Opera in German The years following the French Revolution of 1789 had been some of the most turbulent in European history. In "Fidelio", Beethoven wanted to express the ideals of that Revolution: liberty, equality and fraternity. He was also inspired by contemporary French works, particularly the "rescue operas" of Luigi Cherubini. Beethoven was arguably not a natural composer of opera and, although "Fidelio" was premiered in 1805, it was not until 1814 that he produced its final version. Nevertheless, Fidelio is widely regarded as a masterpiece and is one of the key works in the German repertoire. In the early years of the
Eithne (opera) Eithne (opera) Eithne, also known as "Éan an Cheoil Bhinn" (The Bird of Sweet Music), is considered by many critics to be the first full-scale opera written and performed in the Irish language. It was written by English/Irish composer Robert O'Dwyer. The work saw its first performance at the Round Room in Dublin's Rotunda during the Oireachtas na Gaeilge, a festival of Irish culture, in 1909, conducted by the composer. It was performed again in May 1910 at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin. The opera, based on a Gaeilge libretto written by Galway Reverend Thomas O'Kelly, covers three acts and includes