The Latvian National Opera will start the 2023/2024 season with the premiere of Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Don Carlo" on October 5th. Directed by German director Claus Guth, this visually stunning production of "Don Carlo" features set design by Etienne Pluss and costumes by Petra Reinhardt. It is a co-production with the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples. The Music Director for this production at the Latvian National Opera will be the French maestro Frédéric Chaslin, and the revival is directed by Marcelo Persch-Buscaino.

The role of Philip II in the first three performances will be portrayed by the world-famous bass Günther Groissböck, whom Latvian audiences became acquainted with during his solo concert last May. The title role will be sung by the Polish tenor Arnold Rutkowski or the South Korean tenor James Lee. The role of Elisabeth will be performed by Julija Vasiljeva or Inna Kločko, while Eboli will be sung by the Czech mezzo-soprano Ester Pavlů or Irma Pavāre, and Rodrigo by Rinalds Kandalincevs or Jānis Apeinis. Lithuanian bass Tadas Girininkas will portray both Philip II and the Grand Inquisitor. The role of the Grand Inquisitor will also be interpreted by Krišjānis Norvelis. The cast includes soloists and chorus vocalists from the Latvian National Opera.

The events of Giuseppe Verdi's emotionally charged opera "Don Carlo" are set in 16th-century France and Spain. The plot revolves around negotiations for a peace treaty between the two countries, involving the marriage of the Spanish prince Carlo to the French princess Elisabeth. When political considerations lead to Carlo's beloved Elisabeth becoming the wife of her own father, Philippe II, the protagonist finds himself at a crossroads of politics, love, and religion that could shape the future of all of Europe. "Don Carlo" is one of Verdi's most ambitious operas and underwent several revisions in both French and Italian during the composer's lifetime. At the Latvian National Opera, Verdi’s masterpiece will be performed in the Italian version that the composer created in 1886.

After the premiere on October 5th, the subsequent performances of "Don Carlo" will take place on October 7th and 8th, 2023, followed by January 18th, 20th, and 21st, March 28th and 30th, and June 5th, 2024.

The expected duration of the performance is approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes, so the shows will commence at 18:00 on weekdays and at 15:00 on weekends.

Tickets for the performances of "Don Carlo" are available for purchase at the LNOB Box Office and online.