Fidelio Fidelio Fidelio (originally titled ; English: "Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love"), Op. 72, is Ludwig van Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto was originally prepared by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly, with the work premiering at Vienna's Theater an der Wien on 20 November 1805. The following year, helped shorten the work from three acts to two. After further work on the libretto by Georg Friedrich Treitschke, a final version was performed at the Kärntnertortheater on 23 May 1814. By convention, both of the first two versions are referred to as "Leonore". The libretto, with
Fidelio and Fidelio come to dig his grave. As they dig, Rocco urges Fidelio to hurry ("Wie kalt ist es in diesem unterirdischen Gewölbe!"—"How cold it is in this underground chamber" and "Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben"—"Come get to work and dig", the "Gravedigging Duet"). Florestan awakes and Fidelio recognizes him. When Florestan learns that the prison he is in belongs to Pizarro, he asks that a message be sent to his wife, Leonore, but Rocco says that it is impossible. Florestan begs for a drop to drink, and Rocco tells Fidelio to give him one. Florestan does not recognize