LUDVIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)

Fidelio

111:00

Opera in two acts

Libretto by Joseph von Sonnleithner,with revisions by Stephan von Breuning and Georg Treitschke, after Jean-Nicolas Bouilly's Léonore, ou L'amour conjugal

English translation by David Pountney

1

Overture

6:31

Act I

Scene 1

2

No. 1 Duet: 'These people could drive you berserk'

4:55

Jaquino, Marzellina, Rocco

3

No. 2 Aria: 'If only we could marry today'

4:31

Marzellina, Rocco, Leonora

4

No. 3 Quartet: 'A wonder, clear and pure'

4:34

Marzellina, Leonora, Rocco, Jaquino

5

No. 4 Aria: 'If you don't save up your money'

3:35

Rocco, Leonora, Marzellina

6

No. 5 Trio: 'Good, that's the stuff!. . .'

5:51

Rocco, Leonora, Marzellina

Scene 2

7

No. 6 March -

1:45

Dialogue: 'This handwriting seems familiar'

Pizarro

8

No. 7 Aria with choir: 'Ah! This is ecstasy!'

3:24

Pizarro, Chorus of sentries

9

No. 8 Duet: 'Now, Warder, listen!'

5:20

Pizarro, Rocco

10

No. 9 Recitative and Aria: 'Vile murderer! Sadistic swine!'

1:56

11

'Come hope, you faint and distant star'

5:12

Leonora

12

Dialogue: 'But Marzellina. . .'

0:45

Jaquino, Marzellina, Rocco, Leonora

13

No. 10 Finale: 'Oh, what delight to breathe the air'

7:38

Chorus, First prisoner, Second prisoner

14

'What did he say?'

2:20

Leonora, Rocco

15

'Let's down to work, for time is pressing'

2:36

Rocco, Leonora

16

'Oh father, do be quick!'

0:41

Marzellina, Rocco, Jaquino, Leonora

17

'Presumptuous idiot, who are you to take such a liberty'

1:43

Pizarro, Rocco

18

'Farewell, the warm and radiant light'

4:19

Chorus of Prisoners, Marzellina, Leonora, Jaquino, Pizarro, Rocco

Act II

Scene 1

19

No. 11 Introduction and Aria: Introduction

3:14

20

Aria: 'God! The darkest hours'

1:51

21

'In the spring of youthful promise'

4:52

Florestan

22

No. 12 Melodrama and Duet: 'How cold it is in these dungeons'

1:51

Leonora, Rocco

23

'Now bend your back, let's see you working'

5:00

Rocco, Leonora, Florestan

24

No. 13 Trio: 'In a better world, they surely shall applaud you'

6:13

Florestan, Rocco, Leonora, Pizarro

25

No. 14 Quartet: 'You perish!'

4:44

Pizarro, Florestan, Leonora, Rocco, Jaquino

26

No. 15 Duet: 'Oh joy beyond all understanding'

2:48

Leonora, Florestan

Scene 2

27

No. 16 Finale: 'Hear! Hear! Hear how the world wildly rejoices'

2:03

Chorus of People

28

'My noble sovereign's will and order'

4:09

Fernando, Chorus of people and prisoners, Rocco, Pizzaro, Leonora, Marzellina

29

'Oh God, oh God, what ecstasy!'

2:52

Chorus, Leonora, Marzellina, Florestan, Fernando, Rocco

30

'Let our voices tell the story'

3:39

Chorus, Florestan, Leonora, Rocco, Marzellina, Jaquino, Fernando

Robert Lloyd bass -Rocco

Rebecca Evans soprano - Marzellina

Peter Wedd tenor - Jaquino

Pavlo Hunka bass-baritone - Don Pizarro

Christopher Purves bass - Don Fernando & Second prisoner

Richard Margison tenor - Florestan

Christine Brewer soprano - Leonora

Ashley Catling tenor - First prisoner

David Parry

21-25 August 2004