[Rudolf Bing]]'s first season as director of the [[Metropolitan Opera]], the four-act version was performed without the ballet in a production by [[Margaret Webster]] with [[Jussi Björling]] in the title role, [[Delia Rigal]] as Elizabeth, [[Robert Merrill]] as Rodrigo, [[Fedora Barbieri]] as Eboli, [[Cesare Siepi]] as Philip II and [[Jerome Hines]] as the Grand Inquisitor. This version was performed there until 1972.<ref name=Stevens1996>David Stevens (6 March 1996). [https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/06/style/IHT-don-carlos-early-and-late.html?searchResultPosition=1 "'Don Carlos,' Early and Late"], ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref><ref>[https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/search.jsp?titles=Don%20Carlo&exact_date=19501106 "''Don Carlo'' (6 November 1950) Telecast], Met Opera Archive.</ref> The four-act version in Italian continued to be championed by conductors such as [[Herbert von Karajan]] (1978 audio recording<ref>Don Carlo, Opera in 4 acts; originally in 5, Music CD, {{OCLC|53213864}}. [https://www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/CLVEDONC.HTM#96 #96] at operadis-opera-discography.org.uk</ref> and 1986 video recording<ref>Don Carlos: opera in four acts, DVD video, {{OCLC|52824860}}. [https://www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/CLVEDONC.HTM#120 #120] at operadis-opera-discography.org.uk</ref>) and [[Riccardo Muti]] (1992 video recording<ref>''The Gramophone Classical Music Guide'', 2008, pp. 1133–1134. Don Carlo: dramma lirica in quattro atti, DVD video, {{OCLC|1048057459}}. [https://www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/CLVEDONC.HTM#128 #128] at operadis-opera-discography.org.uk</ref>).<ref>''[[The Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music]]'', 2008, pp. 1460–1461.</ref>

Also influential was a 1958 staging of the 1886 five-act "Modena version" in Italian by [[The Royal Opera]] company, Covent Garden, directed by [[Luchino Visconti]] and conducted by [[Carlo Maria Giulini]]. The cast included [[Jon Vickers]] as Don Carlo, [[Tito Gobbi]] as Rodrigo, [[Boris Christoff]] as King Phillip and [[Gré Brouwenstijn]] as Elizabeth.<ref>[http://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?performance=11806&row=0 Don Carlos, 9 May 1958, Evening] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004212831/http://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?performance=11806&row=0 |date=4 October 2013 }}, Royal Opera House Collections Online, Performance Database, accessed Oct. 1 2013.</ref> This version has increasingly been performed elsewhere and has been recorded by, among others, [[Georg Solti]] and Giulini.

After the discovery of music cut before the premiere, conductors began performing five-act versions that included some of it. In 1973 at [[La Fenice]], [[Georges Prêtre]] conducted a 5-act version in Italian without the ballet that included the discarded woodcutters scene, the first Carlo-Rodrigo duet in a hybrid beginning with the Paris edition but ending with the Milan revision, the discarded Elisabeth-Eboli duet from Act 4, and the Paris finale.<ref>[https://www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/CLVEDONC.HTM#74 #74] at operadis-opera-discography.org.uk. [https://www.amazon.com/review/R1I9SP12UFOAD/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0000479CQ "Indifferently recorded, frantically conducted"].</ref> In 1975, [[Charles Mackerras]] conducted an expanded and modified five-act version (with Verdi's original prelude, the woodcutters' scene and the original Paris ending) in an English translation for [[English National Opera]] at the London Coliseum. In 1978, [[Claudio Abbado]] mounted an expanded five-act version in Italian at La Scala. The cast included [[Mirella Freni]] as Elizabeth, [[Elena Obraztsova]] and [[Viorica Cortez]] as Eboli, [[José Carreras]] in the title role, [[Piero Cappuccilli]] as Rodrigo, [[Nicolai Ghiaurov]] as King Phillip, and [[Evgeny Nesterenko]] as the Grand Inquisitor.<ref>Kobbé 1997, p. 901.</ref> On 5 February 1979, [[James Levine]] conducted an expanded five-act version in Italian at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] in New York. The cast included [[Renata Scotto]] as Elizabeth, [[Marilyn Horne]] as Eboli, [[Giuseppe Giacomini]] as Don Carlo, [[Sherrill Milnes]] as Rodrigo, Nicolai Ghiaurov as King Philip, and [[James Morris (bass-baritone)|James Morris]] as the Grand Inquisitor.<ref>[[Schonberg, Harold C.]] (4 February 1979). [https://www.nytimes.com/1979/02/04/archives/music-view-don-carlo-great-but-difficult.html Music View: 'Don Carlo'—Great But Difficult"], ''[[The New York Times]]''. The production added the Prelude and Introduction to Act 1, music cut before the 1867 premiere.</ref><ref>Schonberg, Harold C. (6 February 1979). [https://www.nytimes.com/1979/02/06/archives/opera-new-production-of-don-carlo-at-the-met.html "Opera: New Production Of ‘Don Carlo’ at the Met"], ''The New York Times''.</ref><ref>[https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/search.jsp?titles=Don%20Carlo&exact_date=19790205 Met performance of 5 February 1979] at the Met Opera Archive.</ref>

Today, as translated into Italian and presented in four-act and five-act versions, the opera has become part of the standard repertory.

