Beethoven: Fidelio (Metropolitan Opera)by Anonymous

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February 26, 2008: OK OK. This is a very, very good Fidelio. First the stage production. It takes place in middle 20 century. There are a lot of coherent details so naturally dispayed that if you don`t know the work you would not realize the scene originally took place at the begginning of XIX century. Second, the vigorous conducting. Third: the cast. Leonore (Mattila), Rocco, Marcellina, Florestan are superb. Alas, Pizarro is just wobbly. The same about Ferrando. The great problem, at least to me, is the work. Having just listened to the great Mozart and Wagner operas, Fidelio stands to me (only my first approach) as something in between, without achievement the "greatness" of those other works by Mozart and Wagner. I do not mean F is a bad work, I mean Beethoven composed far greater works (just to mention symphonies, sonatas, quartets, Missa Solemnis)