Classical Music Forum banner
Cancel

How do you feel about Lenoroe #3 overture before the finale of Fidelio?

  • It is a real bother and disrupts the flow of the opera.

    Votes: 5 33.3%

  • I don't like it, but live with it.

    Votes: 4 26.7%

  • I think it is good to insert Leonore #4.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I add it in if it is not present in a recording

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I add it in before the Finale of any opera, LvB or not.

    Votes: 2 13.3%

  • What is all the fuss about, it's only an opera.

    Votes: 3 20.0%

  • I don't care.

    Votes: 1 6.7%
  • Total voters
    15

Fidelio and the pesky Leonore #3 Overture!

1653 Views 9 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  ScottK, 
SixFootScowl
I read that Beethoven had intended for the finale of Fidelio to start within 7 seconds of the last note of the Leonore and Florestan duet. A practice was begun to insert the Leonore #3 overture in between these two parts to accommodate the scene change (from dungeon to prison parade grounds). This I could understand in live performances, yet there are ways to cleverly make that scene change happen fast as in the DVD with Nylund and Kaufmann by having a curtain lift in the back of the dungeon scene exposing the new scene for the finale.

At any rate, I remove the Leonore #3 overture from all my folders before playing them on my MP3 player or burning discs for the car. I would remove the overture from the DVDs but it is probably not easy to do, so instead simply skip over the overture.

Oops: Third option should be Leonore #3, not #4.
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 2 of 10 Posts
KenOC
I stress efficiency. Play the Leonore #3 and skip the opera.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
KenOC
I'm not an opera fan but have to ask: Why not use the Leonore #3 to open the opera and consign the Fidelio Overture, which has no themes from the actual opera, to the collected Beethoven overtures CDs along with the Ruins of Athens, Nameday, and other such miscellany?
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 2 of 10 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Classical Music Forum
A forum community dedicated to classical music musicians and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about arrangements, collections, techniques, instruments, styles, reviews, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Classical Music Discussion Classical Music Discussion Polls Off Topic Pub Opera Non-Classical Music
Top