'''In French'''

Stagings and broadcasts of five-act French versions of the opera have become more frequent in the later 20th and into the 21st century. Up to 1973, these productions consisted of the revised and abridged four-act score of 1882–83 prefaced by the shortened, revised Act 1 set in Fontainebleau.<ref name=Porter1973/> A radio broadcast by ORTF in France was given in 1967 with a nearly all-French cast, with the exception of the Italian [[Matteo Manuguerra]] as Rodrigue. A five-act French version was performed at [[La Scala]] Milan in 1970.

On 22 May 1973, the [[Opera Company of Boston]] under the direction of [[Sarah Caldwell]] presented a nearly complete five-act French version which included the 21 minutes of music cut before the premiere, but not the ballet. The 1867 version was used, since the restored music does not easily fit with the 1886 revised version. The cast included [[John Alexander (tenor)|John Alexander]] in the title role, the French-Canadian [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/edith-tremblay-emc Édith Tremblay] as Élisabeth, the French singer {{Ill|Michèle Vilma|fr}} as Princess Eboli, [[William Dooley]] as Rodrigue and [[Donald Gramm]] as Philippe. According to [[Andrew Porter (music critic)|Andrew Porter]], the Boston production was "the first performance, ever, of the immense opera that Verdi prepared in 1867; and in doing so it opened a new chapter in the stage history of the piece."<ref name=Porter1973/><ref>Kessler 2008, pp. 44–45.</ref>

The BBC Concert Orchestra under [[John Matheson]] broadcast the opera in June 1973 with the roles of Don Carlos sung by [[André Turp]], Philippe II by [[Joseph Rouleau]], and Rodrigue by [[Robert Savoie]].  Julian Budden comments that "this was the first complete performance of what could be called the 1866 conception in French with the addition of the ballet."<ref>Budden 1981, p. 155.</ref>

Several notable productions of five-act French versions have been mounted more recently. A five-act French version was performed by the [[Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie]] in Brussels in 1983.<ref>[https://www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/CLVEDONC.HTM#108 #108] at operadis-opera-discography.org.uk</ref> A co-production between the [[Théâtre du Châtelet]] in Paris and the [[Royal Opera House|Royal Opera]] in London in 1996 used Andrew Porter as a consultant and was a "judicious mixture" of music from the 1866 original and the 1883 revision.<ref name=Stevens1996/><ref>{{cite web|title=Don Carlos|url=http://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?performance=6710&row=0|website=ROH Collections|access-date=2018-03-27|archive-date=2018-03-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327212309/http://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?performance=6710&row=0|url-status=dead}}</ref> The production, staged by [[Luc Bondy]], was also shared with the opera houses in Brussels, Nice and Lyon. The performance by the Paris cast (March 1996), was conducted by [[Antonio Pappano]] with [[Roberto Alagna]] as Don Carlos, [[Karita Mattila]] as Elisabeth, [[Thomas Hampson]] as Rodrigue, [[José Van Dam]] as Philippe II and [[Waltraud Meier]] as Eboli. It was recorded on [[videotape]] and is now available in a remastered [[HD video]] format.<ref name=Stevens1996/><ref>William R. Braun (January 2004), [https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2004/1/Recordings/VERDI__Don_Carlos.html "Recordings, Video. Verdi: Don Carlos, Théâtre du Châtelet"]{{Dead link|date=November 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''Opera News''.</ref><ref>''Don Carlos''. Kultur Bluray video [2014]. {{OCLC|880331555}}.</ref>

A [[Vienna State Opera]] production, staged by [[Peter Konwitschny]] and performed in Vienna in October 2004, included all of the music excised during the Paris rehearsal period plus the ballet. Patrick O'Connor, writing in the ''[[Gramophone (magazine)|Gramophone]]'' magazine, reports the ballet was "staged as 'Eboli's Dream'. She and Don Carlos are living in suburban bliss, and have Philip and Elisabeth round for a pizza, delivered by Rodrigo. Musically, the performance, apart from the Auto-da-fé scene, has a lot going for it under the direction of [[Bertrand de Billy]]."<ref>Patrick O'Connor (January 2008). "Verdi, Don Carlos. Verdi's music gets respect but visually this 'complete' Carlos is incomplete..." ''[[Gramophone (magazine)|Gramophone]]'', p. 95.</ref> A [[DVD video]] recording is available.<ref name=ViennaDVD2004>''Don Carlos''. TDK, 2007. {{OCLC|244369432|1252604603}}. Arthaus Musik, 2010. {{OCLC|914649838}}.</ref>

