Josef Greindl and Martti Talvela sing The Inquisitor Scene from Verdi's Don Carlo

One of the most dramatic opera scenes ever, performed by two giants of the opera history: Josef Greindl (Philippo) and Martti Talvela (Inquisitor).
Sung in German
Deutsche Oper Berlin 1965
Conducted by the great Wolfgang Sawallisch
COUNT LERMA
entering
The Grand Inquisitor!
Exit Lerma. The Grand Inquisitor, ninety years old and blind, enters, assisted by two Dominicans.
INQUISITOR
Am I before the King?
PHILIP
Yes, I need your help, my father, enlighten me.
Carlos has filled my heart with bitter sadness,
the Infante has rebelled in arms against his father.
INQUISITOR
What have you decided to do about him?
PHILIP
Everything … or nothing!
INQUISITOR
Explain yourself!
PHILIP
He must go away … or by the sword …
INQUISITOR
Well then?
PHILIP
If I strike down the Infante, will your hand absolve me?
INQUISITOR
The peace of the world is worth the blood of a son.
PHILIP
Can I as a Christian sacrifice my son to the world?
INQUISITOR
God sacrificed his own, to save us all.
PHILIP
Can you justify in all cases such a harsh faith?
INQUISITOR
Wherever a Christian follows the faith of Calvary.
PHILIP
Will the ties of nature and blood remain silent in me?
INQUISITOR
Everything bows and is silent when faith speaks!
PHILIP
It is well!
INQUISITOR
Philip II has nothing more to say to me?
PHILIP
No!
INQUISITOR
Then I shall speak to you, Sire!
In this beautiful land, untainted by heresy,
a man dares to undermine the divine order.
He is a friend of the King, his intimate confidant,
the tempting demon who is pushing him to the brink.
The criminal intent of which you accuse the Infante
is but child's play compared with his,
and I, the Inquisitor, I, as long as I raise
against obscure criminals the hand which wields the sword,
while forgoing my wrath against those with power in the world,
I let live in peace this great wrongdoer … and you!
PHILIP
To see us through the days of trial in which we live,
I have sought in my court, that vast desert of men,
a man, a sure friend … and I have found him!
INQUISITOR
Why
A man? And by what right do you call yourself King,
Sire, if you have equals?
PHILIP
Be quiet, priest!
INQUISITOR
The spirit of the reformers already enters your soul!
You wish to throw off with your feeble hand
the holy yoke which covers the Roman universe!
Return to your duty! The Church, like a good mother,
can still embrace a sincere penitent.
Deliver the Marquis of Posa to us!
PHILIP
No, never!
INQUISITOR
O King, if I were not here, in this palace
today, by the living God, tomorrow you yourself,
you would be before us at the supreme tribunal!
PHILIP
Priest! I have suffered your criminal audacity for too long!
INQUISITOR
Why do you evoke the shade of Samuel?
I have given two kings to this mighty empire,
my whole life's work, you want to destroy it …
What did I come here for? What do you want of me?
He starts to leave.
PHILIP
My father, may peace be restored between us.
INQUISITOR
continuing to move off
Peace?
PHILIP
Let the past be forgotten!
INQUISITOR
at the door, as he leaves
Perhaps!
PHILIP
The pride of the King withers before the pride of the priest!

[@nicholasr5988]

Extraordinary quality of singing and the conductor's pacing is also fantastic. Slowing down the rhythm he underlines very effectively the horror of this scene where two murders are decided between these two monsters.

[@kurtgarmaker3719]

Tavella has dung this really wellin Italian !

[@allenjones3130]

Messrs. Talvela and Greindl lend their powerful bass voices to a superb performance of one of Verdi's greatest operatic duets.

[@grouchomarx5609]

Talvela is terrifying as bloody hell! And Greindl's weeping at the end was so realistic!

[@YakovNizhnik]

Talvela is a genius.

[@richardcleveland8549]

When Talvela makes his entrance, the lack of height of his two escorts makes the Inquisitor appear to be ten feet tall! Frightening! Brilliant portrayals, both.

[@farmertice7064]

You couldn't ask for a better performance than this one. Martti Tallvela is unbeatable.

