Adaptation of the dialogues
Premiere: La Seine Musicale, Paris 2022
Fidelio is the only opera by Beethoven, written in 1805. It premiered the same year at the Theater an der Wien. It is a number opera in three acts with spoken text.
My work consisted of shortening the extensive dialogues and bringing the language closer to today’s usage without betraying the spirit of the period. In the sung passages, I modernized individual words that nowadays seem strange or incomprehensible.
In terms of content, the aim was to shift the perspective on the action through a conscious choice of wording. As an example, the final chorus may be mentioned, in which the original text celebrates the virtue of the wife, whereas in the new version the word ‘love‘ opens up the possibility of a broader identification:
CHORUS – Eighth Scene
Original version:
“Wer ein holdes Weib errungen
Stimm´ in unsern Jubel ein!
[…]
Nie wird es zu hoch besungen,
Retterin des Gatten sein.“
Revised version:
“Wer ein liebend Herz errungen
Stimm´ in unsern Jubel ein!
[…]
Nie wird es zu hoch besungen,
Retterin der Liebe sein.“
The premiere took place in 2022 at La Seine Musicale under the baton of Laurence Equilbey (Insula Orchestra, Chœur accentus). The director was David Bobbé. The production then traveled to the co‑producing partner, the Theater an der Wien, thus closing the circle back to the original premiere in 1805.
