Don CarlosVERDI

Björling, Rigal, Barbieri, Merrill, Siepi & Hines

Metropolitan Chorus & Orchestra, Fritz Stiedry

Recorded live at the Metropolitan Opera,

11th November 1950.

Don Carlos(1886 Modena/1867 Paris versions)

Opera in Five Acts 

Libretto: Joseph Méry and Camille du Locle, based on Friedrich SchillerItalian translation: Achille de Lauzieres and Angelo Zanardini

  

 Philip II, King of SpainDon Carlos, Infante of Spain

Rodrigo, Marquis of PosaThe Grand Inquisitor

Elisabeth de Valois, Philip’s QueenPrincess Eboli, Elisabeth’s lady-in-waiting

Tebaldo, Elisabeth’s pageThe Count of Lerma

HeraldAn Old Monk

A Voice from HeavenFlemish Deputies

Johan Jonatan "Jussi" Björling

Björling went on to become one of the principal singers at the Metropolitan Opera during the 1940s and 1950s, with an interruption during World War II. He sang many major tenor roles in operas in the French and Italian reper-toire, including Il trovatore, Rigoletto, Aida, Un ballo in maschera, Pagliacci, Cavalleria rusticana, Faust, Roméo et Juliette, La bohème, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, and Manon Lescaut. Many of his recordings of these roles are still considered the best by any tenor in this repertoire.In December 1940, Arturo Toscanini invited him to sing the tenor part in

Beethoven's Missa Solemnis in New York, a recording of which exists. He also performed the Verdi Requiem under Toscanini in 1939 in Lucerne, Switzer-land, and in November 1940 in New York, another performance eventually transferred to recordings.One of Björling's first LP sets was a 1950 performance of the complete Il

trovatore, with Zinka Milanov, for RCA Victor. In 1953, he recorded the role of Turridu in a complete version of Cavalleria rusticana opposite Milanov for RCA Victor, but because Victoria de los Ángeles was under contract to EMI, the recording of the complete Pagliacci, made concurrently with Cavalleria, was not released by RCA, but by EMI. Robert Merrill appeared on both albums, but Leonard Warren was featured only on the Pagliacci one, as Tonio.

Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi

Verdi (10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century. His works are frequently performed in opera houses throughout the world and, transcending the boundaries of the genre, some of his themes have long since taken root in popular culture - such as "La donna è mobile" from Rigoletto, "Va, pensiero" (The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) from Nabucco, "Libiamo ne' lieti calici" (The Drinking Song) from La traviata and the "Grand March" from Aida. Although his work was sometimes criticized for using a generally diatonic rather than a chromatic musical idiom and having a tendency toward melodrama, Verdi’s masterworks dominate the standard repertoire a century and a half after their composition.

Don Carlos

Don Carlos is a five-act Grand Opera composed by Verdi to a French language libretto by Camille du Locle and Joseph Méry, based on the dramatic play Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien by Friedrich Schiller. The story is based on conflicts in the life of Carlos, Prince of Asturias (1545-1568) after his betrothed Elisabeth of Valois was married instead to his father Philip II of Spain as part of the peace treaty ending the Italian War of 1551-1559 between the Houses of Habsburg and Valois. It received its first performance at the Théâtre Impérial de l’Opéra on 11 March 1867.Over the following twenty years, cuts and additions were made to the opera,

resulting in a number of versions being available to directors and conduc-tors. No other Verdi opera exists in so many versions. At its full-length (including the ballet and the cuts made before the first performance), it contains about four hours of music, and is Verdi's longest opera.

Introduction and Chorus: Su, cacciator! HuntersNarrative: Fontainebleau! foresta immensa Don CarlosRomance: Io la vidi e al suo sorriso Don CarlosScene: Il suon del corno Don Carlos, Tebaldo, ElisabethDuet: Che mai fate voi? Elisabeth, Don CarlosDi qual amor Elisabeth, Don CarlosScene: Al fedel ch’ora viene Tebaldo, Elisabeth, Don CarlosFinale: Inni di festa Elisabeth, Don Carlos, Count of Lerma, People

PreludeScene and Prayer: Carlo, il sommo imperatore Old Monk, MonksScene 1: Scene: Al chiostro di San Giusto Don Carlos, Old MonkScene 1: Duet: E lui! desso! l’infante Rodrigo, Don CarlosScene 1: Dio, che nell’alma infondere Don Carlos, Rodrigo, Old Monk, MonksScene 2: Chorus: Sotto ai folti Ladies-in-waiting, Tebaldo, Princess EboliScene 2: Veil Song: Nel giardin del bello Eboli, Tebaldo, LadiesScene 2: Scene: La regina Eboli, Elisabeth, Tebaldo, Rodrigo, Ladies

