Don Carlo: In Spite of the Director

Baltsa & Carerras
(not from Don Carlo)

I will probably go to music hell for this, but whoever told Herbert Von Karajan, “Sure! Go ahead and do the staging! You’re a conducting god, and I am sure you will be a directing god, too,” should be shot.  But, I guess since it was his Festival, he could do whatever he wanted. And this 1986 Don Carlo does preserve some marvelous singing. HvK could certainly pick the super-singers! It’s a good thing, because beyond the singing, there is a lot left to be desired from this performance.