[@richardcleveland8549]

Watching this again . . . it's so compelling; Talvela as the Inquisitor is completely believable - and terrifying! - as a blind, 90-year-old man who fears no none, least of all the King of Spain. These two great singers were at their peak, and so was Verdi. Magnificent!

[@IchiganCS]

Greindl peaked in the 40s.

[@richardcleveland8549]

@@IchiganCSI don't think so. Greindl was born in 1912 and died in 1993. His discography runs from 1943 through 1975, with one last recording of "Elektra" in 1981 - at age 69. The excerpt shown here was made in 1965, when Greindl was 53 - a man in his prime. If you meant he peaked when he was in his 40s, I also disagree; his discography proves that.

[@IchiganCS]

@@richardcleveland8549 No, I really meant the peaked in the 1940s. I especially fell in love with his recordings with Michael Raucheisen, the Loewe recordings being available on KZbin. I have never heard him sing with more style, better diction or more pleasing vocal technique. As is observable in this recording, later in his career he developed nasality which became almost unbearable the later you get. He still was a great singer in every other way, but his nasality really annoys me. He had almost none in the 1943 recordings. It all comes down personal preference - what you like and what you really value. But I enjoy lieder more than opera and I really dislike nasality and so I like Greindl in the 40s more. He later recorded Loewe ballads with Hertha Klust - but vocally speaking, his decline is more than notable.

[@richardcleveland8549]

@@IchiganCS Thank you for taking the trouble to explain your reasoning. I concede that my acquaintance with him is limited to this video and to my "Abduction" recording circa 1949, but I still think this video is superb. I have no musical training - I play not, neither do I sing - but I do love music, especially opera; my acquaintance with lieder is very (not to say extremely) limited, so you have the advantage there. Again, thanks for your polite and patient explanation!

[@brianlandry9214]

Love that the comprimario (Count Lerma) is louder than ANY "leading"/"Primo tenore" today.

[@revivaljesus]

That "comprimario" is actually Gunther Treptow, a great heldentenor, so it's no wonder he is loud.

[@juliogonzalezcampayo3201]

@@revivaljesus Pero Treptow estará ya retirado. Hizo una gran carrera.

[@luissanchezroma1010]

Right!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@pop5678eye]

This is acting that needs no editing every other second nor special effects. Today this is almost forbidden on film.

[@seancoxen3329]

I really get tired of people dismissing out-of-hand all opera performances not sung in the original language. This is one of the most effective performances I've ever seen - phenomenal singing and acting. I remember visiting Prague once when the Brno Opera came through with their production of Britten's "Peter Grimes", sung in English. Bloody awful! Singing in the original language did the Brno production no favors. The performance almost surely would have gone better if the singers sang in a language they actually knew. As a native English speaker and Britten fan, I would have been fine with it.

[@jefolson6989]

Friends don't hack friends intagram. Go away

[@pop5678eye]

Historically Phillip II was Habsburg and while he was born in Spain and considered himself Spanish (the Spanish didn't think so) it is not out of the question that he may have been brought up to speak German. Whether he would have spoken in German or Spanish to the Grand Inquisitor of Spain would of course just be speculation. He certainly wouldn't have spoken in Italian though. I'm not saying film and opera always should conform to as much historical accuracy as possible. If anything, I am agreeing with you that the 'purists' for the opera's 'original language' are hypocrites. Translating masterpieces is good!

[@EatmeReadme]

true

[@whovian1591]

One of the best performances of Tosca is in French with Gabriel Bacquier

[@lyudmila2882]

The Barber of Seville sung in German (Wunderlich, Prey, Köth) is as fleet and entertaining as the Italian. Can't imagine how they did it, but they did. And in this Don Carlo, the German only adds to the drama. I also cringe at a production done in mispronounced or rote English.

[@marisalouisa4518]

Amazing singing, the German seems to fit well with the mood of this scene.

[@lebtfurimmer107]

Josef Greindl is the best male voice of all time.Period.His voice is everything!Tenor,baritone,bass,basso profundo,dramatic,lyric,small,big,weak,strong etc..

[@Welverance]

quanto è bello in tedesco!!!! l'avevo sentito in francese ma debbo dire che anche così è formidabile!

[@leonoradelagardie]

Perhaps one of the greatest duets of all operas. And brilliantly performed. Another favourite would be this scene performed by Nicolai Ghiaurov and Martti Talvela. And yes, Talvela really IS the great inquisitor.

