Theo Adam bass-baritone
Edda Moser soprano
Helen Donath soprano
Eberhard Büchner tenor
Rundfunkchor Leipzig
Staatskapelle Dresden
Herbert Blomstedt conductor
Format
2 CD
Cat. number
94868
EAN code
5028421948683
Release
April 2014
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At the time of its first release in 1977, this was a groundbreaking set, presenting for the first time to an international public the first thoughts – or the first extant thoughts – of Beethoven in his protracted attempts to write an opera. Subjects came and went, but the story, already the subject of two operas now consigned to historical oblivion, of a political prisoner rescued by his wife in travesti, retained an obvious and persistent appeal to a composer who had already distinguished himself – and lost not a few clients in the process – for his passionate embrace of enlightenment, even revolutionary ideals.
But when first performed in Vienna in 1805, the opera, named after the woman ahead of her time, had a frosty reception, not least because Vienna was under French military occupation, and most of the audience were French officers who could have taken none too favourably to the critique of a brutal dictatorship which can only be resisted through the last powers of marital love. Revisions followed in 1806, but the version now universally known and loved was finally created and heard in 1814, by which time Beethoven’s own style had undergone a sea-change towards concision and dislocation. Fidelio largely follows those changes, so that the earlier version is much fuller, in three acts, perhaps more of its time but with much music that no lover of Beethoven should miss.
Other information:
- Reissue of this near legendary recording of Beethoven’s Leonore (the first version of what later became Fidelio).
This recording from 1977 was the first recording of this opera, and since then remains a benchmark.
- Featuring the best singers of the time: Eberhard Büchner, Edda Moser, Edith Mathis, Theo Adam, Karl Ridderbusch, and the Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Herbert Blomstedt.
- “I was enthralled by this performance, which I would recommend to all Beethovenites and all opera-lovers.” (Gramophone, August 1977)
- Libretto available at www.brilliantclassics.com (on release)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: “Fidelio kommt nicht zurück! (Marzelline)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: Aria “O wär’ ich schon mit dir vereint” (Marzelline)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: “Wenn ich diese Tür nicht” (Jaquino, Marzelline)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: Duet “Jetzt, Schätzchen” (Jaquino, Marzelline)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: “Höre, Jaquino” (Marzelline, Jaquino, Rocco)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: Trio “Ein Mann ist bald genommen” (Rocco, Jaquino, Marzelline)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: “Ist Fidelio noch nicht nach Hause gekommen?” (Rocco, Marzelline, Jaquino, Leonore)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: Canon “Mir ist so wunderbar” (Marzelline, Leonore, Rocco, Jaquino)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: “Höre, Fidelio” (Rocco, Marzelline, Leonore)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: Aria “Hat man nicht auch Gold beneiben” (Rocco)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: “Ihr könnt das leicht sagen” (Leonore, Rocco, Marzelline)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 1: Trio “Gut, Söhnchen, gut” (Rocco, Leonore, Marzelline)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: March
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: “Drei Schildwachten auf den Wall” (Pizarro, Rocco)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: Aria with Chorus “Ha! Welch ein Augenblick!” (Pizarro, Rocco)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: “Rocco!” (Pizarro, Rocco)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: Duet “Jetzt, Alter, jetzt hat es Eile!” (Pizarro, Rocco)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: “Nun ist es endlich entschieden” (Marzelline, Leonore)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: Duet “Um in der Ehe froh zu leben” (Marzelline, Leonore)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: “Sie doch, wie du so schnell” (Marzelline, Leonore)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: Recitative & Aria “Ach, brich noch nicht” (Leonore)
Disk 2
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: Finale “O welche Lust!” (Chorus of the Prisoners)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: “Entfernt euch jetzt!” (Rocco, Leonore)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: “Wir müssen gleich zu Werke schreiten” (Rocco, Leonore, Marzelline, Pizarro)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 2: “Auf euch nur will ich bauen” (Pizarro, Chorus)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: Recitative & Aria “Gott! Welch Dunkel hier!” (Florestan)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: Melodrama & Duet “Wie kalt ist es” (Leonore, Rocco)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: “Er erwacht!” (Leonore, Rocco, Florestan)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: Trio “Euch werde Lohn in besser’n Welten” (Florestan, Rocco, Leonore)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: “Alles ist bereit” (Rocco, Leonore, Pizarro)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: Quartet “Er sterbe!” (Pizarro, Florestan, Leonore, Rocco)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: “Die Waffe hab’ ich mir” (Leonore)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: Recitative & Duet “Ich kann mich noch nicht fassen” (Florestan, Leonore)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: “O Leonore, sprich!” (Florestan, Leonore)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: Finale “Zur Rache” (Chorus, Leonore, Florestan, Rocco, Don Fernando)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: “O Gott! O welch ein Augenblick!” (Leonore, Marzelline, Florestan, Don Fernando, Rocco, Chorus)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: “Wie lange habt Ihr sie getragen?” (Don Fernando, Florestan, Rocco, Chorus, Leonore, Marzelline, Jaquino)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: “Preist mit hoher Freude Glut” (Chorus)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore, Op. 72, Act 3: “Wer ein solches Weib errungen” (Florestan, Marzelline, Jaquino, Rocco, Don Fernando, Chorus)
