Don Carlo

Music Lesson

Focus: Opera is an art form that connects music to other Fine Arts. TEKS: Music, Grade 5: 5A, 5B, 5E Music, Grade 6: 5A, 5B, 5D Music, Grade 7: 5A, 5B, 5D Music, Grade 8: 5A, 5B. 5D High School Music, Levels I-IV: 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D Objectives:

1. The students will identify the musical style and historical period of Verdi’s Don Carlo. 2. The students will identify and describe the uses of opera in society and culture. 3. The student will identify music-related vocations and avocations related to opera. 4. The student will define the relationships between the content, the concepts, and the

processes of other fine arts, other subjects, and those of music.

Materials Needed: Summary of Don Carlo “About Verdi” “A Brief History of Opera” Internet access and visual/audio projection system Background Information: See “About Verdi” See “A Brief History of Opera” Setting the Stage: Carlo and Rodrigo (the Marquis of Posa) sing a duet, “Dio, che nell’alma infondere amor,” in the beginning of the opera, establishing their strong friendship, as well as their intense desire to fight for liberty. They sing a prayer in the middle of the piece, which contains a musical theme that returns during key moments between the two friends in the opera. English translation of the Italian lyrics: Oh God, who wished to instill love and hope in our souls, Thou must kindle within our hearts a desire for liberty; Thou must kindle within our hearts a desire for liberty.

Don Carlo

Music Lesson Teaching Suggestions: The students will:

1. Read and listen to information provided about Verdi and Don Carlo. 2. Read and listen to information provided about the history of opera. 3. Listen to a performance of “Dio, che nell’alma infondere amor” while watching the

musical score at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrdL5UlclcY Begin at minute 4:10 to hear the main friendship/liberty theme.

4. Listen to a performance of “Dio, che nell’alma infondere amor” while watching a Metropolitan Opera stage production of DON CARLO at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMuYV23d42U Begin at minute 3:45 to hear the main friendship/liberty theme.

Reflection: 1. Compare and contrast the two musical experiences.

Which one helped you understand the story better? How and why? Which one helped you understand the music better? How and why? What are some skills necessary to become an effective opera singer?

2. Create a list of jobs necessary to produce an opera.

How is opera connected to subjects other than music?

3. Explain how other Fine Arts that are connected to opera. What purpose does opera serve in society and culture?

Extension Activities: Attend Austin Lyric Opera’s production of Don Carlo at The Long Center for the Performing Arts on November 16, November 21, or November 24, 2013. Compare and contrast the experience of watching an excerpt online to watching the entire story in person.

Was it what you expected? What was your favorite part? What would you have done differently if you were the director?

Additional Resources: See The Metropolitan Opera Educator Guide for Don Carlo: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/about/education/educatorguides/content.aspx?customid=13868

Don Carlo

Summary

Characters

Carlo – Prince

Rodrigo - Marquis of Posa, friend of Don Carlo

Eboli - Princess

Elizabeth - Queen

Lady in Waiting

King Phillip

Background - Elizabeth (of France) is supposed to marry Prince Carlo (of Spain) in an arranged

marriage. They meet and fall in love. However, Elizabeth’s father decides that it is better for her to

marry Carlo’s father, King Philip. Their marriage will help maintain peace between France and

Spain. Therefore, the woman that Carlo loves, becomes his stepmother, Queen Elizabeth.

ACT I - St. Just Monastery

SCENE I - Graveyard

Carlo prays at the tomb of his grandfather, Emperor Charles V. He notices that one of the Monks

resembles his grandfather. His friend, Rodrigo, enters. Rodrigo reminds Carlo that he has agreed to

help the people of Flanders in their fight for freedom. He and Carlo sing of their pledge and they

swear eternal friendship. “Dio, che nell’alma infondere amor”

SCENE II - Garden

Princess Eboli sings to the ladies of the court as they await the arrival of the Queen. Elizabeth

enters, followed by Rodrigo. Rodrigo hands Queen Elizabeth a secret letter from Carlo, asking her

to meet with him. The ladies exit and Carlo enters.

Carlo asks Queen Elizabeth to convince King Philip to allow him to go to Flanders. She agrees.

Carlo cannot control his emotions and suddenly declares that he is in love with her. Elizabeth

rejects him and Carlo rushes off. King Philip enters and is angry when he finds Queen Elizabeth

alone. He then sends her Lady in Waiting back to France for not staying at her side.

Rodrigo, who is now alone with King Philip, bravely asks him to end his control of Flanders. The

King refuses but is impressed with Rodrigo’s courage. He tells Rodrigo that he suspects that Queen

Elizabeth and Carlo are in love. King Philip asks Rodrigo to spy on them. Rodrigo agrees, knowing

that being on the King’s side could help him in the future.

Don Carlo

Summary

ACT II - MADRID

SCENE I - Queen’s Garden

Carlo gets an unsigned letter asking him to meet in the garden at midnight. He thinks he will be

meeting with Queen Elizabeth. Carlo sees a masked woman and sings of his love for her. The

masked woman turns out to be Eboli. She declares her love for Carlo but he rejects her. Eboli

realizes that the words he sang were intended for Queen Elizabeth and she threatens to tell the King

Philip. Rodrigo enters and threatens to kill Eboli to keep her from telling the King. Carlo stops him.

Rodrigo explains that he is now in danger from the Inquisition. Rodrigo convinces Carlo to give

him some secret papers.

