Fidelio

Fidelio by Ludwig von Beethoven
Director: Tobias Kratzer
Conductor: Alexander Soddy

Fidelio has always been an opera in two very different halves. The first act tells a suitably operatic jailhouse story of Marzilline, the Warden’s daughter, being pursued by Jaquino, the gate-keeper, while her eyes are fixed on Fidelio, the new assistant to her father. The twist is that Fidelio is in fact a women, sorrowing wife to one of the political prisoners, Florestan, held in the dungeons and already near death.

But Beethoven was never satisfied by the suitable and the second act reveals his true ambition: to write a political and philosophical work about freedom, responsibility and hope, staged during the French revolution (although originally set in Spain). In the first act, the brilliant red, white and blue of the tricolour dominates the darkness of the prison.
Instead of trying to unify these two approaches, Tobias Kratzer’s production emphasises the differences, lulling the audience into enjoying a somewhat light-hearted first act, despite the setting, before thrusting a modern, thought-provoking and non-realistic setting in the second. Florestan lies chained to a symbolic rock, surrounded by seated rows of suited men and elegant ladies who area are also seen in gigantic video close-up above. Clearly they represent the disinterested world.

Beethoven himself constantly worried about his only opera, and revised it three times. Kratzer has also introduced dialogue which to some strengthens the performance and to others is an annoying interference. With these challenges in mind, the music, the quality of playing and the singers, becomes even more important. Only a fool would question the music, even if it does not have as many arias as in more traditional operas. Under the baton of Alexander Soddy, the long overture has all the force and beauty of Beethoven that we might expect. Throughout the opera set-pieces show off the voices of Jennifer Davis as Leonore, Eric Cutler as Florestan, Christine Gansch as Marzelline, Dmitry Belosselsky who deserves special mention for his singing and acting, as Rocco. The First act quartet ‘Mir ist so wundebar’, (I feel so wonderful) is an early example.

The aria sung in the second act, by Florestan, played by Eric Cutler, ‘What endless night/What grim foreboding silence’ is movingly expressed and reminded me that the last time I saw this production in 2020 Jonas Kaufman had been billed, but was replaced because of ill-health. In that production whose run was cut short by Covid, Lise Davidsen sang and acted Leonore with a strength of voice and stature convincingly male. Jennifer Davis has to battle with her small stature, although her voice is often glorious.

When Rocco, the warden or gaoler, on the orders of the wicked Military Governor, Don Pizarro, who is planning to murder Florestan, brings Leonore to help dig a grave for her husband, the music swells with emotion, easily surmounting the symbolic presentation of the scene. The pistol shot by Marzelline and the arrival of ‘The Minister’, the bringer of freedom and hope, reaches its climax with the magnificent chorus of celebration. Traditionally, this would be sung by prisoners leaving the darkness of their cells for the light of the world outside. Whatever the setting, it is impossible to avoid the heart-wrenching beauty of the music and the singing. ‘Heil se idem Tag!’ (Hail the day!)

It is tribute to the breadth and originality of Beethoven’s vision that over 220 years since Fidelio was first staged, there are still discussions and disagreements over how it should be presented. The Royal Opera House is to be praised for joining in this with an evening that sends the audience out with an exhilaration that only great opera, beautifully played and sung, can achieve. The discussions will continue.

Photo credit: Bill Cooper