[@hwh1946]

amazing duo. Best scene Verdi ever composed.

[@dgbx6]

Wow! Everything about this performance is absolutely German, - the voices, the drama, the emotional depth, - and it's absolutely stupendous given all this. It's almost like Verdi was able to write a German opera and carry it off with the best. Thank you so much for this. Absolutely original and absolutely at the top in all it's aspects. Two legendary giants.

[@podkivanok]

The opera is based on Schiller's play, after all :) So the German language makes it closer to its actual source, which I find magnificent.

[@joannilson2900]

This is a FABULOUS performance! And for me, Talvela will always be the ultimate, never-to-be-eclipsed Grand Inquisitor.

[@markdecker7489]

Talvela is perfect in the role, has never been beaten. Utterly convincing and frightening.

[@drglaser74]

Großartig. Da müssen die anderen erst einmal hinkommen. Und dass in Deutsch gesungen wurde hat meiner Meinung nach die Dramatik nur verstärkt. Bravo

[@juhanipalola9046]

eine unglaubliche Szene, da ist es nicht mehr wichtig ob man auf deutsch oder italienisch singt.. zwei Stimmen die unvergesslich sind!

[@Amanda-sf3fx]

This is so different from the way this usually sounds! Obviously, two legends, many thanks for this rarity - but maybe it’s the German that gives this scene a touch of Wozzeck…it’s higher placed than usual, especially the Inquisitor - who is seriously scary! - what a phenomenal vocal range.

[@drglaser74]

No, it is not higher placed. The Inquisitor was Martti Talvelva

[@Amanda-sf3fx]

@@drglaser74 Yes, I know the Inquisitor was Marti Talvela, one of the reasons I looked at this in the first place. But his voice seems to me to have higher placement than he usually has, in this video. More nasal, also, than he usually sounds. I do know about singing technique, however, this is subjective I have found, when it comes to youtube comments, there are many many different opinions on what constitutes good technique, higher/lower placement/range/fach/laryngeal position etc etc etc, and people love to argue over them, quite aggressively sometimes. So I am not going to have an argument here. In my opinion, his voice sounds (probably deliberately) more highly placed than usual. But you are free to disagree.

[@drglaser74]

@@Amanda-sf3fx ok I understand. What I just mean is that it was sung in the original pitch.

[@Amanda-sf3fx]

@@drglaser74 oh yes of course - I was referring to the placement of his voice. He has such an opulent bass voice usually!

[@drglaser74]

@@Amanda-sf3fx yes but with weak low notes- have a look at his osmin

[@giuseppedimarco8358]

Wow! Great! i never thought to hear this! in German but, with those two giant singers! what can go wrong ! it amazes me !what drama!i had the goosebumps! and even the setting is great! wish i was their!

[@cbhbklyn]

This is riveting. Talvela was probably may favorite bass of all time. His Boris Godunov was one of the greatest performances I've ever seen.

[@ahmadshokry5945]

thanks for posting such a rare video for two of the greatest basses ever. Few years ago, I thought I have seen and listened to every notable version of my favorite scene of my favorite opera, but I never thought that such version exists! thanks again

[@Bereczmi]

Thanks for your comment!

[@roideschats8799]

absolument fabuleux... une grande réussite ! Deux chanteurs exceptionnels.

[@Achbar]

I love this in German.

[@gerardmignon700]

Carrément incroyable d'intensité dramatique, et quelles voix. Deux vraies basses! Et l'allemand ajoute encore à la violence du duo. Talvela mon dieu! Deux timbres somptueux.

[@andrewmargrave7518]

The German translation proves surprisingly effective. Talvela is scary-effective, and Greindl is fantastic.

[@alain0323]

Don't Carlo was originally written in French, then sort of popularized in Italian.

[@cinziavidali411]

La versione in tedesco è molto efficace e appropriata

[@hwh1946]

Lucky enough to have seen Talvela and Salminien in Rheingold

[@jefolson6989]

Me too! Actual GIANTS!

[@axelzeltsch1668]

that would be two Finnish singers

[@markdecker7489]

My jealousy knows knows bounds.

[@ric55]

I never thought to see this, and I thank you. Greindl was a very great actor as well as one of the greatest operatic basses.