SCENE II - In front of Valladolid Cathedral

Carlo brings in a group of deputies from Flanders. They are scheduled to be killed but they beg the

King for freedom. The King denies them freedom. Carlo asks his father, King Philip, if he can go to

Flanders, but the King refuses. Carlo draws his sword threatening the King but Rodrigo takes away

the sword and Carlo is arrested. The King is impressed by Rodrigo so he gives him a promotion,

making him a Duke. The deputies from Flanders are executed as an angelic voice welcomes their

souls into heaven.

ACT III

SCENE I - King Philip's Study

King Philip sadly reflects that he is married to a wife who doesn't love him. “Ella giammai

m’amò!” He asks advice from the old and blind Grand Inquisitor. The King asks if he could

ever be forgiven if he kills his own son. The Grand Inquisitor points out that their God

sacrificed his own son therefore the King could be forgiven. The Grand Inquisitor also asks

the King to give up Rodrigo as he is a traitor.

Queen Elizabeth enters, after finding out that her jewelry box has been stolen. Eboli has

given the jewelry box to King Philip. Eboli knows that there is a portrait of Carlo in a locket

inside. Phillip asks Elizabeth to open it. When she refuses he breaks it open and finds the

portrait of Carlo. The King accuses Elizabeth of being in love with Carlo. Elizabeth faints

and King Philip calls for help.

Don Carlo

Summary

Act III (continued)

Eboli and Rodrigo enter. Eboli sings of her guilt for what she has done as Rodrigo sings about how

he cannot believe that a great King, who rules half the world, cannot rule his own emotions.

Alone with Elizabeth, Eboli confesses that she has caused Elizabeth to be falsely accused. She also

confesses that she has been having an affair with King Philip. Elizabeth orders her to leave Spain.

Eboli expresses her sadness that her beauty has caused so much trouble. She swears to spend her

final day in Spain trying to save Carlo.

SCENE II - Prison

Rodrigo visits Carlo in jail. He tells Carlo that he has used the secret papers to take responsibility for

the rebellion in Flanders. Carlo must take over as the leader in Flanders as the Inquisition now

wants to kill Rodrigo. Assassins of the Inquisition enter and kill Rodrigo. As he dies he tells Carlo

that Elizabeth will meet him at the Monastery of St. Just. Rodrigo sings that he is happy to have

sacrificed himself so that Carlo may live. He believes that Carlo is the man who will save Flanders.

ACT IV

Monastery of St. Just

Queen Elizabeth dreaming of her home country (France) has come to the Monastery and

she sings of wishing for her own death. “Tu, che le vanità”. Carlo appears and she

encourages him to take up Rodrigo's fight for freedom in Flanders. They both sing of their

hope for happiness in the next world. As they hug and say goodbye, King Philip and the

Grand Inquisitor arrive. Seeing them hugging, the King demands that Carlo be

immediately killed. Carlo once again sees the monk who resembles his grandfather. The

monk insists that suffering cannot be avoided in this world and will only stop in heaven.

Giuseppe Verdi (1813 – 1901)

Giuseppe Verdi was born in a small village near Bussetto, Italy on October 10, 1813. He

showed an early aptitude for music and began assisting the town’s organist when he was only 7.

By age 13, he was the assistant conductor of the Bussetto orchestra. When he was denied

admission to the Milan Conservatory in 1831 (he was over the age limit), he chose to study

privately with Vincenzo Lavigna, a former harpsichordist and maestro at La Scala. For the next

five years, he moved back and forth between Milan and Bussetto.

In November 1839, Verdi’s first opera Oberto was premiered at La Scala. The success of this

work secured him a contract for 3 more operas. While composing his second opera, a comedy

entitled Un Giorno di Regno, Verdi lost both of his children and his beloved wife to illness. The

opera was a terrific failure and he vowed to never again compose a comedy. Bartolomeo

Merelli, the maestro at La Scala, convinced Verdi to read the libretto for Nabucco. He was very

deeply moved by the biblical story and the opera premiered to great success in 1842. Verdi

referred to this opera as the beginning of his musical career. One of the choruses from Nabucco

“ Va, pensiero” became a sort of Italian national anthem and Verdi himself became a leading

figure in the movement for a united Italy.

Giuseppe Verdi (1813 – 1901)

Over the next 11 years, Verdi composed 16 more operas. The zenith of these

productive years came between 1851 and 1853. It was during this time that three of his

most popular operas premiered. Rigoletto was a huge success at it’s premier in Venice in

1851. Il Trovatore and La Traviata premiered within six weeks of each other in 1853. At

age 40, Verdi, now famous, was the most frequently performed Italian opera composer in

Europe. In the following years, Verdi devoted more time to travel; he remarried and flirted

with politics. His composing days were, however, far from over. He enjoyed great success

with his final three operas. Aida premiered in 1871. Following a fifteen year hiatus, Verdi,

in his seventies, brought forth the dramatic masterpiece Otello (1887) and the comic tour de

force Falstaff (1893). In all, Verdi composed 28 operas, including several in substantially

different versions.

While Verdi was a well schooled musician, he placed a greater emphasis on

emotional sensibility. He wrote memorable melodies that not only carefully propel the

dramatic plot but also linger in the memory. These melodies are the lifeblood of his operas.

Regarding Il Trovatore, Verdi remarked “I think, if I am not mistaken, that I have done

well; but at any rate I have done it the way that I felt it.”