On 17 September 2005 a co-production directed by [[John Caird (director)|John Caird]] of the largely uncut Paris version in French between the [[Welsh National Opera]] and the [[Canadian Opera Company]] (Toronto) was premiered by the WNO at the [[Wales Millennium Center]]. The performance was conducted by [[Carlo Rizzi (conductor)|Carlo Rizzi]] with [[Nuccia Focile]] as Elizabeth, Paul Charles Clarke as Don Carlos, Scott Hendricks as Rodrigue, [[Yang Guang (mezzo-soprano)|Guang Yang]] as Eboli, Andrea Silvestrelli as Philippe II, and Daniel Sumegi as the Grand Inquisitor. The production was taken on tour to [[Edinburgh]], [[Oxford]], [[Birmingham]], [[Bristol]], [[Southampton]] and [[Liverpool]]. It was performed by the Canadian Opera Company in [[Toronto]] in October/November 2007 with a different cast. The production was performed several times by the [[Houston Grand Opera]] from 13 April 2012 until 28 April.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200222051248/http://www.johncaird.com/opera/don_carlos_wno.html Archive copy of "Don Carlos, Grand opera in 5 Acts"], originally at johncaird.com.</ref> The Houston production was conducted by [[Patrick Summers]] with [[Brandon Jovanovich]] as Don Carlos, [[Tamara Wilson]] as Elizabeth, Andrea Silvestrelli as Philippe II, [[Christine Goerke]] as Eboli, Scott Hendricks as Rodrigue and [[Samuel Ramey]] as the Grand Inquisitor.<ref>Everett Evans (17 April 2012), [https://www.chron.com/life/article/HGO-rises-to-the-occasion-with-Don-Carlos-3489373.php "HGO rises to the occasion with 'Don Carlos'"] at chron.com. Retrieved 1 January 2022.</ref><ref>William Burnett (17 April 2012), [https://operawarhorses.com/2012/04/17/brandon-jovanovich-triumphant-in-historic-don-carlos-production-houston-grand-opera-april-13-2012/ "Review: Brandon Jovanovich Triumphant in Historic “Don Carlos” Production – Houston Grand Opera, April 13, 2012"] at operawarhorses.com. Retrieved 1 January 2022.</ref><ref>Gregory Barnett (4/13/12), [https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2012/7/Reviews/HOUSTON__Don_Carlos.html "''Don Carlos'', Houston Grand Opera, 4/13/12"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102065923/https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2012/7/Reviews/HOUSTON__Don_Carlos.html |date=2022-01-02 }}, ''[[Opera News]]''. Retrieved 1 January 2022.</ref><ref>Associated Press (23 April 2012), [https://www.deseret.com/2012/4/23/20408622/a-less-cut-operatic-don-carlos-in-houston "A less-cut operatic 'Don Carlos' in Houston"], ''[[Deseret News]]''. Retrieved 1 January 2022.</ref><ref>Heidi Waleson (24 April 2012), [https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303459004577363714136508868 "Soprano Showdown in Houston"], ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''.</ref>

In 2017, the [[Opéra National de Paris]] performed the 1866 French version (before the ballet was composed) in a production staged by [[Krzysztof Warlikowski]] at the [[Opéra Bastille|Bastille]]. Conducted by [[Philippe Jordan]], the cast included [[Jonas Kaufmann]] as Don Carlos, [[Sonya Yoncheva]] as Elisabeth, [[Ludovic Tézier]] as Rodrigue, [[Ildar Abdrazakov]] as Philippe II and [[Elīna Garanča]] as Eboli.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mudge|first1=Stephen J.|title=Don Carlos|url=https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2017/10/Reviews/PARIS__Don_Carlo.html|website=operanews.com|access-date=27 March 2018|archive-date=8 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108233745/https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2017/10/Reviews/PARIS__Don_Carlo.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Metropolitan Opera presented the opera in French for the first time in 2022 in the Modena version, with tenor [[Matthew Polenzani]] in the title role.<ref>{{Citation |title=MOoD Detail Page |url=https://www.metopera.org/season/on-demand/opera/?upc=810004202719 |access-date=2024-03-04 |language=en}}</ref>