Fidelio by Beethoven, ke 10 joulu 2014, Alkaen (2014/2014), Ohjannut Deborah Warner, Musiikinjohto Daniel Barenboim, Teatro alla Scala, Milan, Italy

A tribute to marriage coming from a bachelor is a tad suspicious. But for Beethoven the idealization of the woman-bride was heartfelt and sincere. It has always been a unique opera starring a courageous wife who wows audiences. Fidelio is a moral title, associated with the ideals of liberty of the French Enlightenment. Nobility and commoners are united in their thirst for justice against the oppression of power. For once the faithful consort of a desaparecido wins her battle against a treacherous tyrant, and the collective joy truly is “nameless”, as is sung on the stage. Especially because the “our heroes to the rescue” finale is recounted by the triumphant symphonic flair of the quintessential musician. Beethoven really does bring the world to collapse at the conclusion of this opera, which begins like a delightful little comedy, but which scales and transcends all the summits of the dramatic-musical art. Daniel Barenboim has spent a lifetime examining every note of Beethoven and his maturity unquestionably holds some thrilling and touching surprises in store for us. Great anticipation for the choices of the very sophisticated English director Deborah Warner, who charmed audiences a few years ago with a gorgeous production of Britten’s Death in Venice. And the lyrical difficulty of the masterpiece has been overcome, with a cast of eminent names from international lyric opera.