Don Carlo (1867) composed in the middle-period of Verdi's musical career, - nowadays mostly played in Italian - originally was written as a French 'Grand Opera'.Verdi at that time was living both in Italy and in Paris where he was influenced by Meyerbeer. The music contents great ensembles as some beautiful aria's like Eboli's O don fatale, o don crudel one of the most exciting pieces in the repertoire of the dramatic mezzo soprano.