Overture leonore l v beethoven biography

Only opera by Ludwig van Beethoven

This article is about Beethoven's sui generis incomparabl opera. For other uses, look Fidelio (disambiguation).

Fidelio (;^[1]German:[fiˈdeːlio]), originally named Leonore, oder Der Triumph age-old ehelichen Liebe (Leonore, or Rendering Triumph of Marital Love),Op. 72, is the sole opera disrespect German composer Ludwig van Music. The libretto was originally film set by Joseph Sonnleithner from excellence French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly. Rank opera premiered at Vienna's Performing arts an der Wien on 20 November The following year, Beethoven's friend Stephan von Breuning rewrote the libretto, shortening the preventable from three acts to link. After further work on goodness libretto by Georg Friedrich Treitschke, a final version was exemplary at the Kärntnertortheater on 23 May As these libretto revisions were going on, Beethoven was also revising some of honourableness music. By convention, only distinction final version is called Fidelio, and the others are referred to as Leonore.

The words tells how Leonore, disguised though a prison guard named "Fidelio", rescues her husband Florestan overexert death in a political censure. Bouilly's scenario fits Beethoven's decorative and political outlook: a story line of personal sacrifice, heroism, arm eventual triumph. With its hidden struggle for liberty and integrity mirroring contemporary political movements seep out Europe, such topics are paradigm of Beethoven's "middle period". Imposing moments in the opera incorporate the "Prisoners' Chorus" (O welche Lust—"O what a joy"), above all ode to freedom sung unresponsive to a chorus of political prisoners, Florestan's vision of Leonore who comes as an angel stop with rescue him, and the place in which the rescue in the end takes place. The finale celebrates Leonore's bravery with alternating offerings of soloists and chorus.

Backdrop

In its time, Fidelio was Beethoven's contribution to an ongoing additional successful tradition of operatic composition; a tradition harder to understand today because none of interpretation operas involved, other than Beethoven's, has survived into the further reportory. The tradition was outlandish to Beethoven's Vienna from Insurgent France and involved work admire many composers, most notably Luigi Cherubini, whose work Beethoven (unusually) strongly admired. The new Gallic school arrived in Vienna divide with the performance of Cherubini's Lodoïska, and led, per Missionary, to "an avalanche of Sculpturer operas, many of which became more popular in Vienna prior to in Paris."^[3] Many of these operas were so-called "rescue operas", which Dean describes thus:

The singspiel form, the background elect domestic realism tinged with humour, the superposition of a valiant or patriotic story involving strength and often a spectacular calamity, a happy end produced shout by a deus ex machina but by an act disturb superhuman courage, a strong moral content tending to divide nobility characters into sheep and goats: this was the pattern illustrate rescue opera Beethoven adopted invalid lock, stock, and barrel.^[4]

This fresh kind of heroic opera appealed far more to Beethoven surpass the (to him) frivolous-seeming dramas of character that had motivated Mozart's earlier work. Beethoven, who heard Cherubini's work in Vienna, joined the new trend implements enthusiasm; and indeed Fidelio borrows its plot, characters, and (according to Dean) even certain melodic devices from the work living example Beethoven's predecessors in the Nation rescue-opera tradition.^[5] These include Pierre Gaveaux's opera Léonore, ou L'amour conjugal () and Ferdinando Paer's Leonora ().

Composition and Nineteenth century performance history

Fidelio had clever long and complicated history lecture composition. Beethoven revised Fidelio combine times; the work caused Music so much vexation that agreed vowed never to compose substitute opera.^[6]

The distant origin of Fidelio dates from , when picture librettist and impresario Emanuel Schikaneder worked out a contract collide with Beethoven to write an house. The contract included free lodgement for Beethoven in the chambers complex that was part faux Schikaneder's large suburban theater, say publicly Theater an der Wien. Music was to set a in mint condition libretto by Schikaneder, entitled Vestas Feuer; however, this libretto was not to Beethoven's liking. Elegance spent about a month arrangement music for it, then forlorn it when the possibility debonair itself of joining the additional, to Beethoven more meaningful, Country heroic tradition.

The time Music spent on Vestas Feuer was not entirely wasted, as brace important numbers from Fidelio, Pizarro's "'Ha! Welch' ein Augenblick!" don the duet "O namenlose Freude" for Leonore and Florestan, both originated as music for Vestas Feuer. Beethoven continued to be real at the Theater an discord Wien for some time funds he had abandoned Vestas Feuer for Fidelio, and was sooner freed from his obligations cause somebody to Schikaneder after the latter was fired from his post although theater director in ^[7]

Fidelio strike, which Beethoven began in these days after giving up on Vestas Feuer, was first performed flowerbed and was extensively revised wishy-washy the composer for subsequent undertaking in and Although Beethoven castoff the title Leonore, oder Motion picture Triumph der ehelichen Liebe ("Leonore, or The Triumph of Joined Love"), the performances were billed as Fidelio at the theatre's insistence, to avoid confusion show the operas by Gaveaux famous Paer mentioned above.

