Beethoven's Only Opera

“Fidelio” is the only opera that Beethoven composed. It is now considered to be one of the world’s best masterpieces. However, there were three releases of the opera. Each time the piece was treated and accepted differently. The great master revised his work three times. Each time it was like a new creation, so different, but yet so similar. Let’s take a closer look at each release of the opera.

Beethoven took his time over a span of years looking through libretto after libretto to write what he thought would be the greatest opera of the time. Though that sounds a bit arrogant, he was Beethoven; the greatest composer of western music to date, and that was his goal. Finally he stumbled across a libretto inspired by the French technique, which intrigued him, and he jumped at the opportunity. By November of 1805, the initial version of what was called at the time "Leonora," was ready to be premiered. A key fact to the reception of this piece however lies in history. In late October 1805, Napoleon's armies were bearing down on Vienna. By the 30th they had entered Salzburg, leading to the flea of most persons of wealth and nobility. These people were who would have normally made up the audience at a premier such as Beethoven's first and last opera. So it was under these horrendous circumstances that "Fidelio" was performed at the Theatre an der Wien. The usual audience had either fled or was unable to reach the theater as the city had been closed to the suburbs. The initial version of the opera was a very long, drawn out piece, consisting of three acts. Needless to say under the circumstances the first performance was not acclaimed by either the reviewers or the audiences. After three performances Beethoven withdrew the opera in disgust, for further review. It is safe to say the initial result was what no one expected as it was ridiculed by audiences and critics alike.

After the initial catastrophe, Beethoven went back to work importing a new librettist, shortening the work, and changing some music as well. By 1806 it was ready to be premiered again, and this time to the usual audience. The performance was extremely anticipated, however again failed in the eyes of the critics; however more importantly to Beethoven was the opinion of the audiences. The audience adored the re-release. The great Hector Berlioz states:

"Some time afterwards, however, it reappeared; modified in several ways, both as to music and text; and furnished with a new overture. This second trial was a complete success; and Beethoven, loudly recalled by the audience, was brought upon the stage after the first act, and again after the second act; the finale of which produced an enthusiasm hitherto unknown at Vienna. The score of "Fidelio" was, however, none the less subject to varying degrees of bitter criticism."

Although the second release of "Fidelio" was certainly better received than the first, and to the correct audience, Berlioz goes on to say, "The fact is that, of these three scores, the first is extremely weak; the second scarcely a work of talent; and the third a masterpiece of genius." This statement exemplifies the bulk of Reception Theory research found today. Though the second version of "Fidelio" was rather widely acclaimed and began to play all over Europe at different theatre companies, it was not until the third and final version, released in 1814, that "Fidelio" could be called an operatic masterpiece for the ages.

Many years and many works after the release of the second version of "Fidelio," with yet another librettist and more changes including the addition of an overture, the final version of "Fidelio" premiered on 23 May 1814. This form and performance catapulted "Fidelio" into a widely acclaimed masterpiece of opera. Critics and audiences alike would praise the work for years and years to come, as it is still acclaimed as one of the great opera's of the time today. Beethoven in response to the much awaited success wrote in his daybook, "It is certain that one writes best when one writes for the public." The Reception Theory combines a variety of thoughts on a piece with it's reception by the critics and general public at the time, and when the piece is widely acclaimed, which could be much later in time. Often time's works that are experimental in one era become hailed as masterpieces in another, that's the whole point of the Reception Theory, to determine when a work makes this crossover. Beethoven's "Fidelio" had the perfect timing as far as this approach states. With the final changes to the piece, it became praised as one of the all-time masterpieces almost immediately. "One can only guess at the depth of Beethoven's frustration upon being repeatedly told, by even the most well-meaning of his admirers, that he was writing for the future and that he could not be understood in his own day." What "Fidelio," accomplished upon completion and acclaim was prove to Beethoven that as often as his pieces were based on where music was going, he could still write for the people of the time, while moving in the direction of the future. What is found upon further research is that "Fidelio" has grown like a fine wine, though highly praised in 1814 at the conception of the final version; it has only grown in the public's appreciation over time. There is not exact date in which the work crossed over to a masterpiece, essentially from the final version's premiere it was a fact understood by the audience, that this was and would be a great opera for a lengthy period of time.

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