[@giannizeno2879]

Two giants! Thanks for this posting.

[@thomasdahlen8533]

Glorius ! Talvela was tall , a big man with an incredible voice.One of the great Ones.Dont forget the wonderful Franz Crass.

[@David-Alexander-German]

and dont forget Caesare Siepi

[@thomasdahlen8533]

@@David-Alexander-German Absoutely not.Siepi was great.Faust fom Metropolitan with Björling and Söderström.

[@mk5244]

…Franz Crass wird nie vergessen….GRuß!

[@gabrielefontana908]

VERDI è talmente grande che è bello sentirlo anche in tedesco con voci memorabili❤❤😂

[@Alexander.Christian-0612]

Die Deutsche Oper in Berlin ist eines der besten Opernhäuser der Welt. Zwei Ausnahmesänger, und, wie damals üblich, auf deutsch gesungen. Großartig, das Orchester ebenfalls! Leider gibt es nicht mehr so viele gute Sänger. Die deutsche Opernkultur gibt es nirgends sonst auf der Welt. Es reisen zahlreiche Musikliebhaber regelmäßig nach Deutschland, um in die Oper zu gehen! Und Bayreuth ist ein Gottesgeschenk!

[@acacia-bloom]

This comes from the original recording of the complete opera. I seem to remember with Fischer-Dieskau, Pilar Lorengar and James King.

[@Bereczmi]

Yes, and Patricia Johnson as Eboli.

[@cinziavidali411]

I cantanti sono veramente ottimi, un duetto eccezionale.

[@petergraham8681]

Count Walter‘s is one of the most challenging of Verdi‘s bass arias & Giaiotti gives it his all which is considerable. The piece has a range with an exposed high G flat. Understandably a number of fine bass voices have shied away from recording it as It has actually practically a baritone tessitura & only descends to a low B flat, which many Verdi baritones can still reach.

[@sachseco]

A sad note, Talvela died at his daughter's wedding reception!

[@markdecker7489]

He dropped dead of a heart attack while dancing. Incredibly tragic, as he was only in his 50s. An enormous loss.

[@pop5678eye]

Fun historical fact: in 1568 when Don Carlos died at the age of 23 his father Philip II was only 41 years old. The king was definitely much older than Elisabeth but he wasn't the graying wrinkled old man at the time as is frequently portrayed in productions of this Opera.

[@andrewvincenti2664]

Brilliant

[@markdecker7489]

If anyone tries to say there was a better Inquisitore than Talvela, just direct them to this video. He is absolutely perfect in the role. While Greindl is prone to histrionics, Talvela is 100% convincing and terrifying as the Inquisitor.

[@M.Stabile]

Giulio Neri

[@markdecker7489]

Great, but Talvela is better IMO. Besides, I'm not aware of any film of Neri's Inquisitore, and so we have no idea how his acting really was. We can see here that Talvela's was fantastic.@@M.Stabile

[@theonewhoknocks6353]

Hines?

[@markdecker7489]

@@theonewhoknocks6353 A fine interpreter, but IMO Hines lacks the sinister nuances that Talvela brings to the role. Hines is just straightforwardly domineering and big, while Talvela has more subtlety, even given his imposing stature.

[@theonewhoknocks6353]

@markdecker7489 Have you seen the Met production? When I first saw his shadow entering the kings room with his tall stature, closed eyes and red robes I got a shiver down my spine.

[@iandvern29]

Wonderful - thank you very much.

[@pekkak.2724]

Martti was and actually is the greatest inquisitore! Just listen the recording him singing with Ghiaurov, you can tell the real winner!! Sage Ich!

[@golaxo]

Thanks for the recommendation! Excellent indeed!

[@jefolson6989]

TALVEL sound thin here. More BASSO like in Italian.

[@igorgregoryvedeltomaszewsk1148]

Could be because of acoustics and quality of sound recording@@jefolson6989

[@EatmeReadme]

i love his voice. But here he's gretest for his enormouos height too

[@markdecker7489]

@@jefolson6989 You're out of your mind, or maybe deaf? Talvela sounds wonderful here. A perfect Inquisitor.

[@alligatoruno6975]

This is a f*cking masterpiece! I enjoy this as much as the italian version.

