# Relationship between Posa & Carlo



## BalloinMaschera (Apr 4, 2011)

I was wondering... while most of the Verdi Don Carlo(s) characters are historic figures, Posa is a Schiller/ Verdi / du Locle creation, representing the moral and idealistic core of the cast and the many situations they find themselves in.

He is obviously VERY close to and fond of the Infante.

Sometimes I think they were / are / or would like to have been lovers. Is their affection merely platonic / fraternal-like? ... or more?

Does Posa have so much love and devotion for "liberta", that he has no room in his heart/mind for any other emotions / carnal involvement / sexuality?

Your thoughts?


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## Sieglinde (Oct 25, 2009)

Not sure if anything "happened" but Posa clearly loves Carlo.

But I see yaoi everywhere.  I even ship Carlo/Alvaro (love-hate, oh my), Onegin/Lensky, one-sided!platonic!Kurwenal/Tristan, and don't even let me begin about Britten's heroes.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

BalloinMaschera said:


> I was wondering... while most of the Verdi Don Carlo(s) characters are historic figures, *Posa is a Schiller/ Verdi / du Locle creation, representing the moral and idealistic core of the cast and the many situations they find themselves in*.
> 
> He is obviously VERY close to and fond of the Infante.
> 
> ...


I think this is probably the primary function of the character: he represents an ideal, unlike the flawed historical characters. (Okay, Elisabetta may be an exception to the "flawed" description.) As a result, I don't think he was ever "fleshed out" in the way the other characters were. I would have to characterize his relationship with Carlo as fraternal.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

BalloinMaschera said:


> I was wondering... while most of the Verdi Don Carlo(s) characters are historic figures, Posa is a Schiller/ Verdi / du Locle creation, representing the moral and idealistic core of the cast and the many situations they find themselves in.
> 
> He is obviously VERY close to and fond of the Infante.
> 
> ...


Much has been written about the homosexual undertones in Don Carlo but I don't think the creators actually had this in mind. In my opinion Don Carlo is an opera that focus more on politics than on psychology. When it focuses on psychology, it's the psychology of power and the ethical dilemmas involved in it, in terms of good and evil. Posa represents the good side, the pure ideals. When playing Posa, some performers play up the loving side, while others play up the loyalty/friendship side. When you watch a performance with the former, you get more homosexual undertones, but I'm not sure if they are necessary to the story or where at the core of it when the opera and the material source were created.


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