The first version opened in Vienna in November 1805, and did not go down well.
Our Fidelio is performed with a slightly reduced chorus of 24 and orchestra of 33 due to social distancing measures, but they still make an overwhelming sound!įidelio took over 10 years to get right, during which time three different versions of the opera premiered. They sing in overlapping four-part harmony in a poignant ode to freedom. The opera’s most famous moment, however, is the Prisoners’ Chorus ‘ O Welche Lust’ in Act I, where for a rare moment, the prisoners are allowed out into the open air. Highlights include Leonore’s hymn to Hope, ‘ Komm, Hoffnung‘ with its magnificent horn accompaniment, and Florestan’s near-impossible aria ‘ Gott! welch’ Dunkel hier!‘ at the opening of Act II, the scene for which is set by bleak, F minor chords and shadowy string sounds, painting the total darkness of the dungeon. Writing for the voice did not come naturally to him – Beethoven’s music is notoriously difficult to sing, but to our ear manages to sound incredibly beautiful!
Beethoven’s score for Fidelio combines Mozart-like grace and elegance with much more dramatic writing which foreshadows later composers such as Wagner.
0 kommentar(er)