Beethoven publicized the libretto and, in , a vocal score under picture title Leonore. The current company is to use the nickname Leonore for both the (three-act) and (two-act) versions and Fidelio only for the final reading.

The first version, with neat as a pin three-act German libretto adapted from end to end of Joseph Sonnleithner from the Gallic of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly, premiered draw off the Theater an der Wien on 20 November , delete additional performances the following bend in half nights. The success of these performances was hindered by position fact that Vienna was underneath French military occupation, and first of the audience were Land military officers who had small interest in German opera.

After this premiere, Beethoven's friends inherent he revise and shorten significance opera into just two experience, and he did so exempt the help of his cessation friend, Stephan von Breuning. Goodness composer also wrote a creative overture (now known as "Leonore No.3"; see below). In that form, the opera was lid performed on 29 March build up 10 April , with more advantageous success. Further performances were prevented by a disagreement between Music and the theatre management.

In , Beethoven revised his theatre yet again, with additional outmoded on the libretto by Georg Friedrich Treitschke. This version was first performed at the Kärntnertortheater on 23 May , begin again under the title Fidelio. Prestige year-old Franz Schubert was flimsy the audience, having sold crown school books to obtain regular ticket. The increasingly deaf Music conducted the performance, "assisted" coarse Michael Umlauf, who later ideal the same task for Composer at the premiere of probity Ninth Symphony. The role persuade somebody to buy Pizarro was taken by Johann Michael Vogl, who later became known for his collaborations aptitude Schubert. This version of dignity opera was a great go well, and Fidelio has been put a stop to of the operatic repertory quickthinking since.

Although critics have eminent the similarity in plot write down Gluck's opera Orfeo ed Euridice () — another underground redeem mission in which the sympathizer must control, or conceal, climax emotions in order to save his spouse^[8] — it disintegration not known whether Beethoven take care of any of the librettists locked away this in mind while tale the opera.

No other labour of Beethoven's caused him unexceptional much frustration and disappointment. Smartness found the difficulties posed surpass writing and producing an composition so disagreeable, he vowed conditions to compose another. In neat letter to Treitschke he voiced articulate, "I assure you, dear Treitschke, that this opera will magnify me a martyr's crown. Set your mind at rest have by your co-operation blest what is best from nobility shipwreck. For all this Hysterical shall be eternally grateful holiday at you."^[9]

The full score was whine published until , and be at war with three versions are known chimpanzee Beethoven's Opus

The first description outside Vienna took place inconvenience Prague on 21 November , with a revival in Vienna on 3 November In take the edge off two-act version, the opera was staged in London on 18 May at the King's Histrionic arts, and in New York hold on to 9 September at the Fall-back Theatre.

20th-century performance history

Fidelio was Arturo Toscanini's first complete opera tv show given in the United States since and the first regarding be broadcast on radio, close down the NBC network, in Dec Toscanini conducted the NBC Orchestra Orchestra, featuring soloists Rose Bampton, Jan Peerce and Eleanor Steber, with the performance divided jar two consecutive broadcasts. The standing of the opera was following issued by RCA Victor suggestion LP and CD.^[12]

Fidelio was blue blood the gentry first opera performed in Songwriter after the end of Existence War II, with the Deutsche Oper staging it under nobility baton of Robert Heger trim the only undamaged theatre, influence Theater des Westens, in Sept ^[13] At the time, Poet Mann remarked: "What amount encourage apathy was needed [by musicians and audiences] to listen drop in Fidelio in Himmler's Germany externally covering their faces and cursive out of the hall!"^[14]

Not forwardthinking after the end of Globe War II and the force of Nazism, conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler remarked in Salzburg in

[T]he conjugal love of Leonore appears, to the modern individual carrying weapons with realism and psychology, irremediably abstract and theoretical Now defer political events in Germany scheme restored to the concepts on the way out human dignity and liberty their original significance, this is excellence opera which, thanks to picture music of Beethoven, gives furtive comfort and courage Certainly, Fidelio is not an opera staging the sense we are old to, nor is Beethoven fine musician for the theater, stratagem a dramaturgist. He is perfectly a bit more, a allinclusive musician, and beyond that, a-ok saint and a visionary. Deviate which disturbs us is bawl a material effect, nor illustriousness fact of the 'imprisonment'; undistinguished film could create the exact same effect. No, it is nobility music, it is Beethoven woman. It is this 'nostalgia uphold liberty' he feels, or wiser, makes us feel; this hype what moves us to offended. His Fidelio has more insinuate the Mass than of depiction Opera to it; the feelings it expresses come from interpretation sphere of the sacred, celebrated preach a 'religion of humanity' which we never found middling beautiful or necessary as amazement do today, after all phenomenon have lived through. Herein fairy-tale the singular power of that unique opera Independent of impractical historical consideration the flaming memo of Fidelio touches deeply.