[@cliffgaither]

_Talvela is beyond belief. Hearing this in German makes the scene even more intensely powerful. Greindl, my first time hearing his magnificent sound, is incredible._ _( In black & white, the scene is eerily terrifying. )_ _[ Never has Ramey ever had a "bass" voice w / the immense texture of these two, true basses. ]_ _Thank you !_

[@cliffgaither]

@Barone Vitellio Scarpia :: Yes ! But throughout his career ( Ramey ) was "billed" as a bass, not bass-baritone, if you'll pardon me. Some Basses are so deeply profound, others seem to be lacking real depth. Maybe there was no need for me to mention Ramey, but unfortunately, my prejudice against him was formed by an equally unfortunate photo of him w / a Koch Brother.

[@cliffgaither]

@Barone Vitellio Scarpia :: Yeah. This is what I've heard about "under-developed" male & female voices. Would Luca Pisaroni fit in w / the "under-developed" ?

[@marksmith3947]

Wow, that low E has the power of a high note

[@giuseppedimarco8358]

Great! Power! and Enthusiastic!

[@mikhailsungurov2472]

Talvela is fantastic in this!!!! Greindl is past his prime in this he did okay.

[@cliffgaither]

If he ( Greindl ) "is past his prime ...", he must have been a vocal phenomenon.

[@mikhailsungurov2472]

@@cliffgaither oh yes he was this is him in his prime take a listen kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJOZaqh-arBkhK8

[@cliffgaither]

@@mikhailsungurov2472 :: Thank you for the link & sheet-music which looked very complicated ! He ( Greindl ) sounds great, but don't you think his voice was darker & richer in this Inquisitor Scene w / Talvela ? When baritones & basses "mature" don't their voices deepen w / age ? Thank you for taking the time to hook me up ! Much appreciated !

[@cliffgaither]

@Barone Vitellio Scarpia :: That sounds reasonable. But I've heard Tavela's "Sarastro" & it was amazing, imo.

[@cliffgaither]

@Barone Vitellio Scarpia :: What is your opinion of Ramey ? He has a reputation as a "great" bass but w / these two (above) ...?

[@mariahornosmiller8624]

Maravillosa versión en alemán que permite ver la actuación de dos inmensos bajos. Qué gran suerte de poder ver estos vídeos memorables en YT. El dúo más potente de Don Carlo, un Himalaya musical, como oí calificarlo en un muy buen blog de ópera, "Esta noche barra libre". Gracias por compartirlo!!!

[@juliogonzalezcampayo3201]

@maria hornos: la versión completa está publicada, incluso en España se puede adquirir (lo distribuye Semele).

[@mariahornosmiller8624]

@@juliogonzalezcampayo3201 Muchas gracias, Julio. Debe ser maravillosa. Saludos desde Argentina.

[@radames5855]

eccellente duetto tra due fuoriclasse,a parte la lingua ...

[@giuseppinadellorco9275]

MERAVIGLIOSO!!!

[@stanflow4924]

Magnificent - what a find!

[@marievincent7494]

Incroyable ! Quel niveau ! Il est rare d'avoir les deux à la fois dans le duo Inquisiteur/Philippe 2 . Dommage , malgré tout que ça ne soit pas en Italien 😢 .

[@richardcleveland8549]

WOW! What an amazing duet! When was this recorded? I have a CD that was originally recorded in Berlin in 1949 (Myto Historical Line) in which Greindl sang Osmin - WHAT a performance THAT was! The scene here is hair-raising, even in German! Many, many thanks for posting it!

[@meritmurray8163]

1963

[@cliffgaither]

It's "hair-raising" _because_ it's _in German,_ I think.

[@richardcleveland8549]

@@cliffgaither Very possibly! Pity they didn't sing it in Italian.

[@brynjarhoff-lr6hw]

Great singing from the two star soloist. For me Talvela is may be the greatest bass…after Christoff..but this had been better in italian..

[@rogerskp]

Beyond superb. The German is too effective :)

[@victorchristy1706]

Is it me or does Talvela look like Orson Welles?

[@cliffgaither]

_Orson Welles also had a great voice._

[@piotrsztucki9623]

Słabiutki Greindl. Talvela jak zawsze wspaniały. Potęgą glosu przyćmiewa.

[@gerardmignon700]

Waooo, ça fait peur, ces deux monstres (sacrés) qui s'affrontent. Innoubliables.