Act 10102030405060708

Act 20910111213141516

0:561:531:562:363:553:391:266:42

1:534:101:483:414:413:274:593:47

DISC 1

Scene 2: Romance: Carlo, ch’e sol il nostro amore Rodrigo, Elisabeth, EboliScene 2: Duet: Io vengo a domandar Don Carlos, ElisabethScene 2: Perche accusar il cor Elisabeth, Don CarlosScene 2: Sotto al mio pie Don Carlos, ElisabethScene 2: Scene: Il Re! - Perche sola e la ReginaTebaldo, Philip, Courtiers, LadiesScene 2: Romance: Non pianger, mia compagna Elisabeth, Rodrigo, Philip, Ladies, CourtiersScene 2: Scene: Restate! - Presso alla mia persona Philip, RodrigoScene 2: Duet: O signor, di Fiandra arrivo Rodrigo, PhilipScene 2: Quest’e la pace che voi date Rodrigo, PhilipScene 2: Oso lo sguardo tuo penetrar Philip, Rodrigo

1718192021

22

23242526

2:51 2:52 3:36 2:01 1:11 

2:47 

2:17 3:06 2:48 3:51 

Scene 1: Introduction: Deh! vieni a me Elisabeth, EboliScene 1: Chorus: Quanti fior e quante stelle Masks, EboliScene 1: Duet: A mezza notte Don Carlos, EboliScene 1: Scene: Qual balen! qual mister Eboli, Don Carlos, RodrigoScene 1: Trio: Al mio furor Eboli, Rodrigo, Don CarlosScene 1: Ed io che tremava Eboli, Don Carlos, RodrigoScene 1: Trema per te, falso figliuolo Eboli, Don Carlos, RodrigoScene 2: Finale: Spuntato ecco il di PeopleScene 2: Il di, il di Monks, PeopleScene 2: Schiusa or sia la portaThe Royal Herald, Lerma, Philip, Elisabeth, Rodrigo, Don Carlos, PeopleScene 2: Sire, no, l’ora estremaFlemish deputies, Philip, Elisabeth, Rodrigo, Don Carlos, PeopleScene 2: Sire! Egli e tempo chi’io vivaDon Carlos, Philip, Rodrigo, Elisabeth, Tebaldo, Monks, PeopleScene 2: Il di spunto - Volate verso il cielVoice from Heaven, Philip, Monks, Deputies, People

Act 327282930313233343536

37

38

39

2:092:404:170:501:421:093:432:032:263:11

4:36

3:23

1:56

DISC 2

Scene 1: PreludeScene 1: Scene: Ella giammai m’amo PhilipScene 1: Cantabile: Dormiro sol PhilipScene 1: Scene: Il Grand’ Inquisitor Lerma, Grand Inquisitor, PhilipScene 1: Duet: Nell’ispano suol Grand Inquisitor, PhilipScene 1: O Re, se non foss’io Grand Inquisitor, PhilipScene 1: Scene: Giustizia, o Sire Elisabeth, PhilipScene 1: Ardita troppo Philip, Elisabeth, Eboli, RodrigoScene 1: Quartet: Ah! sii maledetto Philip, Eboli, RodrigoScene 1: Che avvenne? O ciel Elisabeth, Eboli, Philip, RodrigoScene 1: Scene: Pieta! perdon per la rea Eboli, ElisabethScene 1: Aria: O don fatale EboliScene 1: O mia Regina Eboli

Act 440414243444546474849505152

3:06 2:23 4:36 3:13 2:36 2:50 2:54 1:49 1:23 2:53 3:38 1:24 3:25 

Scene 2: PreludeScene 2: Scene: Son io, mio Carlo Rodrigo, Don CarlosScene 2: Aria: Per me giunto RodrigoScene 2: Scene: Che parli tu di morte? Don Carlos, RodrigoScene 2: Aria: O Carlo, ascolta RodrigoScene 2: Finale: Carlo, il brando ormai Philip, Don CarlosScene 2: Chi rende a me quest’uom Philip, Don Carlos, LordsScene 2: End of finale: Ciel! Qual suon!Lerma, Elisabeth, Philip, Lords, PeopleScene 2: Vedete se l’amavoEboli, Philip, Elisabeth, Grand Inquisitor, Lerma, Lords, Pople

Act 45354555657585960

61

1:25 2:02 1:25 1:38 3:42 2:20 3:32 1:53 

2:19 

DISC 3

PreludeAria: Tu, che le vanita ElisabethFrancia, nobile suol ElisabethScene: E dessa! - Un detto, un sol Don Carlos, ElisabethDuet: Si l’eroismo e questo Elisabeth, Don CarlosMa lassu ci vedremo Elisabeth, Don CarlosFinale: Si, per semprePhilip, Grand Inquisitor, Elisabeth, Don Carlos, MonksIl duolo della terraOld Monk as Charles V, Grand INquisitor, Philip, Elisabeth, Monks

Act 562636465666768

69

2:332:375:352:402:324:022:06

1:47