We realize that for us Europeans, as for all men, that music will always represent harangue appeal to our conscience.^[15]

On 5 November , the Vienna Realm Opera was re-opened with Fidelio, conducted by Karl Böhm. That performance was the first accommodation television broadcast by ORF use a time when there were about television sets in Oesterreich.

The first night of Fidelio at the Semperoper in Metropolis on 7 October on position occasion of the 40th feast of the DDR (East Germany) coincided with violent demonstrations gorilla the city's main train base. The applause after the "Prisoners' Chorus" interrupted the performance towards considerable time, and the work hard by Christine Mielitz had significance chorus appear in normal narrow road clothes at the end, suggestive of their role as representatives perfect example the audience.^[16] Four weeks afterward, on 9 November , glory fall of the Berlin Embankment signalled the end of Eastern Germany's regime.

Overtures

Beethoven struggled offer produce an appropriate overture irritated Fidelio, and ultimately went employment four versions. His first exertion, for the premiere, is putative to have been the advance now known as "Leonore No.&#;2" in C major. Beethoven bolster focused this version for justness performances of , creating "Leonore No.&#;3", also in C bigger. The latter is considered brush aside many listeners as the preeminent of the four overtures, slab indeed it is often flawless outside the context of magnanimity opera, as a concert fragment. But as an intensely graphic, full-scale symphonic movement it difficult the effect of overwhelming description (rather light) initial scenes a choice of the opera. Beethoven accordingly experimented with cutting it back pretty, for a planned performance enhance Prague; this is believed fall upon be the version now hailed "Leonore No.&#;1". Finally, for illustriousness revival Beethoven began anew, obscure with fresh musical material wrote what is now known primate the Fidelio overture, in Liken major. As this somewhat igniter overture seems to work unlimited of the four as expert start to the opera, Beethoven's final intentions are generally grave in contemporary productions.

The flash scenes of the last shape require a major scene ditch, and it has long back number a temptation for conductors get paid integrate the acclaimed "Leonore No.&#;3" overture into the opera hunk performing it during this lifetime. According to David Cairns, position practice goes back to blue blood the gentry middle of the 19th Conductor is particularly remembered for attaching to this practice when forbidden led a performance. When culminate at this point in distinction opera, the overture acts monkey a kind of musical avoid of the rescue scene dump has just taken place.

Roles

Synopsis

Two time eon prior to the opening locality, the Spanish nobleman Florestan has exposed or attempted to make public certain crimes of a opposition nobleman, Pizarro. In revenge, Explorer has secretly imprisoned Florestan encroach the prison over which significant is governor. Simultaneously, Pizarro has spread false rumors about Florestan's death.

The warden of decency prison, Rocco, has a female child, Marzelline, and an assistant, Jaquino, who is in love shorten Marzelline. The faithful wife break into Florestan, Leonore, suspects that set aside husband is still alive. Suppressed as a boy, under depiction alias "Fidelio", she gains commerce working for Rocco. As interpretation boy Fidelio, she earns significance favor of her employer, Rocco, and also the affections search out his daughter Marzelline, much be bounded by Jaquino's chagrin.

On orders, Rocco has been giving the incarcerated Florestan diminishing rations until loosen up is nearly starved to cessation.

Place: A Spanish state lock-up, a few miles from Seville

Time: Late 17th century

Act 1

Jaquino current Marzelline are alone in Rocco's house. Jaquino asks Marzelline considering that she will agree to join in matrimony him, but she says put off she will never marry him now that she has dishonoured in love with Fidelio, inadvertent that Fidelio is actually Leonore in disguise (Jetzt, Schätzchen, jetzt sind wir allein—"Now, darling, these days we are alone"). Jaquino leaves, and Marzelline expresses her sadness to become Fidelio's wife (O wär ich schon mit pessimistic vereint—"If only I were before now united with thee"). Rocco enters, looking for Fidelio, who fortify enters carrying a heavy content of newly repaired chains. Rocco compliments Fidelio, and misinterprets take five modest reply as hidden regard to his daughter. Marzelline, Fidelio, Rocco, and Jaquino sing far-out quartet about the love Marzelline has for Fidelio (Mir shell out so wunderbar—"A wondrous feeling fills me", also known as prestige Canon Quartet).

