Ten Masterpieces of Music by Harvey Sachs

Author:Harvey Sachs [Sachs, Harvey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-10-08T00:00:00+00:00

A WARM AND AT TIMES shimmering mini-prelude, in C major—a sort of fantasy on Don Carlo’s first-act romanza—introduces the third act’s opening scene, which takes place at night in the queen’s garden. Carlo is reading from a note that he believes to be from Elisabetta, inviting him to meet her in the garden at midnight. He trembles with anticipation as Eboli enters, veiled; when she removes her veil, he tries unsuccessfully to cover his shock, and she suddenly realizes, and exclaims, that Carlo is in love with the queen. Rodrigo, who has secretly been watching out for Carlo, suddenly appears, and an energetic trio ends with Eboli departing in a fury and threatening revenge. Carlo expresses doubts about Rodrigo’s friendship for him, since the marquis is now part of the king’s inner circle, but the doubts are quickly dispelled, the friends embrace, and the scene ends with the orchestra playing the theme of their great duet from the previous act.

The third act’s final scene, commonly known as the auto-da-fè scene, is the most spectacular—the most grand opéra–like—segment of the entire work. Not surprisingly, it is also the least remarkable part of the opera from the point of view of musical invention and character delineation. And yet it provided Verdi with an opportunity to demonstrate not only his extraordinary ability at organizing and balancing huge masses of singers and instruments but also his lifelong dislike of priests and religious dogma.¶¶ As the entire orchestra attacks its opening, fortissimo bars—nominally in E major but initially in an extremely menacing-sounding, insecure A minor—the curtain opens on crowds gathered in a large square before the Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha, a church that the historical Philip II cherished. The people proclaim their love for and dedication to the monarchy, and they hail Spain’s eternal glory, but their triumphalism gives way to a plodding, low-pitched march of priests who are leading a group of chained heretics to be burned at the stake.

An offstage band, punctuated by interjections from the full orchestra, announces the arrival of the court, including Rodrigo and Elisabetta, and the crowd’s enthusiasm reaches a peak. Filippo emerges from the church, and the common people prostrate themselves before him. The tempo is maestoso (majestic, solemn) as the king “descends the church’s steps and goes to take Elisabetta’s hand to continue his walk,” according to the stage instructions. But there is a sudden change to allegro mosso, agitatedly fast, as six Flemish representatives “step forward, led by Don Carlo, and throw themselves at Filippo’s feet.” The king loudly demands to know who these people are, and, while Carlo is explaining that they are messengers from Brabant and Flanders, the representatives implore the king to have mercy on their people. The king, seconded by the priests, calls them infidels and demands that the guards remove them; this leads into a vast ensemble—soloists plus chorus and orchestra—in which the members of the court and the assembled commoners plead for the Flemish people, while the king and the priests remain adamant.

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