Operakino 26/27 - FIDELIO from Zurich Opera 2008

Leonore disguises herself as the young man Fidelio in order to get work in a state prison, as her husband, Florestan, has been imprisoned by the tyrannical Don Pizarro for political reasons. Leonore succeeds in rescuing Florestan just as Pizarro is going to murder him, and eventually the minister Don Fernando arrives and restores justice.
Fidelio: Melanie Diener — Florestan: Roberto Saccá.
The director Katharina Thalbach opts for a fairly traditional, timeless staging. The action is narrated clearly without modern conceptual gripes, and the focus is on the human relationships of the characters and Beethoven's message of freedom and justice. Scenography and costumes by Ezio Toffolutti support this simple, dramatic approach.

Running time: 149 min.