Organization

Conductor

Karl Böhm

Singer

Baritone

Martti Talvela

Don Pizzaro

Bass

Joseph Breinl

Rocco

Tenor

Donald Groves

Jaquino

Barry McDaniel

First prisoner

Manfred Röhrl

Second prisoner

Set designer

Wilhelm Reinking

Costume designer

James King

Florestan

Soprano

Gwyneth Jones

Leonore

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Orchestra

Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin

Others

Choir of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

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Fidelio

A state prison near Seville, 18th century. Florestan, a Spanish nobleman, has been unjustly held captive for years by Pizarro, the corrupt governor of the fortress. Florestan's faithful wife Leonore has been hired as an assistant by the jailer Rocco under the name Fidelio in men's clothing in order to free Florestan.
Pizarro learns that the minister, Don Fernando, will inspect the prison and decides to kill Florestan.
Fidelio has persuaded Rocco to let the prisoners out in the sun for a bit. However, Florestan is not among them; for he is chained in a secret dungeon. There, Rocco is to dig a grave for the unwelcome prisoner on Pizarro's orders.
Leonore descends with Rocco to the prisoner and recognizes her husband. When Pizarro wants to kill Florestan, she intervenes, threatens the villain with a pistol and reveals herself.
Fanfare sounds announce the arrival of the minister, who frees the prisoners and brings Pizarro to justice.
Ludwig van Beethoven's opera "Fidelio" is a hymn to freedom. The contrast between the gloomy imprisonment as a result of political despotism and the light of justice and freedom is not only visible on stage, but also impressively heard in the music. The strength of this ethical-moral idea combined with the musical power and beauty of Beethoven's score make "Fidelio" so unique among the great works of operatic literature.
In 1804 Beethoven was commissioned by the Theater an der Wien to write an opera. The libretto was an adaptation of Pierre Gaveaux's opera "Léonore ou L'amour conjugal", which premiered in 1798. Beethoven was enthusiastic about the idealistic idea of ​​the plot and began composing his opera "Leonore". The premiere in 1805 was unsuccessful - mainly French officers who were occupying Vienna at the time were sitting in the theatre; probably they couldn't do much with a German opera with spoken dialogue.
Beethoven subjected his composition to a laborious revision, which was performed nine years later under the title "Fidelio" and has become the definitive version. Beethoven composed the well-known "Fidelio" overture in E major for this version.
The tradition of playing the original "Leonore" overture in Act II goes back to Gustav Mahler, who wished to preserve this magnificent composition as a concert piece in the opera.

"The film moves into the finale in mighty escalations: the explosions of joy in happiness finally won, in which everyone participates - Beethoven, the opera, television, listeners and viewers." (The World, 12/18/70)

Fidelio Beethoven

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