There's the tyrannical Philippe II of Spain, who marries the French princess Elisabeth de Valois, who was originally betrothed to his son Don Carlos.

WSJ: Mary Stuart | Don Carlos | Houston Grand Opera | Soprano Showdown in Houston | Opera Reviews by Heidi Waleson

Don Carlos, Hedda Gabler and Mary Stuart have six nominations each.

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Sir Derek Jacobi makes the best actor shortlist for his part in Don Carlos at the Gielgud Theatre, while Richard Griffiths is up for Heroes at Wyndham's Theatre.

BBC: NEWS | Entertainment | Elliot show tops stage shortlist

Schiller wrote the play Don Carlos about liberating the Dutch.

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Schiller (and doctored history) are also the basis of Verdi's "Don Carlos, " but Verdi and his librettists took a much deeper look at the intersection of love, power and politics than Donizetti did.

WSJ: Mary Stuart | Don Carlos | Houston Grand Opera | Soprano Showdown in Houston | Opera Reviews by Heidi Waleson

I've listened to Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Flip Wilson, Lisa Lampanelli, Bill Maher, Rick Ducommun, Bernie Mac, George Lopez, Martin Lawrence, Don Rickles, Carlos Mencia, Andrew Dice Clay, Kathy Griffin -- and the list can go on and on and on.

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Spain doesn't have a Pele, they certainly don't have a Carlos Alberto (the captain who scored the iconic fourth goal in the 1970 final -- widely regarded as the finest in history).

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Franco ordered the incident to be covered up, though neither Don Juan nor his son denied subsequent claims that Juan Carlos's finger was on the trigger when the fatal shot was fired.

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King Juan Carlos I and other royals pay income tax and other taxes, but don't own their palaces and, like some other European monarchies, don't have to pay for transportation and security.

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