Travel tips for opera lovers – El Escorial and Giuseppe Verdi

Verdi in Escorial

The series about historical places of opera art. Get to know exciting excursion and travel ideas for opera lovers. This time: Verdi in El Escorial.

All Destinations on google maps with links to detailed Blogposts:

Verdi in El Escorial

When Verdi visited the Escorial in his great 1862 trip to Spain, he was impressed, but said in a letter, “I don’t like the Escorial (forgive me for the blasphemy). It is a mass of marble, there are very rich and beautiful objects inside … but the whole thing lacks good taste. It is austere, terrible, like the grim ruler who built it”.

LINK TO THE COMPLETE VERDI BIOGRAPHY

Destination El Escorial

The touch of the Inquisition gripped him and five years later he remembered again when he composed for his “Don Carlo” the great scene of Philip in his lonely chamber of the fourth act (see musical digression below). Verdi saw the king’s small room with a view of the altar, which the king had furnished spartanically, although Philip had expanded the Escorial as a representative seat of power, which had previously been a small nest (Escorial = Spanish for rubble heap). He did not leave his seat of power after 1559 and became increasingly lonely, plagued by illnesses, defeats, state bankruptcies and finally the death of his fourth wife. He died in 1598 in his small room.

Philip II. study in El Escorial:

http://monasteriodelescorial.com/

Musical background: The lonely, grandiose aria of Philip II in the Escorial from “Don Carlo”

In the king’s study. The morning begins to dawn and the King is sitting desperately at his table. Concern for his kingdom and the realization that Elizabeth never loved him grieve him too deeply.

The main character of this aria by Philipp is deeply melancholic. It begins with an orchestral introduction. A solo cello sounds lonely and desolate, reflecting the emotional state of the ruler. Sighing motives from the violins complete the picture and intensify the pain. Above the tremoloing strings, we hear Philip’s lament, which begins with the dramatic “she never loved me!” played around and accompanied by the solo cello. This piece of music is one of the most beautiful arias for bass voice in the entire operatic repertoire. “It is one of those iconic moments when a restrained orchestral accompaniment, a simple declamation and a single melodic outburst manage to carve emotion into our souls” (Abbate/Parker, “History of Opera”).

«Ella giammai m’amò» from «Don Carlo»:

https://opera-inside.com/don-carlo-by-verdi-the-opera-guide-and-synopsis/#Ella