A masterpiece of conducting

For me Don Carlo is Verdi's masterpiece. You find here a very good libretto which makes a lot of sense (compared to Il Trovatore for example) that has a very natural balance of human drama, powerful characters with veridical evolutions and above all some of the best music Verdi composed. It is flawless, and supports with depth and detail the characters and the conflicts without weak moments or loss of "concentration".

The vocal parts aren't as demanding as others in any register. Yet, the length and the profound impact that the orchestra has in this opera and the complex turns and situations the opera encompasses make me believe that a successful Don Carlo is first of all a problem of conducting. And I think that this is why everybody turns to this recording when they have to name the best recording of Don Carlo.

For any of the vocals here you can find someone better. I personally prefer Corelli over all the others, including Domingo which here is in a very good shape and delivers a very involved and careful rendition of Don Carlo. Martti Talvela is indeed unsurpassed in the role of Grande Inquisitor, but Estes here does a very fine job. Ghiaurov's Filip is indeed overwhelming and I love him as much as the others do. But I have to say that I found Raimondi to be a revelation. Maybe his voice is a little lighter but the sensibility and expressiveness Raimondi is capable of, deliver a very refreshing and rewarding contribution to this key role. Milnes is also very good. The first Don Carlo I heard had Bastianini singing Posa. Both him and Gobbi are more rewarding in terms of tone and interpretation. But Milnes comes really close and he makes a very convincing case especially in the duos with Domingo or King Filip (a real miscast was Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, in Solti's recording). The ladies are as god as those on other recordings if not better. I really enjoy what Caballe does in the role of Elisabeta and Verrett is a very capable pair.
In conclusion the roles in this recording are handled extremely well and I can't help thinking that the star singers of some of these roles (mentioned above) were sacrificed for the unity of the cast, a good performing team.

So, in the end, everything comes to conducting. And here I think this recording is unsurpassed. The extraordinary sense of tempo that works wonders elsewhere is displayed here by Giulini in full power. And such, the opera unwraps in front of you with a "life-like" quality. Nothing is exaggerated for the sake of a particular temporary effect. But when the development of the drama asks for it power and intensity are there to deliver the goods. As usual with Giulini the orchestra is so dedicated to its conductor and you can hear inner voices inside the orchestra that you won't hear anywhere else. The characters, entirely supported by the orchestra, evolve naturally in the same right atmosphere with flawless inner logic. It is the only recording of Don Carlo which has a sense of unity and of a "single piece".