Wife disguised as prison guard rescues husband in Beethoven's only opera — and it's WILD.
Acting
Beňačková's Leonore: steel and tenderness in impossible balance.
Direction
Bailey's prison staging claustrophobic then explosively liberating.
Score
Beethoven threw out three overtures. This one finally stuck.
Director
Derek Bailey
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Beethoven wrote four different overtures for this opera, forever confusing concert programmers. The 'Leonore No. 3' is actually the best — fight me.
Nazi Germany banned Fidelio for its liberation themes; post-WWII, it became a symbolic reopening at liberated opera houses. The 'Prisoners' Chorus' still wrecks survivors.
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