Ludwig von Beethoven wrote only one Opera, Fidelio, and it cost him so much vexation as he worked on it, and re-worked it, and re-worked it yet again, that he said he would never write another one. And he kept his word. The history and background of this work, therefore, is long and complicated, well beyond the scope of this post that focuses on just one chorus from the work. But here’s a brief overview: We know that Beethoven was quite taken with the (supposed) ideals of the French Revolution: liberty, equality, and brotherhood. This rather diffuse and wayward event ... Read more

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