11th April

Concert will begin at 17:30 hours GMT

Historical recording: Verdi's 'Don Carlo' with Fernandi, Jurinac, Siepi and Bastianini from Salzburg

Salzburg Festival. Verdi's 'Don Carlo' is a five-act grand opera composed to a French-language libretto by Joseph Méry and Camille du Locle, based on the dramatic play Don Carlos, Infante of Spain by Friedrich Schiller. The opera's story is based on conflicts in the life of Carlos, Prince of Asturias (1545–1568). Though he was betrothed to Elisabeth of Valois, part of the peace treaty ending the Italian War of 1551–1559 between the Houses of Habsburg and Valois demanded that she be married instead to his father Philip II of Spain.

Performers: Eugenio Fernandi: Don Carlos. Sena Jurinac: Elisabeth von Valois. Cesare Siepi: Philipp II. Ettore Bastianini: Rodrigo. Marco Stefanoni: Grand Inquisitor. Giulietta Simionato: Princess Eboli. Nicola Zaccaria: Monk.

Wiener Staatsoper Choir. Wiener Philharmoniker. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.

Recorded 26 July 1958.