High melodrama and aural pleasures: Don Carlo
Jonas Kaufman as the doomed hero Don Carlo deftly handled the role with with both vocal clarity and drama. The same can be said for Anja Harteros as Elizabeth the French princess who was to marry Carlos but has to marry his father in order to consolidate the peace between France and Spain. As one woman quipped over ice creams at interval to another, "Well that's what we had to do back then..." Mariusz Kweicien as the idealist Rodrigo and Béatrice Uria-Monzon as Princess Eboli who also loved Carlos and the mistress of the king round out the cast of fine performances.
Of course the real life Don Carlo, who was the result of a great deal of royal interbreeding was a deformed character who became slightly mad by most accounts. But whatever the facts and black legend may be, Renaissance Spain (and France) probably never sounded better with this orchestra and cast. The four hours and two intervals of high drama, dubious history and fine music making make it a night to remember.
The current run is sold out but there are 67 day seats available from 10am at the box office. If you do mornings and get there early. Returns are also posted back online when they become available...
Pictures: Jonas Kaufmann and Mariusz Kweicien in Don Carlo during their thrilling duet about freedom. Photo by Catherine Ashmore, 2013. The other picture was from me during one moody moonlit night outside Escorial.