Beethoven fans have but a few opportunities to see the only opera he wrote, Fidelio, at the
Chicago Lyric Opera, closing October 10 th . The performances and production quality are breathtaking.
Yet, although Fidelio has a fascinating history, the plot leaves much to be desired. I don’t mean to
dissuade you from seeing it, but for those with more modern tastes, it might not be your favorite.
Beethoven’s original title for Fidelio was Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love, based on the
French libretto by Jean-Nicolas Bouilly. To distinguish it from previous versions, the Opera House where it debuted changed the name from Leonore – the female protagonist’s name – to Fidelio, the name she uses to go undercover as a male guard and infiltrate the prison where her husband is unjustly being held. Understandable, but unfortunate because Leonore is a wonderfully heroic female protagonist.
The set, projection, and lighting design are masterful. I was deeply moved when the industrial-
style two story set structure turned to reveal 72 members of the Lyric Opera Chorus crowded into prison cells. They are briefly allowed outside, even though the prison governor does not allow it, and perform the beautifully composed “Prisoners’ Chorus.” They sing about breathing fresh air and being surrounded by new life and health, while warning each other they must be careful because they are always being watched. It’s a compelling reminder of the inhumanity of incarceration dating back to 1805 and beyond.
In the lobby, the Lyric has installed remarkable selected paintings from the exhibit “Heart Work: The Works of Renaldo Hudson,” painted while Hudson was incarcerated for 37 years, on death row for 13 of them. He is now an educator, minister, and community activist.
The performances of the leads, Elza van den Heever as Leonore and Russell Thomas as Florestan
were phenomenal. I also quite enjoyed Dimitry Ivashchenko’s portrayal of Rocco, and Sydney Mancasola as Marzelline, her Lyric debut with hopefully many more to come. Their skill is marred only by the disconnect in tone, trite dialogue, lack of character development, and simplicity of the opera’s storyline. As Peter Gutmann writes on classicalnotes.net, “Why was [Beethoven] so attracted and devoted to this seemingly trifling work?” On the other hand, an anonymous forum user online described Fidelio as their favorite opera. To each their own, likely depending on what an individual appreciates about opera: the music, the singing, the production, the characters, the plot, etc.
You only have two more chances to see this unique work: Fidelio is only playing Saturday, October 5 th at 7:30pm, and Thursday October 10 th at 7:30pm. For tickets and information go to https://www.lyricopera.org
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