The Dresser was unexpectedly invited by a friend to the October 23, 2024, dress rehearsal of Washington National Opera’s new production of Ludwig van Beethoven’s only opera Fidelio. It’s frowned upon to review a production that is seen in rehearsal and so the Dresser will mainly discuss what has been released to the public and what is historic.
Beethoven had a lot of problems with this opera, which premiered in Vienna on November 20, 1805. He revised it three times. Originally called Leonore, oder Der Triumph der ehelichen Liebe (Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love), the opera was cut from three acts to two. It contains some music that was written for an opera Beethoven never completed. Numerous librettists worked on this opera starting with Joseph Sonnleithner who adapted the story from the French by Jean-Nicolas Bouilly. It was shortened by Stephan von Breuning and edited by Georg Friedrich Treitschke.
The story, set in two acts, and running two hours and 45 minutes with one 25-minute intermission, involves a woman who disguises herself as a young man to gain access to her imprisoned husband Florestan.
Florestan exposed crimes committed by his political rival Pizarro. In a prison that he governs, Pizarro then secretly incarcerates Florestan. Florestan’s wife Leonore, disguised in male attire, gets hired as Fidelio by Rocco, a man who works for Pizarro. Both Rocco and his daughter Marzelline take an immediate liking to Fidelio. Courted without interest by Jaquino, Marzelline gravitates quickly to Fidelio and the idea that Fidelio will marry her. Rocco agrees and counsels Fidelio that he must earn a good salary.
Meanwhile, Fidelio asks to support Rocco with his work in the dungeons that he oversees. Pizarro appears and Rocco warns him that the Prime Minister Don Fernando will pay the prison a surprise visit. Pizarro asks Rocco to kill Florestan who for two years has been starved under Pizarro’s orders to Rocco. Rocco says no. Pizarro answers he will kill Florestan, but Rocco must dig a grave in the floor of the dungeon to bury Florestan.
The outcome is Rocco allows Fidelio to help dig the grave. Don Fernando arrives in the nick of time to stop Pizarro from murdering Florestan who is being bravely protected by Fidelio now revealed as Leonore.
The dress rehearsal proved interesting as several people huddled over their own (well-lit) copies of the score, furtively taking notes. The photographer, a thin, agile man kept moving swiftly through the roped off seats near the stage and often crossing the rope to achieve a larger perspective for his shots. The invited audience was sparse and not enough critical mass to warm up the Kennedy Center’s Opera House. A three-page handout, with a list of cast and creative team as well as synopsis of the story, warned audience that:
1. Singers might not sing in full voice.
2. Audience must stay seated until a break is announced, and house lights shine.
3. Audience must not talk during a stop for corrections or repeat.
4. Audience must not use cell phones or recording devices of any kind.
WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello is this production’s director. This production opens with projections that look like newspaper headlines. The role of the Prime Minister (Don Fernando) originally scored for a baritone is sung by mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves wearing a white pants suit.
About the opera, Steiny wonders why Beethoven made Leonore/Fidelio a soprano and not a mezzo? While it is true that many summaries of the libretto describe Fidelio as a boy, the story indicates a young man well over puberty who attracts a marriage-eligible young woman with another suitor and a young man capable of brave acts. In fact, Beethoven had no mezzos at all cast for his opera.
Steiny thinks the ensemble singing is masterful and beautiful, but Steiny wonders why Fidelio has music that never expresses any of the darkness of its subject matter.
Steiny suggests you make what you want of this information.
Fidelio, in German with projected English surtitles, is at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Opera House October 25 to November 4, 2024.
