Don Carlos – Operaen, Det KGL Teater

There are different versions of Verdi’s masterpiece about love and duty with director Davide Livermore’s new production drawing on the 1884 Milan version, performed in Italian, which jettisons the original’s scene-setting first act, and relies upon strong performances from the cast to move the production along, which it gets here in droves.

It’s a tough story with far too real parallels to ongoing events in the Ukraine and Middle East which serves to reinforce the piece’s uncompromising assessment of the ways of human nature as we are thrust via a love triangle into a courtly world, although not 16^th Century Spain here, but rather that of the Franco era, emboldened by costume designer Mariana Fracasso, and to which the principles of religious Inquisition and destructive suppression of protest remain valid.

Don Carlos is not an aria-type opera, its point lies in its drama, the interaction of the ensemble and the solo moments which are driven by the plot, and there are several substantial solo turns from some great performers: tenor Anthony Ciaramitaro as Prince Don Carlos; soprano Chiara Isotton as his beloved (and step-mother) Élisabeth de Valois; baritone Jens Søndergaard as Carlos’ heroic friend, Rodrigo; bass Goderdzi Janelidze as Carlos’ father, King Filip II; mezzo-soprano Emanuela Pascu as Princess Eboli; and bass Volodymyr Tyshkov as the formidable Grand Inquisitor, with each delivering gripping, full-blooded and deeply characterised performances.

The circumstances of the story are driven by Filip’s power and antipathy as well as his own sense of belief and fear of the Spanish Inquisition, with his scene with the Grand Inquisitor containing some of the darkest and most extraordinary music Verdi ever wrote, and which Tyshkov sang with gravity, his angry and bitter old man still able to dominate Janelidze’s wistful Filip to brooding effect, whilst the ghost of Emperor Charles V (Tae Jeong-Hwang) haunts the proceedings.

Ciaramitaro expressed the full gamut of Don Carlos’ emotions, from his gentleness to anger, discouragement to mania, leading towards a growing sense of maturity touching on heroism, whilst Isotton in turn responded in different shades that built up throughout and which beautifully illustrated her musical artistry. It is not the two leads who get the most, and best, arias however, but Rodrigo and Eboli, and both Søndergaard and Pascu were fantastic.

Supporting them all are the chorus and orchestra, led by conductor Jordan de Souza, and we were served up a treat of glorious music full of its own shades of colour with perfect balance, pace and phrasing. A special mention to for soprano Barbro Cítron as Tebaldo and soprano Isla MacEwan who provides the voice from heaven.

There has been much discussion about the set design from the team at Gio Forma but on the whole I though it worked although as a fan of less is more, I found the scene with the court ladies in Act I just that bit too busy. D Wok’s video projection at the rear has also come in for much comment but on the whole I felt it worked, reinforcing the action on stage and unfolding lyrics whist the touches of red cleverly hinted at both love and death, and combined well with Antonio Castro’s lighting design. My only observation would be for better consideration of sightlines as it was not always too visible.

The Copenhagen Opera House (Operaen) is the national opera house of Denmark and located on the island of Holmen, it was completed in 2005. Visually impressive both inside and out, it is also one of the best-equipped, and with one of the largest orchestra pits of any opera house, it has fantastic acoustics. Further details on this and other productions at https://kglteater.dk/

Reviewer: Mark Davoren

Reviewed: 9^th October 2024

North West End UK Rating: