Ludwig van Beethoven is best known for his nine symphonies, piano sonatas, and string quartets, but he also wrote an opera called Fidelio. Joseph von Sonnleithner wrote the libretto in 1805, based on a French drama by Jean-Nicolas Bouilly. When Beethoven began work on the German translation and expansion by Sonnleithner, the drama by Bouilly had already been set three times, in both French and Italian, and Sonnleithner’s libretto had already been revised twice: first by Stephn von Breuning in 1806, and then by Georg Friedrich Treitschke in 1814.
The opera was reduced from three to two acts and given a new name during the course of its complicated history of creation. Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal was the title of Bouilly’s work. Beethoven was forced to name the opera Fidelio in order to distinguish it from the first French and Italian versions, but it is now common practice to refer to Beethoven’s first two versions as Lenore and the third version as Fidelio. The overtures for the first two versions are Leonore no. 2 and Leonore no. 3, respectively, due to the fact that each version had its own overture and some dating confusion. A different overture, Leonore no. 1, was composed in 1807, and the Fidelio overture is the final version.
Beethoven wrote Fidelio between 1804 and 1805, and it was first performed in Vienna on November 20, 1805. Due to the French occupation of Vienna at the time, it was followed by only two other performances. The final version was first performed on May 23, 1814.
Fidelio is set in 17th-century Spain, and Act I introduces Marzelline, whose father, Rocco, is the jailer, and who has fallen in love with Fidelio, her father’s newly hired assistant. Fidelio is actually Leonore dressed up as Fidelio. She has accepted the position in order to find her husband, Florestan, who she believes has been imprisoned in Rocco’s prison. Although only Rocco is allowed in the lowest dungeons, Leonore/Fidelio persuades Rocco to let her go on the rounds as well, on the orders of the prison’s governor, Don Pizarro, because she suspects Florestan is there. It turns out that Florestan is being held, that Don Pizarro regards him as a personal enemy, and that Don Pizarro intends to kill Florestan before a minister, Don Fernando, pays him a visit.
Florestan has a vision in Act II that Leonore is coming to save him, but he doubts it. On Don Pizarro’s orders, Rocco and Leonore arrive and begin digging Florestan’s grave. Florestan is given bread and water by Rocco and Leonore/Fidelio, but Florestan does not recognize his wife. Don Pizarro advances with a dagger, only to be stopped by Leonore with a pistol when Rocco signals that the grave is ready. Don Fernando arrives at this point, and Rocco and Don Pizarro must go out to greet him. Don Fernando is surprised and delighted when Rocco presents him with Florestan, Don Fernando’s friend, and informs him of Leonore’s actions after announcing an amnesty. Don Pizarro is apprehended, Florestan’s chains are removed, and all the other prisoners are set free.