David McVicar was clear from the word go that he could only direct Don Carlo in the five act edition – which begins when th ...

David McVicar was clear from the word go that he could only direct Don Carlo in the five act edition – which begins when the heir to the Spanish throne and the French princess were expected to fall in love and marry; not just because the story is then complete but because only this makes it clear just how much contraints govern private happiness and public duty. One can only understand Elisabeth and Carlos’ behaviour when their »dream of love, destroyed by politics« (Uwe Schweikert) is shown. McVicar’s production caused a sensation. Julia Spinola: for all the splendour on stage this Don Carlo evolves as a » sinister, intimate play«, in which the »luxuriant splendour of the costumes« contrast with the severity of the sets, »whose archaic reductionism seem to have been inspired by revolutionary Max Reinhard productions from around 1910.«

Carlo, heir to the Spanish throne is miserable because his father, Philip II, has married Princess Elisabeth of France, to whom he ...

Carlo, heir to the Spanish throne is miserable because his father, Philip II, has married Princess Elisabeth of France, to whom he had been betrothed, and continues to deny him political influence. Elisabeth, who loved Carlo, only agreed to the marriage to make peace between the two countries. Rodrigo, Marquis of Posa, suggests that Carlo try to forget his love by taking up the suppressed people of Flanders’ cause. The King, finding his Queen alone, suspects her of infidelity and asks Posa to watch her. Princess Eboli, in love with Carlos, realises that he is in love with the Queen and swears revenge. Carlos draws his sword when his father refuses to let him rule in Flanders and is put in prison. The Grand Inquisitor demands that the King kill his son and hand Posa over as a heritic. The King confronts Elisabeth with a portrait of Carlo that he found in her jewel casket. Eboli confesses that it was she who gave the casket to the King, and is banished to a convent by the Queen. Posa visits Carlos in prison and tells him that all now believe him to be the leader of the Flemish rebels. Before Posa is shot he tells Carlos that the Queen will meet him the next day to say farewell. They are caught by the King and the Grand Inquisitor but before they can take him before the inquisition an unearthly force connected to Charles V intervenes and removes Carlos from earthly jurisdiction.