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Beethoven Fidelio program notes, recordings and sheet music

Program Notes: Ludwig van Beethoven – Fidelio, Op. 72

Welcome, dear concert-goer, to a powerful and profoundly human drama from the pen of Ludwig van Beethoven, the giant of symphonic innovation. Tonight, we immerse ourselves in his only opera, Fidelio, Op. 72 – a work that, despite its challenging birth, stands as a fervent testament to freedom, justice, and the transformative power of love and courage.

Beethoven: The Unlikely Opera Composer

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) is renowned for his revolutionary symphonies, piano sonatas, and string quartets. Opera, however, was a notoriously difficult genre for him. While he admired the ideals of French Revolutionary opera, with its themes of heroism and liberation, he struggled immensely with the practicalities of operatic composition – adapting to specific singers, meeting theatrical deadlines, and crafting dramatic flow.

Fidelio underwent a tumultuous creation process. It began in 1803 and premiered in 1805 as Leonore (a longer, three-act version that was a failure). Beethoven then drastically revised it for 1806 (still as Leonore, in two acts, but with a different overture, now known as "Leonore Overture No. 3"). Finally, after further revisions and a new overture (the familiar "Fidelio Overture"), it achieved its lasting success in 1814. This process highlights Beethoven's relentless pursuit of perfection and his determination to realize his dramatic vision.

A Story of Heroism and Enlightenment Ideals

The opera's libretto, based on Jean-Nicolas Bouilly's French libretto Léonore, ou L'Amour conjugal (Léonore, or Conjugal Love), is a "rescue opera" – a popular

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