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
The Devils of Loudun (opera) part, are emblematic of her hysteria and falseness. Furthermore, Jeanne's demonical possession is underscored by the use of laughter, groans, and electronic distortion of her voice. The Devils of Loudun (opera) Die Teufel von Loudun ("The Devils of Loudun") is an opera in three acts written in 1968 and 1969 by Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, and then revised in 1972 and 1975. It has a German libretto by the composer, based on John Whiting's dramatization of Aldous Huxley's book of the same name. The work was commissioned by the Hamburg State Opera, which consequently gave the premiere on 20 June