For several reasons I was put in mind of Don Carlos, yesterday – both Schiller’s and Verdi’s. So I thought I’d post a few images…

Let us begin with the frontispiece of the first published version in Der Teutschen Merkur, in 1787.

Then a highly romanticized view of the eponymous hero in a 1859 engraving by Friedrich Precht.

About the same time, here is an illustration by Wilhelm von Kaulbach:

Now Conrad Veidt and William Dieterle as Carlos and Posa in the 1924 silent movie Carlos und Elisabeth:

And a 1936 Ukrainian production of the play:

And the opera? Here a 1963 production at La Scala, in Milan, with Leyla Gencer as Elisabeth:

And the great Boris Christoff as King Philip:

I find that both play and opera have fascinating histories… maybe we’ll talk about it, eh?