Fidelio, Quarantined

Need to Know

Ludwig van Beethoven is arguably one of the greatest composers of all time, with a massive output that includes five piano concertos, nine symphonies, sixteen string quartets, and thirty-two piano sonatas. However in the opera genre, the great composer wrote only one, Fidelio.

Beethoven began work on Fidelio almost immediately after finishing the Third Symphony. The opera is based on a rescue theme, which was very popular at the turn of the century, and the libretto itself is borrowed from a French Revolutionary era opera Léonore ou L’amour conjugal. The first performance was a 3 act version in 1805, Beethoven would go on to rewrite the opera 3 times and create 4 different overtures for the opera.

While Fidelio is Beethoven’s only opera, he did continue to experiment with the genre throughout his life and considered setting works about Macbeth, Alexander the Great, and even Goethe’s Faust. However after meeting Goethe in 1812, the composer quickly changed his mind about setting Faust, stating to his publishers, “Glitter was more important to Goethe than being the leading teacher of a nation.”

Read more about Beethoven’s Fidelio.

Some many overtures, so little time!

Beethoven ultimately wrote four different overtures for Fidelio. The three rejected, are known as Leonore (the original title to the opera) 1, 2, and 3. The major issue with the first 3?…they were too good! Beethoven was a master of writing for symphonic sounds and these overtures summed up the opera in 6 minutes, so the story was done and there was no need to watch the rest of the opera. These original overtures would go on to inspire Berlioz, Wagner, and Mahler to create a new genre called a “Tone Poem”.

Eventually Beethoven wrote (1814) what is now used as the overture to his opera Fidelio. In writing to his friend Anton Schindler, “Of all my children, this is the one that cost me the worst birth-pangs and brought me the most sorrow; and for that reason it is the one most dear to me.”

Read more about Beethoven’s Overture struggle from Timothy Judd and compare the different overtures: Leonore no. 1, Leonore no. 2, Leonore no. 3, and the final 1814 Fidelio Overture

Raise a glass to the hero(ine) Fidelio, I mean Leonore!

Leonore goes undercover as Fidelio to save her husband, as well as other political prisoners. We toast her bravery with a cocktail made in her name, “Leonore Cocktail”. Watch John build the cocktail here.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz Gin, 3/4 oz Orange Juice, 3/4 oz Raspberry Syrup, Orange Peel for Garnish Direction add all the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with orange peel. Enjoy!

Synopsis

Cliff Notes:

Fidelio belongs in a subcategory of operatic entertainment more commonly referred to as a “Rescue Opera”. The plot centers around the main character Leonore, who disguises herself as a man Fidelio, in order to save her husband Florestan who is being held as a political prisoner of Don Pizarro. After gaining the trust of the head prison guard Rocco, Leonore finds her way to her husband deep in the dungeons of the prison. Just before Florestan is to be killed, Leonora confronts Don Pizarro with a pistol. At that moment the trumpet sounds the arrival of Don Fernando (the King’s Minister); he is shocked to find his friend Florestan before him and after being told everything, arrests Don Pizarro. The rest of the prisoners are set free and all hail Leonore.

Listen to this 5 minute explanation of the opera.