Fidelio of overwhelming the (rather light) initial scenes of the opera. Beethoven accordingly experimented with cutting it back somewhat, for a planned 1808 performance in Prague; this is believed to be the version now called "Leonore No. 1". Finally, for the 1814 revival Beethoven began anew, and with fresh musical material wrote what we now know as the "Fidelio" overture. As this somewhat lighter overture seems to work best of the four as a start to the opera, Beethoven's final intentions are generally respected in contemporary productions. While some believe that Gustav Mahler introduced the practice of performing "Leonore No. 3"
Constantinus Fidelio Coene Constantinus Fidelio Coene Constantinus Fidelio Coene, a painter of history, genre, and landscape, was born in 1780 at Vilvoorden. He first studied under Hendrik van Assche, and in 1809 removed to Amsterdam and became the pupil of Barbiers. He then went to Brussels, and in 1820 was made Professor at the Academy. His picture of 'Rubens receiving from Charles I. the sword with which he had been knighted ' gained for him the grand prize at Ghent, and is now in the Museum of that city. His 'Soldier returning from the Battle of Waterloo' also gained him much praise. He