Fidelio, Op. 72

E57006

Singspiel opera

Fidelio, Op. 72 is Ludwig van Beethoven’s only opera, a German-language work celebrated for its themes of personal sacrifice, heroism, and the triumph of justice and freedom.

Aliases (1)

Fidelio Overture ×1

Statements (48)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	Singspiel → opera →
alternativeOverture	Leonore Overture No. 1 → Leonore Overture No. 2 → Leonore Overture No. 3 →
basedOn	Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal →
basedOnAuthor	Jean-Nicolas Bouilly →
catalogueNumber	WoO 96 (earlier Leonore version) →
composer	Ludwig van Beethoven →
genre	rescue opera →
influencedBy	French Revolutionary ideals →
language	German →
librettist	Georg Friedrich Treitschke → Joseph Sonnleithner → Stephan von Breuning →
mainCharacter	Don Fernando → Florestan → Jaquino → Leonore → Marzelline → Pizarro → Rocco →
notableFeature	only opera composed by Ludwig van Beethoven →
notableNumber	Prisoners’ Chorus "O welche Lust" →
notableRecording	1953 Furtwängler recording with Flagstad and Mödl → 1962 Klemperer recording with Ludwig and Vickers →
numberOfActs	2 →
Opus number	Op. 72 →
originalTitle	Leonore →
overture	Fidelio Overture →
period	Classical →
plotSummary	Leonore disguises herself as a man named Fidelio to rescue her husband Florestan from unjust imprisonment →
premiereCity	Vienna →
premiereCountry	Austria →
premiereDate	1805-11-20 →
premiereLocation	Theater an der Wien →
revisedVersionPremiereDate	1814-05-23 →
revisedVersionPremiereLocation	Kärntnertortheater →
setting	Spanish state prison near Seville →
structure	spoken dialogue with musical numbers →
subject	marital fidelity → political oppression → triumph of justice over tyranny →
theme	freedom → heroism → personal sacrifice → triumph of justice →
timePeriodOfSetting	late 18th century →

Referenced by (2)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Ludwig van Beethoven →	notableWork
Fidelio, Op. 72 ("Fidelio Overture") →	overture