Whew.

The opera's plot is just as complex. Set in 16th century Spain, when the Inquisition was at its height, the tale involves star-crossed lovers, a tug-of-war between church and state, an Oedipal father-son relationship, political intrigue and rebellion, jealousy, fatal honor, loyalty and betrayal.

In short, the perfect operatic knot.

In real life, Don Carlo was an inbred psychopath; here, he is merely brash, a romantic hero ruled by emotional outbursts. His father, Spain's King Philip II, son of the great Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, rules most of the known world — except his son and his wife's heart.

Philip II's wife, Elisabetta de Valois of France, was originally betrothed to Don Carlo and still (another operatic invention) loves him, but she married Philip II to secure a peace treaty for her people. Don Carlo, unable to act on his love for Elisabetta (now his "mother"), becomes embroiled in the Flanders rebellion against Spain, which puts him at odds with his father on two levels.

Fictional courtiers provide the mechanics of the plot: the foolish Princess Eboli spreads disaster everywhere with all the faults of her youth, while noble Rodrigo, the Marquis de Posa, spreads wisdom and loyalty in a futile attempt to avert the many disasters unfolding.

Throughout, real power resides with the sacred: From heaven, divine grace seep in around the edges of the plot through a mysterious Friar (ostensibly Charles V or his ghost), who intercedes to save Don Carlo, and through a Celestial Voice, who promises redemption to martyrs. On earth, the Inquisition's Grand Inquisitor — decrepit, blind, yet dangerous even to the King — looms over all, his mere presence a threat.

In Act III, sacred (the Grand Inquisitor) and secular (King Philip II) square off in an epic duet, battling for control over the world.

"Don Carlo" works so well as an opera in large part because it gains depth and meaning through familiarity. Even the four-act version might feel long to those seeing it for the first time, but the work is astonishingly condensed and feels shorter with each hearing.

Practically every line summarizes a subplot, and almost all the work's shortcomings — the sprawling, messy auto-de-fe (act of faith) scene, the slowdown in dramatic momentum in the final acts — come less from its length than from being too condensed. In a mere 3 1/4 hours for this production, the opera packs in a philosophical allegory for life, history and humanity.

Both program and pre-performance lecture offer helpful explanations, particularly of the omitted act, which contained much of the story's exposition.

Hawaii Opera Theatre's production was created by what seems to be its signature team for major works: director Henry Akina, designer Peter Dean Beck and conductor Ivan Torzs.

Co-produced with Opera Hong Kong, Vancouver Opera and The Florentine Opera of Milwaukee, HOT's "Don Carlo" is grand, with an imposing set, colorful lighting (especially nice in the prison), good staging and beautiful costumes, wigs and makeup. But its music trumps all.

No production is perfect but overall, the large orchestra, multiple choirs and singers were outstanding.

Verdi presents two contrasting and didactic portraits of women: the tragic but honorable Queen Elisabetta, who understands the situation and the role she must play, and a foolishly clueless character, the Princess Eboli, a character of veiled deceit. To underscore her role, Eboli plays with a veil in the Moorish song, dons a veil to seduce Don Carlo in the garden scene and finally "takes the veil" permanently when banished to a convent.

As Elisabetta, Fabiana Bravo's expansive, lyric, melted-chocolate soprano created a queen strong enough to bear the tragedy of her life, yet remain warm and loving. Bravo's cries of "O Carlo!" were wrenching and her Act IV aria was simply stunning.

Jessie Raven (Princess Eboli) delivered a powerful rival. Her voice was larger, brighter, but also wilder, which lent her character an edge of unpredictability. Raven could have flirted more with the vocalizing in her Moorish song, but she excelled in her Act III passions.

Of the five important male characters, three were basses: Dong-Jian Gong as the stern and formal Philip II, Jamie Offenbach in the imposing character role of Grand Inquisitor and John Mount as the mysterious Friar. In Verdi, power and authority clearly reside in bass realms.

All three had strong voices, but low voices blend easily into the orchestra and were covered in several crucial spots. Torzs otherwise maintained excellent balance and managed difficult tempo adjustments adroitly.

Tenor Warren Mok, who once studied in Hawai'i, sang the title role with passion and depth. It was a pleasure to hear how his voice has matured, and to see his growing ease in acting. He created a lovely blend of romance and madness.

Baritone Philip Cutlip's lighter, brighter vocal timbre stood out from the rest, which helped distinguish his character, Rodrigo. In some ways, the mismatch between Rodrigo's and Don Carlo's voices when they pledge their loyalty to each other in their Act I duet helped establish the differences in their characters and lives. Cutlip's solo in Act III was particularly outstanding.

Notable minor roles included Kawika McGuire's high, clear tenor as the Count, Malia Ka'ai's crystal Celestial Voice (the role will also be sung by Winnie So and Kristin Stone), and Amy Healey's appealing Page.

Finally, the HOT Chorus, co-directed by Beebe Freitas and Nola Nahulu, contributed significantly to the production's success in numerous roles, the best being the opening male chorus of monks and the mixed choir in the auto-de-fe scene.

It is, of course, the nature of opera to highlight voices, but most of an opera's music lies in the orchestra, and Friday's orchestra proved remarkable. The opening horn choir and Mark Votapek's extended 'cello solo at the beginning of Act III were outstanding.

In "Don Carlo," Verdi interwove music and language more tightly than ever before, creating a complex tapestry. Torzs brought that tapestry to life, especially in the dramas between set pieces.

Verdi's "Don Carlo" is a demanding work on every level, even for top opera houses of the world. This production adds a notable feather to HOT's cap.

Hawaii Opera Theatre