from Act IV (Act III in four-act version), Scene 2 of the Italian|French opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Joseph Méry

Role: Rodrigo, Marquis of Posa

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: lyric baritone

Setting: The prison cell of Carlos, Madrid, Spain, 1559

Synopsis: Rodrigo has been shot but he does not fear death, for his death will save the life of Carlos and thus, Spain.

from Act II (Act I in four-act version), Scene 2 of the Italian|French opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Joseph Méry

Role: Princess Eboli, lady in waiting to the Queen of Spain

Voice Part: mezzo-soprano       Fach: dramatic mezzo

Setting: At the gates of the cloisters of St-Just Monastery, Madrid, Spain, 1559

Synopsis: Eboli sings a Moorish love song about an encounter between a young veiled woman and the King who has tired of the Queen's attention. It is only at the end of the song that the King finds out the veiled woman is actually the Queen herself.

from Act IV (Act III in four-act version), Scene 2 of the Italian|French opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Joseph Méry

Role: Rodrigo, Marquis of Posa

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: lyric baritone

Setting: The prison cell of Carlos, Madrid, Spain, 1559

Synopsis: Rodrigo has planned to save Carlos from his sentence of death for treason by confessing falsely to having committed the treason himself, thus proving Carlos innocent. He knows that he will be killed, but he does not mind laying his life down for Carlos. He asks Carlos not to mourn for him, for God will see them both reunited in Heaven.

from Act I of the Italian|French opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Joseph Méry

Role: Elisabeth of Valois, The Queen of Spain

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: spinto

Setting: the Forest of Fontainebleau, near Paris, 1559

Synopsis: Princess Elizabeth of Valois expresses her bliss at discovering that her fiancé Don Carlos adores her.

from Act IV (Act III in four-act version), Scene 1 of the Italian|French opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Joseph Méry

Role: Philip II, The King of Spain

Voice Part: bass       Fach: heavy bass

Setting: The King's cabinet, Madrid, Spain, 1559

Synopsis: Philip realizes that his wife has never loved him and will never love him. He wishes that he could read the minds of others. Alas, though, the crown does not allow him this power and he will only be at peace when he dies.

from Act I (Act II in the 5 act version) of the Italian|French opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Joseph Méry

Role: Don Carlos, Heir to the throne of Spain

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: spinto

Setting: The cloister of San Yuste, in Extremadura, 1559

Synopsis: Don Carlos wanders desperately while inside a chapel his father Philip is being married to the prince's fiancée, Elizabeth of Valois. He sings of his love.

from Act I of the Italian|French opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Joseph Méry

Role: Don Carlos, Heir to the throne of Spain

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: spinto

Setting: the Forest of Fontainebleau, near Paris, 1559

Synopsis: The peace treaty of Cateau-Cambresis is about to be signed. Don Carlos, alone in the forest, contemplates his engagement to Princess Elizabeth of Valois, daughter of the French King. Although he has to marry her in order to put an end to the war between France and Spain, he is excited about the prospect of marrying this beautiful woman.

from Act II (Act I in four-act version), Scene 2 of the Italian|French opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Joseph Méry

Role: Rodrigo, Marquis of Posa

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: lyric baritone

Setting: At the gates of the cloisters of St-Just Monastery, Madrid, Spain, 1559

Synopsis: Rodrigo tells Elizabeth of the emotional pain Carlos has been through recently. Carlos, who was in love with Elizabeth when she was forced to marry Carlos's father, has been in misery since the marriage. Rodrigo says that Carlos's spirits would be greatly improved if he could see her again.

from Act IV (Act III in four-act version), Scene 1 of the Italian|French opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Joseph Méry

Role: Princess Eboli, lady in waiting to the Queen of Spain

Voice Part: mezzo-soprano       Fach: dramatic mezzo

Setting: The King's cabinet, Madrid, Spain, 1559

Synopsis: Eboli has betrayed her Queen and friend Elizabeth to the Queen because her advances to Carlos have been rejected. In retaliation, Elizabeth gives her the choice of being exiled or becoming a nun. After she leaves, Eboli curses the gift of beauty that she has been given, saying that it has been the cause of all her problems. She swears to save Carlos from the imprisonment that has resulted from her betrayal.

from Act II (Act I in four-act version), Scene 2 of the Italian|French opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Joseph Méry

Role: Elisabeth of Valois, The Queen of Spain

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: spinto

Setting: At the gates of the cloisters of St-Just Monastery, Madrid, Spain, 1559

Synopsis: After Philip has sent the Countess Aremberg away for leaving the Queen unattended, Elizabeth tells her that, even though she is leaving Spain, she will never leave her heart. She asks the Countess to give her greetings to the Queen's homeland of France. She then gives her a parting present of a ring.

from Act V (Act IV in the four-act version) of the Italian|French opera Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto: Joseph Méry

Role: Elisabeth of Valois, The Queen of Spain

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: spinto

Setting: The Monastery of St-Just at night, Madrid, Spain, 1559

Synopsis: While waiting for Carlos to meet her, she asks for strength to see him leave her forever for his own safety. Her thoughts then turn to her beloved France where her love for Carlos began.