Fidelio Vienna was under French military occupation, and most of the audience were French military officers. After this premiere, Beethoven was pressured by friends to revise and shorten the opera into just two acts, and he did so with the help of Stephan von Breuning. The composer also wrote a new overture (now known as "Leonore No. 3"; see below). In this form the opera was first performed on 29 March and 10 April 1806, with greater success. Further performances were prevented by a dispute between Beethoven and the theatre management. In 1814 Beethoven revised his opera yet again, with additional
Birmingham Opera Company been televised on the BBC, including the 2002 production of "Fidelio" broadcast live on BBC Four, and a film version of Verdi's "Othello" broadcast in 2011 alongside an hour-long documentary, "Verdi: The Director's Cut", featuring Graham Vick's work. "Othello" was furthermore featured on BBC Four's "Best of European Opera 2010", broadcast on Christmas Day 2010. In 2004 the Opera Company joined forces with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group in a presentation of Benjamin Britten's "Curlew River" on the BBC Proms, which was also later televised on BBC Four. Birmingham Opera has a long history of collaboration with contemporary British composer Jonathan