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A quick overview of Beethoven’s only opera.

Premiered

1805, 1806, then 1814

Music by

Ludwig van Beethoven

Libretto by

Joseph Sonnleithner

Language

German

The distant origin of Fidelio dates from 1803, when Beethoven was planning a new libretto by librettist Emanuel Schikaneder entitled Vestas Feuer; however, this libretto was not to Beethoven’s liking. He spent about a month composing music for it before abandoning it when the libretto for Fidelio came to his attention.

The time Beethoven spent on Vestas Feuer was not entirely wasted, as two important numbers from Fidelio both originated from music for Vestas Feuer. Beethoven was eventually freed from his obligations to Schikaneder in 1804.

Beethoven began work on Fidelio in 1804 immediately after giving up on Vestas Feuer and it was first performed in 1805. Although Beethoven used the title Leonore, oder Der Triumph der ehelichen Liebe (“Leonore, or The Triumph of Married Love”), the 1805 performances were billed as Fidelio at the theatre’s insistence to avoid confusion with other operas based on the same source material as Beethoven’s opera.

The libretto tells how Leonore, disguised as a prison guard named “Fidelio,” rescues her husband Florestan from death in a political prison. The underlying struggle for liberty and justice mirroring contemporary political movements in Europe are typical of Beethoven’s “middle period.”

The success of the three-act 1805 version was hindered by the fact that Vienna was under French military occupation, and most of the audience were French military officers who had little interest in German opera.

After this premiere, Beethoven’s friends suggested he revise and shorten the opera into just two acts. The composer also wrote a new overture. In this form, the opera was first performed in 1806 and was met with greater success.

In 1814, Beethoven revised his opera yet again, with additional work on the libretto by Georg Friedrich Treitschke. This version was also performed under the title Fidelio. The increasingly deaf Beethoven conducted the performance, which was a great success, and Fidelio has been part of the operatic repertory ever since.

No other work of Beethoven’s caused him so much frustration and disappointment. He found the difficulties posed by writing and producing an opera so disagreeable that he vowed never to compose another. 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.”

Beethoven struggled to produce an overture for Fidelio, ultimately creating four versions. His first attempt for the 1805 premiere is now known as Leonore No. 2.

Beethoven revised the 1805 version for the performances of 1806, creating Leonore No. 3, considered the greatest of the four overtures, but it had the effect of overwhelming the initial scenes of the opera.

Beethoven scaled the overture back for an 1808 performance in Prague, and this is the version now called Leonore No. 1.

Finally, for the 1814 revival, Beethoven began with fresh musical material and wrote the somewhat lighter Fidelio overture to act as the start to the opera.

Prologue

Place: A Spanish state prison, a few miles from Seville

Time: Late 17th century

Two years prior to the opening scene, the Spanish nobleman Florestan has exposed or attempted to expose certain crimes of a rival nobleman and prison governor, Pizarro. In revenge, Pizarro has secretly imprisoned Florestan in the prison he governs. Simultaneously, Pizarro has spread false rumors about Florestan’s death.

The warden of the prison, Rocco, has a daughter, Marzelline, and an assistant, Jaquino, who is in love with Marzelline. The faithful wife of Florestan, Leonore, suspects that her husband is still alive. Disguised as a boy under the alias “Fidelio,” she gains employment working for Rocco. As the boy Fidelio, she earns Rocco's favor as well as the affections of his daughter Marzelline, much to Jaquino’s chagrin.

On orders, Rocco has been giving the imprisoned Florestan diminishing rations until he is nearly starved to death.

Act I

Jaquino and Marzelline are alone in Rocco’s house. Jaquino asks Marzelline when she will agree to marry him, and she says that she will never marry him now that she has fallen in love with Fidelio, unaware that Fidelio is actually Leonore in disguise. Jaquino leaves and Marzelline expresses her desire to become Fidelio’s wife. Rocco enters, looking for Fidelio, who then enters carrying a heavy load of newly repaired chains. Rocco compliments Fidelio, and misinterprets her modest reply as hidden attraction to his daughter. Marzelline, Fidelio, Rocco, and Jaquino sing a quartet about the love Marzelline has for Fidelio.

Rocco tells Fidelio that as soon as the governor has left for Seville, Marzelline and Fidelio can be married. He also tells them that they will not be happy unless they have money. Fidelio demands to know why Rocco will not allow him to help in the dungeons, especially since Rocco always seems to return short of breath. Rocco says that there is a dungeon down there where he can never take Fidelio that houses a man who has been wasting away for two years. Marzelline begs her father to keep Fidelio away from such a terrible sight, but Fidelio claims courage sufficient to cope with it. Rocco and Fidelio sing of courage, and Marzelline joins in their acclamations.

All but Rocco leave. A march is played as Pizarro enters with his guards. Rocco warns Pizarro that the minister plans a surprise visit tomorrow to investigate accusations of Pizarro’s cruelty. Pizarro exclaims that he cannot let the minister discover the imprisoned Florestan, who has been thought dead. Instead, Pizarro will have Florestan murdered. As a signal, Pizarro orders that a trumpet be sounded at the minister’s arrival. He offers Rocco money to kill Florestan, but Rocco refuses. Pizarro says he will kill Florestan himself instead, and orders Rocco to dig a grave for him in the floor of the dungeon. Once the grave is ready, Rocco is to sound the alarm and Pizarro will come into the dungeon to kill Florestan. Fidelio, hearing Pizarro’s plot, is agitated but hopes to rescue Florestan.

Jaquino once again begs Marzelline to marry him, but she continues to refuse. Fidelio, hoping to discover Florestan, asks Rocco to let the poor prisoners roam in the garden and enjoy the beautiful weather. Marzelline similarly begs him, and Rocco agrees to distract Pizarro while the prisoners are set free. The prisoners, ecstatic at their temporary freedom, sing joyfully, but are soon quiet after they remember that they might be caught by the prison’s governor Pizarro.

After meeting with Pizarro, Rocco reenters and tells Fidelio that Pizarro will allow the marriage, and Fidelio will also be permitted to join Rocco on his rounds in the dungeon. Rocco and Fidelio prepare to go to Florestan’s cell, with the knowledge that he must be killed and buried within the hour. Fidelio is shaken. Rocco tries to discourage Fidelio from coming, but Fidelio insists. As they prepare to leave, Jaquino and Marzelline rush in and tell Rocco to run, as Pizarro has learned that the prisoners were allowed to roam and is furious.

Before they can leave, Pizarro enters and demands an explanation. Rocco, thinking quickly, answers that the prisoners were given a little freedom in honor of the Spanish king’s name day and quietly suggests that Pizarro should save his anger for the prisoner in the dungeon below. Pizarro tells him to hurry and dig the grave and then announces that the prisoners will be locked up again. Rocco, Leonore, Jacquino, and Marzelline reluctantly usher the prisoners back to their cells.

Listen to the Story

Presented by Washington National Opera, host Saul Lilienstein takes you through the musical world of Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio.

Watch an Excerpt

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