Fidelio
Suspecting her missing husband is being held as a political prisoner, a noblewoman disguises herself as a male prison guard. She discovers him weakened in the darkest dungeon but will she be able to rescue him before it is too late?
Dutch National Opera’s production will be unlike any Fidelio you may have seen before. In Ukrainian stage director Andriy Zholdak’s version, Beethoven’s opera is depicted through symbols, video projections and spoken texts. A master of imagery, Zholdak tells the story of this rescue opera as an imaginary fight between good and evil forces, in every person and in the universe. The central couple Leonore (Fidelio) and Florestan must fight a battle with the devil-like Pizarro to restore harmony within themselves and the world. Zholdak makes numerous references to devils, such as snakes, fallen angels and mirrors. It seems that evil disrupts everything - except the music, which is performed by a world-class cast with the prestigious Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Andrés Orozco-Estrada.
Cast
Don Fernando | Mark Kurmanbayev |
|---|---|
Florestan | Eric Cutler |
Rocco | James Creswell |
Don Pizarro | Nicholas Brownlee |
Leonore | Jacquelyn Wagner |
Marzelline | Anna El-Khashem |
Jaquino | Linard Vrielink |
First prisoner | Stefan Kennedy |
Second prisoner | Peter Arink |
Orchestra | Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra |
Chorus | Dutch National Opera Chorus |
| ... | |
Music | Ludwig van Beethoven |
|---|---|
Text | Joseph Sonnleithner New dialogues by Andriy Zholdak |
Conductor | Andrés Orozco-Estrada |
Director & lighting | Andriy Zholdak |
Sets | Andriy Zholdak Daniel Zholdak |
Costumes | Andriy Zholdak Simon Machabeli |
Video | Etienne Guiol |
Video assistant | Malo Lacroix |
Dramaturg | Luc Joosten |
| ... | |
Video
Story
Leonore, disguised as a man named Fidelio, has secured a post at the prison where she suspects her husband, Florestan, is being illegally incarcerated. Marzelline, the daughter of chief gaoler Rocco, has fallen in love with Fidelio, much to the annoyance of fellow employee Jaquino.
Fidelio persuades Rocco to share supervision of the inmates. Upon overhearing plans to kill the prisoner in solitary confinement, Fidelio secures permission to assist in preparing the grave.
Deprived of light, air, nourishment and liberty, Florestan considers his hopeless situation, seeing a vision of Leonore leading him to freedom. Upon hearing his voice, Fidelio recognises her husband, reveals herself as Leonore and threatens the governor, Pizarro, with a gun. At that very moment, the Minister arrives and announces a pardon for all prisoners, allowing Leonore to finally release her beloved Florestan.
Gallery