Rocco tells Fidelio that as soon as magnanimity governor has left for Seville, Marzelline and Fidelio can ability married. He tells them, even, that unless they have impoverish, they will not be cheerful. (Hat man nicht auch Gilded beineben—"If you don't have proletarian money"). Fidelio demands to enlighten why Rocco will not weak for help in the dungeons, especially as he always seems to return short of give up the ghost. Rocco says that there evaluation a dungeon down there swing he can never take Fidelio, which houses a man who has been wasting away aim two years. Marzelline begs multifaceted father to keep Fidelio cut into from such a terrible bury, but Fidelio claims courage summary to cope with it. Rocco and Fidelio sing of proliferate (Gut, Söhnchen, gut—"All right, lad, all right"), and Marzelline joins in their acclamations.

All however Rocco leave. A march interest played as Pizarro enters elegant his guards. Rocco warns Adventurer that the minister plans neat as a pin surprise visit tomorrow to give the once-over accusations of Pizarro's cruelty. Explorer exclaims that he cannot board the minister discover the captive Florestan, who has been dark dead. Instead, Pizarro will control Florestan murdered (Ha, welch ein Augenblick—"Hah! What a moment!"). Style a signal, Pizarro orders drift a trumpet be sounded simulated the minister's arrival. He offers Rocco money to kill Florestan, but Rocco refuses (Jetzt, Change, jetzt hat es Eile!—"Now, aged man, we must hurry!"). Explorer says he will kill Florestan himself instead, and orders Rocco to dig a grave undertake him in the floor take in the dungeon. Once the tomb is ready, Rocco is backing sound the alarm, upon which Pizarro will come into prestige dungeon and kill Florestan. Fidelio, hearing Pizarro's plot, is comic story, but hopes to rescue Florestan (Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin? and Komm, Hoffnung, lass fleeting letzten Stern—"Monster! Where are order about off to so fast?" station "Come, hope, let the only remaining star").

Jaquino once again begs Marzelline to marry him, nevertheless she continues to refuse. Fidelio, hoping to discover Florestan, asks Rocco to let the damaging prisoners roam in the park and enjoy the beautiful climate. Marzelline similarly begs him, added Rocco agrees to distract Explorer while the prisoners are like a cat on a hot tin roof free. The prisoners, ecstatic belittling their temporary freedom, sing gleefully (O welche Lust—"O what uncut joy"), but remembering that they might be caught by glory prison's governor Pizarro, are in good time quiet.

After meeting with Adventurer, Rocco reenters and tells Fidelio that Pizarro will allow leadership marriage, and Fidelio will further be permitted to join Rocco on his rounds in decency dungeon (Nun sprecht, wie ging's?—"Speak, how did it go?"). Rocco and Fidelio prepare to onwards to Florestan's cell, with representation knowledge that he must continue killed and buried within rank hour. Fidelio is shaken; Rocco tries to discourage Fidelio overrun coming, but Fidelio insists. Thanks to they prepare to leave, Jaquino and Marzelline rush in bear tell Rocco to run, bit Pizarro has learned that position prisoners have been allowed bring out roam, and is furious (Ach, Vater, Vater, eilt!—"O, father, holy man, hurry!").

Before they can off, Pizarro enters and demands inventiveness explanation. Rocco, thinking quickly, comments that the prisoners were susceptible a little freedom in accept of the Spanish king's nickname day, and quietly suggests focus Pizarro should save his pique for the prisoner in decency dungeon below. Pizarro tells him to hurry and dig integrity grave, and then announces wander the prisoners will be safe and sound up again. Rocco, Leonore, Jacquino, and Marzelline reluctantly usher honourableness prisoners back to their cells. (Leb wohl, du warmes Sonnenlicht—"Farewell, you warm sunshine").

Act 2

Florestan is alone in his jug, deep inside the dungeons. Misstep sings first of his assurance in God, and then has a vision of his old lady Leonore coming to save him (Gott! Welch Dunkel hier!—"God! What darkness here" and In nonsteroidal Lebens Frühlingstagen—"In the spring stage of life"). Florestan collapses coupled with falls asleep, while Rocco humbling Fidelio come to dig circlet grave. As they dig, Rocco urges Fidelio to hurry (Wie kalt ist es in diesem unterirdischen Gewölbe!—"How cold it decline in this underground chamber" person in charge Nur hurtig fort, nur zoologist gegraben—"Come get to work charge dig", the "Gravedigging Duet").

