I adore classical music/ballet/opera, and Beethoven's Fidelio is no exception. The story is always interesting, and the characters especially Leonore draw you in immediately. I don't really need to say how good Beethoven's music is, but I will. Beethoven is my favourite composer, and there are some beautiful moments in Fidelio. There is the rousing overture, the poignant yet hopeful In Des Lebens and the prisoners' chorus O Welche Lust amongst many others. My favourite part of the opera though, and it always has been, is the sublime quartet Mir ist So Wunderbar.
This production is wonderful. The prison setting is haunting and foreboding, while the costumes are authentic. The videography also intrigues, and there are some interesting bits of staging, In Des Lebens is very simple staging yet very effective especially. The orchestra do a great job, and while Leonard Bernstein's conducting isn't quite as electrifying as it normally was it is still very good.
The production is also blessed with great performances. Gundula Janowitz is a wonderful Leonore/Fidelio, with heartfelt acting ability and she sings with powerful resonance. Rene Kollo is also impressive as Florestan, there are times where he does look like a broken prisoner which made the production more authentic I feel. Lucia Popp is beautiful and quite poignant as Marzelline, and Manfred Jungwirth is a noble and kindly Rocco. Hans Sotin too impressed, he is appropriately sinister when he needed to be.
Then there is the chorus. This chorus is beautifully balanced in O Welche Lust and thankfully don't just stand there stone-faced, they do act with their faces and eyes and that was wonderful to see. All in all, a wonderful production. 10/10 Bethany Cox
