Fidelio

Fidelio is an opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto is by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly. The opera tells how Leonore, disguised as a prison guard named "Fidelio," rescues her husband Florestan from death in a political prison.

Performance history

The opera was first produced in a three act version under the title Leonore in Vienna's Theater an der Wien, on November 20, 1805, with additional performances the following two nights. The success of these performances was greatly hindered by the fact that Vienna was under French military occupation, and most of the audience were French military officers. After this premiere, Beethoven was pressured by friends to revise and shorten the opera into just two acts, and he did so with the help of Stephan van Breuning, also writing a new overture (now known as "Leonore No. 3"; see below). In this form the opera was first performed on March 29 and April 10, 1806, with greater success. Further performances were prevented by a dispute between Beethoven and the theater management.

Related Topics:
Vienna - Theater an der Wien - November 20 - 1805 - Stephan van Breuning - March 29 - April 10 - 1806

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Eight years later in 1814, Beethoven revised his opera yet again, with additional work on the libretto by Georg Friedrich Treitschke. This version was first performed Kärtnertor Theater on May 23, 1814, under the title Fidelio. The 17-year-old Franz Schubert was in the audience, having sold his school books to obtain a ticket. The increasingly-deaf Beethoven led the performance, "assisted" by Michael Umlauf, who later performed the same task for Beethoven at the premiere of the Ninth Symphony. The role of Pizarro was taken by Johann Michael Vogl, who later became known for his collaborations with Schubert .

Related Topics:
1814 - Georg Friedrich Treitschke - May 23 - Franz Schubert - Michael Umlauf - Ninth Symphony - Johann Michael Vogl

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This version of the opera was, finally, a great success for Beethoven, and Fidelio has been important part of the operatic repertory ever since.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Beethoven cannot be said to have enjoyed the difficulties posed by writing and producing an opera. In a letter to Treitschke he said, 'I assure you, dear Treitschke, that this opera will win me a martyr's crown. You have by your co-operation saved what is best from the shipwreck. For all this I shall be eternally grateful to you.'

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The opera was published in all three versions, as Beethoven's Opus 72.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~