Don Carlos

It used to be thought that Verdi miscalculated with this attempt at a 'grand opera' in the French style. This guide demonstrates that Don Carlos was - and remains - an extraordinary achievement in melding two opposing visions of opera: the spectacular public aspect of the French tradition with the dramatic concision of the Italian. And because of the variety of versions which Verdi sanctioned, this debate is open-ended.Contents: A Grand Opera with a Difference, Julian Budden; Off the Beaten Track, Gilles de Van; 'A Family Portrait in a Royal Household': 'Don Carlos' from Schiller to Verdi, F.J. Lamport; Stendhal's 'Don Carlos': 'The most moving opera ever written', by Nicholas Cronk; Don Carlos: Grand Opera in Five Acts by Joseph Mery and Camille du Locle; Don Carlo: Italian translation by Achille de Lauzieres and Angelo Zanardini with additional material translated by Piero Faggioni; Don Carlos: English translation by Andrew Porter; Introduction by Jennifer Batchelor