Verdi - Don Carlos - Il Grand'Inquisitor! (James Morris, Samuel Ramey)

Richard Tucker Music Foundation Gala (1993)
Avery Fisher Hall in New York
c. Daniel Oren

(at the same concert: James Morris, Samuel Ramey, Renee Fleming, Florence Quivar, Thomas Hampson, Ruth Ann Swenson, Birgit Nilsson)

COUNT DI LERMA
The Grand Inquisitor!

INQUISITOR
Am I in the King's presence?

FILIPPO
Yes; I sent you, father!
I am in doubt.
Carlo is filling my heart with bitter sadness;
The Infante is rebelling against me,
He has taken up arms against his father.

INQUISITOR
What mode of punishment do you choose?

FILIPPO
Extreme measures.

INQUISITOR
Let me know them!

FILIPPO
Let him escape or let the axe...

INQUISITOR
Well?

FILIPPO
If I send my son to death will your hand absolve me?

INQUISITOR
The peace of the Empire is worth a rebel's life.

FILIPPO
Can I, a Christian, sacrifice my son for the world?

INQUISITOR
To redeem us God sacrificed His.

FILIPPO
But can you put into force such a stringent law?

INQUISITOR
Everywhere it will have force, as it had it on Calvary.

FILIPPO
Can nature and love be silenced in me?

INQUISITOR
Everything must be silenced in order to exalt the faith.

FILIPPO
Very well!

INQUISITOR
Has the King nothing further to ask me?

FILIPPO
No.

INQUISITOR
Then it is I who will speak to you, Sire,
On Spanish soil, heresy has never prevailed, but there is one who wishes to undermine the divine edifice.
He is the King's friend, his constant companion, the demon of temptation who spurs him on to ruin. Carlo's treason, which has enraged you so, in comparison with his, seems a futile sport. And I, the inquisitor, I who have often raised my powerful hand against the vile hordes of miscreant for the great men here below, forgetful of my faith allow to go uncurbed a dangerous rebel... and the King!

FILIPPO
To help pass sorry days, in which I live, at my Court I have sought in vain what I long for. A man! A loyal heart! Then I found him!

INQUISITOR
Why a man? Why, then, have you the title of king, Sire, if a lesser man be your equal?

FILIPPO
No more, priest!

INQUISITOR
The ideas of the innovators have tainted your mind! You wish to break with your feeble hand the sacred yoke extending over the Roman Catholic globe! Return to your duty: The Church can offer to the man who has no hope, who repents, complete forgiveness: I demand of you the noble Posa.

FILIPPO
No, never!

INQUISITOR
O King, if I were not with you in the royal palace this very day, I swear to God, tomorrow you would be before the Grand Inquisitor at the Supreme Court.

FILIPPO
Friar, I have suffered your harsh words too long!

INQUISITOR
Why then evoke the shade of Samuel?
I have already given two kings to your mighty realm!
Madman, do you want to destroy the work of years?
Why am I here? What does King want of me?

FILIPPO
Father, let there be peace between us again.

INQUISITOR
Peace?

FILIPPO
You must forget what has passed here.

INQUISITOR
Perhaps!

FILIPPO
So the throne must always bow to the altar!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Verdi
• Don Carlos
• Il Grand'Inquisitor
• James Morris
• Samuel Ramey

[bodiloto]

Baritoni tutti è due.

[MsSandtime]

Don't you love him .WOW!The one and beautiful voice of Sam,Singing with another great opera singer James Morris..Enjoy every moment.Thank you very much.

[rovingdesertfox]

@Ysacoelfua Playing the "no it all" again are we? Very funny indeed.

[Ysacoelfua]

@bassobaritono You are mitaken. Ramey is an old bass-baritone, whereas Morris is a baritone. None of them is really a bass. A true bass is a very different sound from that of Ramey.

[jana1401chessy]

Halfvarson

[bassobaritono]

@arpeggio1358 Actually, I will disagree with you both. Morris really isn't a true bass. He is really a Bass-baritone. Ramey on the other hand is a true Bass. If you listen to them speak during interviews it is even more apparent... Ramey just happens to have a very usual top and Morris has an usually dark color. But they are very different voices and were correct in their repertoire direction

[bassobaritono]

I have listened to this several times now and I am completely impressed with Ramey, not unsual but never the less completely impressed. This video also really puts on display the difference between a true bass and bass-baritone. Ramey's dramatic fireworks display is really just beyond what words could ever describe. His approach and technique are just exemplary. Morris' is certainly no slouch but if he didn't run out of steam on the last phrase this would be one for the history books

[Prickler32]

@BassoCantante19 Oh, and I forgot to mention Burchuladze who I ran into in Hamburg and was shocked to see stands at about 5'6" or 5'7"!

[Prickler32]

@BassoCantante19 I am also a professional bass and much shorter than you are. So, was Gottlob Frick who had a very dark sound. Just like a short man can have big feet; there are all kinds of variations in a man's proportions

[BassoCantante19]

@bassobaritono In fact, it does not. Only, bigger guys=more probability of big vocal chords. Corelli was 6'2" just like Siepi. Thomas Hampson is 6'6''. I just thought it wasn't possible, or extremely not probable, for a bass to be under 5'11''. Even here in Italy, I yet have to find a bass shorter than me.