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The premiere of
Verdi's
DON CARLOS
Since meeting Mr. Linder, I have met lots
of interesting people and I saw many beautiful places. This time Vladimir took
me to Bratislava to Slovak National Theatre to see the first night of the
Guiseppe Verdi's opera "Don Carlos." It was on March 21, 1997.
"Don Carlos" is opera of four acts in Italian language, however we
could read a Slovak translation on the screen above the stage.
With the first form of this opera Verdi
conquered Paris in 1867, with the second form he conquered La Scala in Milan,
Italy in years 1882-1883
The director Mr. Jozef Bednarik made this a
grand work for the Slovak National Theatre. Mr. Bednarik started his artistic
career as an actor, later on he continued with staging of successful amateur
Theater "Z" and also with the staging in the Theater of Andrej Bagar
in Nitra. Later on he became an opera's director.
"Don Carlos" was a great
performance. Already the very first minutes of the play impressed me a lot.
The temple design of the stage impressed me tremendously. Mr. Bednarik and
Mrs. Varossova dressed the actors in Spanish dresses. The costumes were
gorgeous, colorful and I can also say that they were great in details. I
should also focus on the accomplished performance of the orchestra, which was
conducted by Mr. Ivan Anguelov. The music of the opera fascinated every one
from the very beginning, as it was perfect and strong. In some moments I could
feel shivering on my back.
On the faces of the opera singers we could
have seen that they became usual to their roles. Guiseppe Verdi characterized
the characters and the situations of this opera very precisely. "Don
Carlos" is an opera about the strange, stubborn and at the same time
lonely dictator, about the prince who is not able to organize a successful
revolt, because he is alone in his resist, also about Rodrigo Posa, who was a
victim of an inquisition.
In the main roles we saw:
Filip II. The King of Spain-Peter Mikulas
Elisabeth from Valois, King's wife-Lubica Rybarska
Don Carlos, King's son-Ludovit Ludha
Rodrigo Posa-Martin Babiak
The big inquisitor-Jan Galla
The princess Eboli-Ida Kirilova
Here is a brief summary of the story:
The son of Spain's King Carlos was engaged
to the French princess Elisabeth from Valois. They fell in love with each
other. The happiness of these two people was broken by the decision of
Carlos’s father, the King of Spain Filip II, who proposed to Elisabeth. She
was forced to marry him, because it was very important for France. Carlos was
remembering this beautiful love many times with deep pain in his heart. He
decided to go to the monastery. His good friend Rodrigo Posa advised him to go
to the Flanderland to help the people in their fight for freedom. King Filip
considered Flanders as rebels who needed to be punished very hard.
The Queen's small jewelry box was lost.
Later on it was found in the King’s bedroom with portrait of Carlos inside.
It was from time of their engagement. Filip suspects the Queen and Carlos are
still in love. He mourns and feels unloved and lonely as a husband and a
father and hated by the people of his kingdom. He tells the big inquisitor
that he is about to remove his treacherous son.
Princess Eboli confesses to the Queen that
she stole the jewelry box, that she is in love with Carlos and that she also
seduced the King. After the confession she decides to go to the monastery.
Prior to her departure she wants to rescue Carlos before execution. Rodrigo
Posa visits Carlos in the prison and tells him that he told the King that he
himself alone is responsible for the rebellion and that Carlos is innocent.
Rodrigo Posa is fatally injured and before
his death he begs Carlos to liberate the Flanderland and whole Spain from the
power of the willfulness.
King Filip II gives back the freedom to
Carlos, but Carlos renounces his father over the body of his friend. Carlos
wants to go to Fanderland, but prior to his departure he wants to say good bye
to Elisabeth. He wishes to serve to the idea of freedom for which his best
friend Rodrigo Posa died.
The King and the big inquisitor interrupt
the words of parting as both of them have decided to condemn Carlos and
Elisabeth.
In the middle of the 19th century
Guiseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was a well-known artist and composer in Italy. He
was an author of operas such as Rigoletto, La Traviatta, Aida, etc. He was
inspired very much by Paris as it was the Centrum of opera. However another
artist, Meyerbeer was very popular in France and his work was in the way of
Verdi.
The situation has changed when the director
of the Great opera Mr. Perrin asked him if he would be able to write an opera
for the upcoming World’s Exposition. Verdi searched long time for a good
topic. Mr. Perrin later on suggested Schiller’s "Don Carlos."
Verdi returned to Italy, as he wanted to write the opera there. As he was
about to return to Paris the war broke out and Italy was also involved in it.
Later on in December 1866 he returned to Paris to produce the opera. He was
taking part in each rehearsal.
The premiere of "Don Carlos" in
Paris was on March 11, 1867 with the presence of Napoleon III, the Empress,
ministers, foreign dignitaries, and ambassadors. During its first season
"Don Carlos" was performed 40 times. The same year the opera was
also played in Italian city of Bologna. In the 17th year of "Don
Carlos" being played in Europe, Verdi decided to do some minor changes.
The top of Verdi's artistic work are the
choir scenes of this masterpiece.
In conclusion, I would like to repeat that
to see this magnificent opera was a great experience for me. I am sure that
the audience was also satisfied. During the strong and very long applause we
could hear repeatedly enthusiastic voices shouting: "Bravo."
At the end I would like to thank Mr.
Badnarik and all opera singers for their fantastic performance. They have done
such a great work. This opera production will also be performed at the
festival in Salzburg in the fall of 1997.
I wish all of them good luck!
Maria Rybarova
Holleho 5
972 01 Bojnice
Slovakia
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BACK TO SLOVAK NATIONAL THEATER
Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 5,
No. 2, Summer 1997
Copyright © Vladimir Linder
1997
3804 Yale
Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5C 1P6
The
above article and photographs may not be copied, reproduced, republished,
or redistributed by any means including electronic, without the express
written permission of Vladimir
Linder. All rights reserved.
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