Famously, this opera has received many different editions and versions across the centuries, each with different levels of popularity for directors and audiences. This guide will focus on the original French five-act version of the opera, although the opera is presented in Italian as often as French.
Act One
France, The Forest of Fontainbleau
Introduction: 鈥楲e cerf s鈥檈nfuit sous la ramure鈥� - Chorus of Hunters
No. 1 鈥楩ontainebleau foret immens茅 et solitaire!鈥� - Carlos
Romance 鈥橨e l鈥檃i vue et dans son sourire鈥� - Carlos
No. 2 鈥楲e bruit du cor s'茅teint sous l鈥檕mbre 茅paisse鈥� - Carlos, Thibaut, Elisabeth
Duet 鈥楺ue faites-vous donc?鈥� Carlos, Elisabeth
No. 3 鈥楢 celui qui vous vient, Madame鈥� - Thibaut, Elisabeth, Carlos
Finale 鈥極 chant de f锚te et d'all茅gresse鈥� - Elisabeth, Carlos, Le Comte de Lerme, Ambassador of Spain, Valets, Ladies-in-waiting, Countess d鈥橝remberg
Act Two
The Monastery of San Yuste
Introduction
No. 4 鈥楥harles-Quint, l鈥檃uguste Empereur鈥� - Chorus of Monks, A Monk
Recitative 鈥楢u couvent de Saint-Just鈥� - Carlos, Monks
No. 5 Duet 鈥楲e voil脿, c鈥檈st l鈥橧nfant!鈥� - Rodrigue, Don Carlos, 鈥楥harles Quint l'auguste Empereur鈥� Monks, Carlos, A Monk, Rodrigues
A garden outside the monastery
No. 6 鈥楽ous ces bois auf feuillage immense鈥� - Ladies-in-waiting, Thibaut
鈥楶uisque dans ce couvent la Reine des Espagnes鈥� - Eboli, Ladies-in-waiting
No. 7 Song of the Veil 鈥楢n palais de f茅es des Roise Grenadins鈥� - Eboli, Thibaut, Ladies-in-waiting
鈥楲a Reine!鈥� - Elisabeth, Eboli, Thibaut, Rodrigue
No. 8 鈥楺ue fait-on a la cour de France鈥� - Eboli, Rodrigue, Elisabeth
鈥楲鈥橧nfant Carlos, notre esperance鈥� - Rodrigue, Elisabeth, Eboli
No. 9 Duet 鈥楯e viens solliciter de la Reine une grace鈥� - Elisabeth, Carlos
No. 10 鈥楲e Roi鈥� 鈥楶ourquoi seule madame!鈥� -Thibaut, Philippe, Chorus
Romance 鈥極 ma ch猫re compagne鈥� - Elisabeth, Rodrigue, Philippe, Chorus
No. 11 Duet 鈥楻estez. Aupres de ma personne鈥� - Rodrigue, Philippe
Act Three
The gardens of the Queen of Spain
No. 12 鈥楺ue de fleurs et que d'茅toiles鈥� - Chorus
鈥榁iens, Eboli鈥� - Elisabeth, Eboli, Chorus
Ballet
No. 13 鈥楢 Minuit aux jardins de la Reine鈥� - Carlos
Duet 鈥楥鈥檈st vous ma bien aim茅e鈥� - Carlos, Eboli
Trio 鈥楺ue dit-it?鈥� - Rodrigue, Carlos, Eboli
A square in Madrid, at the church of Nuestra Senora de Arocha
No. 14 Finale 鈥楥e jour heureux est plein d鈥檃llegresse鈥� - Chorus, Monks
March
鈥楥e jour heureux est plein d鈥檃llegresse鈥� - Chorus, Monks
鈥極uvrez vous, 么 portes sacr茅es鈥� - A herald, Chorus
鈥楨n pla莽ant sur mon front cette couronne鈥� - Philippe, Chorus
鈥極 ciel! Carlos! - Elisabeth, Rodrigues, Philippe, Carlos
鈥楽ire, sire, la derni猫re heure鈥� - Six deputies, Six Monks, Elisabeth, Thibaut, Carlos, Rodrigue, Philippe, A voice from above, Chorus
Act Four
King Philippe鈥檚 room
No. 15 鈥楨lle ne m鈥檃ime pas鈥� - Philippe
鈥楯e dormirai dans mon manteau royal鈥� - Philippe
No. 16 鈥楲e Grand Inquisiteur!鈥� - Comte de Lerme, Philippe, L鈥檌nquisiteur
Duet 鈥楧ans ce beau pays鈥� - Philippe, L鈥檌nquisiteur
No. 17 鈥楯ustice! Justice!鈥� - Elisabeth, Philippe
鈥極h Ciel! Que vois-je!鈥� - Eboli, Rodrigue
Quartet 鈥楳audit soit le soup莽on in fame鈥� - Philippe, Rodrigue, Eboli, Elisabeth
No. 18 鈥楶itie! Pardon pour la femme coupable!鈥� - Eboli, Elisabeth
Aria 鈥極 don fatal et deteste鈥� - Eboli
A prison, where Carlos is prisoner
No. 19 鈥楥鈥檈st moi Carlos鈥� - Rodrigue, Carlos
Aria: 鈥楥鈥檈st mon jour鈥� - Rodrigue
鈥楺ue parles-tu de mort?鈥� - Carlos, Rodrigue
No. 20 鈥楳on fils reprenez votre 茅p茅e鈥� - Carlos, Philippe
Finale 鈥楥iel! Le tocsin!鈥� - Courtiers, Chorus of People, L鈥橧nquisiteur, Le Comte de Lerme, Carlos, Elisabeth
Act Five
The Cloisters of the Monastery of San Yuste
No. 22 Duet 鈥楥鈥檈st elle!鈥� - Elisabeth, Carlos
No. 23 Finale 鈥業l faut un double sacrifice鈥� - Philippe, Le Grand Inquisiteur, Charles V (Monk), Elisabeth, Carlos, Chorus of Monks
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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