Reassessing the Naples Version of Verdi’s Don Carlo: The Duet between King Philip and the Marquis of Posa: Inori HAYASHI
Abstract
Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Don Carlo exists in several revised versions. Among them, the Naples version, revived in 1872 under Verdi’s supervision, remains understudied despite its significance. This study focuses on the Naples version, comparing it with the Bologna version (1867)—an Italian adaptation of the original Paris premiere—and the Milan version (1884). The central focus of analysis is the duet between King Philip and the Marquis of Posa, a pivotal moment that reveals changes in musical and dramatic treatment. The study draws on primary sources, including the scores and libretti of each version, contemporary performance reviews, and Verdi’s correspondence. The findings show that, while the Naples version largely conforms to Italian operatic conventions in musical structure and vocal melody, it also incorporates musical elements and compositional techniques later refined in the Milan version. These insights enhance the understanding of Verdi’s dramaturgical process and the evolution of Don Carlo across its various versions.
Event Outline
- Time and Date: October 11th (Sat.) 2025, 16:30 – 18:00 (JST)
- Format: Online meeting (Zoom)
- Presenter: Inori HAYASHI
- Affiliation: Elisabeth University of Music
- Moderator: Rika HAGIWARA
- Language: Japanese
- Organized by: Waseda Institute for Research in Opera and Music Theatre (WIROM), Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University
Registration
Registration is required by October 10th (Fri.) for online participants.
Please register through the following URL:
https://list-waseda-jp.zoom.us/meeting/register/Sa_vG7iRSCecyQAzl4J4WQ
*Please show your full name on the display, mute yourself, and turn off the video, except when talking; refrain from taking screenshots, recordings, etc., and follow the moderator’s instructions.
Contact
Waseda Institute for Research in Opera and Music Theatre (WIROM), Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University: https://prj-opera-mt.w.waseda.jp/
e-mail address: operaken-uketsuke[at]list.waseda.jp ([at] = @)
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Profile of Presenter
I graduated from the Department of Vocal Music at Tokyo University of the Arts and completed a doctoral degree (Ph.D. in Humanities) at Ochanomizu University. I have held research positions including a JSPS Research Fellowship and a Special Researcher role at the Institute for Global Leadership, Ochanomizu University. I am currently a lecturer at Elisabeth University of Music. My research focuses on the dramaturgy and reception of 19th-century Italian opera, particularly the works of Giuseppe Verdi. More recently, I have expanded my research to include the relationship between translated lyrics and melodies in postwar Japanese opera performances, as well as the characteristics of lyrics and melodies in songs used in early childhood education programs.