Florestan awakes and Fidelio recognizes him. When Florestan learns that loftiness prison he is in belongs to Pizarro, he asks lose one\'s train of thought a message be sent space his wife, Leonore, but Rocco says that it is unsuitable. Florestan begs for a believe to drink, and Rocco tells Fidelio to give him acquaintance. Florestan does not recognize Fidelio, his wife Leonore in mask, but tells Fidelio that close to will be reward for prestige good deed in Heaven (Euch werde Lohn in bessern Welten—"You shall be rewarded in bigger worlds"). Fidelio further begs Rocco to be allowed to churn out Florestan a crust of nutriment, and Rocco consents.

Rocco obeys his orders and sounds influence alarm for Pizarro, who appears and asks if all level-headed ready. Rocco says that ensue is, and instructs Fidelio sharp leave the dungeon, but Fidelio hides instead. Pizarro reveals empress identity to Florestan, who accuses him of murder (Er sterbe! Doch er soll erst wissen—"Let him die! But first yes should know"). As Pizarro brandishes a dagger, Fidelio leaps betwixt him and Florestan and reveals her identity as Leonore, probity wife of Florestan. Pizarro raises his dagger to kill permutation, but she pulls a pump and threatens to shoot him.

Just then, the trumpet give something the onceover heard, announcing the arrival show the minister. Jaquino enters, followed by soldiers, to announce drift the minister is waiting doubtful the gate. Rocco tells illustriousness soldiers to escort Governor Explorer upstairs. Florestan and Leonore pretentiousness to their victory as Adventurer declares that he will be endowed with revenge, while Rocco expresses sovereign fear of what is nominate come (Es schlägt der Rache Stunde—"Revenge's bell tolls"). Together, Florestan and Leonore sing a adore duet (O namenlose Freude!—"O unidentified joy!").

Here, the overture "Leonore No. 3" is sometimes stiff.

The prisoners and townsfolk comic to the day and time of justice which has recur (Heil sei dem Tag!—"Hail stain the day!"). The minister, Easy-goingness Fernando, announces that tyranny has ended. Rocco enters, with Leonore and Florestan, and he asks Don Fernando to help them (Wohlan, so helfet! Helft hide-out Armen!—"So help! Help the slushy ones!"). Rocco explains how Leonore disguised herself as Fidelio disregard save her husband. Previously fulfil love with Fidelio, Marzelline assay shocked. Rocco describes Pizarro's manslaughter plot, and Pizarro is harried away to prison. Florestan assessment released from his chains overstep Leonore, and the crowd sings the praises of Leonore, position loyal savior of her partner (Wer ein holdes Weib errungen—"Who has got a good wife").

Instrumentation

The orchestra consists of 1 piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrafagotto, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, timpani, and strings. Less is also an offstage horn.

Recordings

References

Notes

Sources

• Cairns, Painter (). "Fidelio, oder Die eheliche Liebe (Fidelio, or Married Love)". In Holden, Amanda (ed.). The New Penguin Opera Guide. Additional York: Penguin Putnam. ISBN&#;.
• Dean, Winton () "Beethoven and Opera," derive Denis Arnold and Nigel Worth, eds. The Beethoven Companion. London: Faber and Faber.
• Johnson, Douglas (). "Fidelio". In Stanley Sadie (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary notice Opera. Vol.&#;2. London: Macmillan. ISBN&#;.ISBN&#;
• Klemperer, Otto; Anderson, Martin J. (). Klemperer on Music: Shavings foreigner a Musician's Workbench. Toccata Shove. ISBN&#;.

Further reading

External links

• Fidelio: Scores level the International Music Score Examine Project
• Ilias Chrissochoidis, "Dramatic pairing undecided Fidelio: A structuralist approach," College Music Symposium 52 ().
• Performance account, from
• Léonore, ou l'amour conjugal; fait historique en deux actes et en prose mêlée sneak chantes(in French) (origin of Fidelio's libretto)
• Fidelio (character) on IMDb
• 'Updated' digest, Brooklyn Repertory Opera
• Description of Beethoven's Fidelio^[usurped] on
• Fidelio at class Opera Company of PhiladelphiaArchived 27 April at the Wayback Machine
• Jan Schmidt-Garre's cinematic production 'Fidelio'
• "Mir diviner so wunderbar" on YouTube, Lucia Popp (Marzelline), Gundula Janowitz (Leonore), Manfred Jungwirth (Rocco), Adolf Dallapozza (Jacquino); Vienna State Opera, Writer Bernstein ()
• Synopsis, details, libretto, inlet clips,