Opera Bites: Verdi's 'Don Carlo' a story of love, betrayal

On Saturday the Metropolitan Opera's high-definition broadcast will be Giuseppe Verdi's "Don Carlo." The performance will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the AMC Town Plaza 5 in Cape Girardeau. The encore will be Jan. 5.

"Don Carlo" was written for the Paris Opera. It is Verdi's most complicated opera. The music is gorgeous, and the characters are fascinating, especially the Princess Eboli. In some productions, she wears an eye patch. The story is that she lost her eye in a mock duel with a page when she was 14 years old.

The opera is set in France in 1560.

The Spanish prince Don Carlo is supposed to marry Elisabeth de Valois, daughter of the French king. However, it turns out that Elisabeth will have to marry King Philip, Carlo's father. The young people are devastated by this news.

In Act II, Carlo and his friend, Rodrigo, the Marquis of Posa, are visiting the tomb of the Emperor Charles V, Carlo's grandfather. The two men swear eternal friendship and state their commitment to help the Flemish people.

As Act III begins, Carlo is awaiting a rendezvous with Queen Elisabeth, but the lady who appears is the Princess Eboli. She is in love with Carlo, but he rejects her and she vows to betray him to his father.

The second scene is the fabulous auto-da-fe scene. Carlo draws his sword on his father and is arrested.

Act IV is in King Philip's study; he knows that his wife does not love him. Eboli betrays Elisabeth to the king, but then feels remorseful and confesses to the queen what she has done. Elisabeth banishes her from court.

The scene changes to the prison where Carlo is being held. Rodrigo visits him there and is shot by agents of the Inquisition.

The final act takes place in the Monastery of St. Just. Elisabeth and Carlo meet; she encourages him to continue to fight for Flanders. When the King and the Grand Inquisitor arrive, the Emperor Charles V appears and tells them that suffering is unavoidable. In this production, Carlo is killed.

This it one of the most spectacular operas you will ever see; it is a performance not to be missed. It received a great review in the Wall Street Journal.

Barbara Herbert is an opera lover and host of KRCU's "Sunday Night at the Opera."