Fidelio discography Fidelio discography This is a partial discography of "Fidelio", a Singspiel in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven had originally written a three-act version of the opera called "Leonore", first performed in 1805 and then re-staged with revisions in 1806. Despite the name change, the heroine is the title character in both cases. Leonore disguises herself as a boy, Fidelio, in order to find out what has happened to her husband, Florestan, who is being illegally held by Pizarro, a prison governor. The other major characters are the gaoler Rocco and his daughter Marzelline. This is a partial discography
Fidelio to be broadcast in the USA, over the NBC radio network, in December 1944, by the NBC Symphony Orchestra, featuring soloists from the Metropolitan Opera (though a shortwave broadcast of one act, conducted by Toscanini, had earlier been relayed from a 16 August 1936 performance at Salzburg.) Divided into two consecutive broadcasts, the 1944 performances were later issued by RCA Victor on LPs and CDs. "Fidelio" was the first opera performed in Berlin after the end of the World War II, with the Deutsche Oper staging it under the baton of Robert Heger at the only undamaged theatre, the Theater