CHICAGO—Arguably the greatest classical music composer of all time, Beethoven (1770–1827) wrote glorious symphonies, which include his Symphony No. 5 and Symphony No. 9. Despite his many other works, he wrote just one opera, “Fidelio,” which premiered in 1814 in Vienna.
Writing the opera was a real struggle for Beethoven. More familiar with expressing emotion through music than drama, he took almost 10 years to complete the final version. A decade is a long time to birth an opera, but it was worth the wait for Beethoven’s glorious music. Now, opera lovers and Beethoven fans can experience the glory of “Fidelio” in its triumphant best at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