[@jefolson6989]

Talvela was a scary dude!

[@jefolson6989]

Yes he was!

[@anttisairanen9485]

Ein richtige Drama!

[@RobertSigmund1]

Earthshattering!

[@kbhprinsesse]

Does anyone know the exact date of this recording?

[@mlrmlr4919]

So well staged and well acted, apart from the great singing - magnificent, thank you.

[@user-bs2zg4ww2x]

す、すげぇ低音のぶつかり合い

[@hwh1946]

any additional info on this video?

[@Velissiotisnikosvyahoocom]

perche non pubblichi l'opera complete?????

[@mweskamppp]

Die Noten habe ich wohl drauf, aber die Fülle und Lautstärke, das braucht jahrelanges Training und selbst dann schaffen es nur eine Handvoll an Leuten, diesen beiden gleichzukommen.

[@gregberg5559]

Very cool! I just wish that it was live singing rather than lip syncing.

[@vincenzoanzoletti1296]

It is live.

[@Иван-п3к9е]

Неожиданно 😅

[@emmanueldubus1199]

Bizarre en allemand…

[@francodegrandis870]

Don carlo von richard verdi grunen

[@petergraham8681]

What I meant below was that sub titles themselves make the SUNG translations less necessary. It really is not so difficult to follow with ones brain & eyes what is happening on stage. In any case with all the directorial “revisions” an audience has to contend with these days in many American & German theaters (among other countries), focusing on the translated text would seem to be the priority anyway & to try & forget the masturbatory excesses many producers indulge in which have really nothing to do with what the original text or musical/dramatic intentions of the composer were.

[@davidramanzini4629]

Come dice Elvio Giudici, l'incubo del fabbroferrajo.

[@hwh1946]

Auf deutsch it's even better

[@petergraham8681]

Greindl is way past whatever prime he ever possessed. As in his 1948 performance (with Fischer-Dieskau as Rodrigo) the German language makes his performance & interpretation even more problematic. As for Talvela in roles like this & IL COMMENDATORE he was virtually unbeatable in his time. My own private opinion regarding Verdi sung in German is not very high although in former times there were valid reasons for it. With sub titles in use these days there is less justification for often awkward translations.

[@moiraclegg3380]

There is a beautiful KZbin recording of Gottlob Frick singing Philip's 'Ella giammai m'amo' in German. 'Sie hat mich nie geliebt . . .' It is wonderfully gentle, and I have started to think of it always in German because of him.

[@petergraham8681]

⁠Actually in some ways, for what it’s worth, singing the aria in German is a bit easier than in the original Italian & that’s also the case when singing the aria in the original French language, at least for some of us anyway. It all boils down to certain words on particular notes. NO, AMOR PER ME NON HA is a prime example. In both French & German the word AMOR, in Italian is on a more forward word & vowel. Vocal issues aside the most appropriate text for the aria remains either in Italian or French depending on the production itself, IMO.

[@ransomcoates546]

Greindl sounds better here than in his famous parts, where his wobble is often off-putting. This must be early for Talvela. He developed serious problems with the top voice. In a 70's Met 'Forza' he is forced simply to omit notes.

[@juliogonzalezcampayo3201]

@Ramson Coates: Mejor no juzgar al Talvela de los últimos años: estaba enfermo.

[@markdecker7489]

This tendency of armchair critics to make generalizations about singers based on a single off performance is truly annoying. Even the greatest of artists aren't machines and have bad nights. Maybe Talvela was just trying to sing through a cold that day. He *certainly* did not have a "serious problem" with the top of his voice in any of the live recordings I've seen and heard from the 1970s. There's a live recording of Talvela from 1971 in "Forza" I just found, and the top notes are all there and are beautiful. You can even find a live 1981 Verdi Requiem performance of his, and his voice is majestic and without problem in it. Of course as he approached the year of his death in 1989, it's obvious that health problems did indeed contribute to some vocal shakiness--there's a live Magic Flute I've seen from what I guess is the late 80s where it's obvious he is haggard and unwell. But that constituted a brief and minor aspect of his performing and recording legacy.

[@raymondsoneira2397]

Two German bass lol

[@markdecker7489]

Talvela was Finnish, not German.

[@raynardi7243]

Crooning it's not good for this kind of music