San Francisco Symphony presents Beethoven's Fidelio
2015-06-25
Davies Symphony Hall
201 Van Ness, San Francisco, CA
8:00 PM, Thursday, June 25, 2015

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Beethoven: Fidelio, Op. 72 (1814)

[8:00 PM lights down, announcements, concert tuning]

1. [8:02 PM] (Opening speech by Leonore)
2. [8:03 PM] Overture
3. [8:10 PM] Marzelline/Jaquino duet: Jetzt, Schätzchen, jetzt sind wir allein
4. [8:15 PM] Marzelline aria: O wär ich schon mit dir vereint
5. [8:19 PM] (Another speech by Leonore)
6. [8:20 PM] Marzelline/Leonore/Rocco/Jaquino quartet: Mir ist so wunderbar
7. [8:24 PM] Rocco aria: Hat man nicht auch Gold beineben
8. [8:28 PM] Rocco/Leonore/Marzelline trio: Gut, Söhnchen, gut
9. [8:34 PM] March
10. [8:36 PM] Pizarro aria with chorus: Ha, welch ein Augenblick!
11. [8:39 PM] Pizarro/Rocco duet: Jetzt, Alter, jetzt hat es Eile!
12. [8:44 PM] Leonore recitative: Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?
13. [8:45 PM] Leonore aria: Komm, Hoffnung, lass den letzten Stern
14. [8:52 PM] Chorus of Prisoners: O welche Lust, in freier Luft
15. [8:59 PM] Leonore/Rocco duet: Noch heute! Noch heute!
16. [9:05 PM] Scene №. 12: Pizarro/Rocco: Verwegner Alter! Welche Rechte
17. [9:m PM] Scene №. 13: Prisoner Chorus/Marzelline/Leonore/Jaquino/Pizarro/Rocco: Leb' wohl, du warmes Sonnenlicht
    [act one ends 9:10 PM]

[9:30 PM lights down, tuning]

1. [9:32 PM] Florestan recitative: Gott! Welch Dunkel hier! 02. [9:m PM] Florestan aria: In des Lebens Frühlingstagen
2. [9:42 PM] Leonore/Rocco melodrama: Wie kalt ist es in diesem unterirdischen Gewölbe!
3. [9:44 PM] Rocco/Leonore duet: Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben
4. [9:49 PM] Florestan/Rocco/Leonore trio: Euch werde Lohn in bessern Welten
5. [9:55 PM] Pizarro/Florestan/Leonore/Rocco quartet: Er sterbe! Doch er soll erst wissen
6. [10:01 PM] Leonore/Florestan duet: O namenlose Freude!
7. [10:04 PM] Chorus of Prisoners and People/Fernando: Heil sei dem Tag
   [show ends 10:17 PM; applause and bows for several minutes, then off]

• Joélle Harvey as Marzelline, daughter of Rocco: soprano vox;
• Alan Held as Don Pizarro, Governor of the State Prison: bass-baritone vox;
• Brandon Jovanovich as Florestan, a political prisoner: tenor vox;
• Kevin Langan as Rocco, a jailer: bass vox;
• Matthew Newlin as first prisoner: tenor vox;
• Nicholas Phan as Jacquino, a porter and assistant jailer: tenor vox;
• Luca Pisaroni as Don Fernando, Spanish nobleman and Government Minister: bass-baritone vox;
• Nina Stemme as Leonore, wife of Florestan, disguised as Fidelio, a young man: soprano vox;
• Michael Tilson Thomas: conductor, music director;
• Craig Verm as second prisoner: baritone vox;
• symphony members vary by program, see the current list.

• Ragnar Bohlin: director;
• performers vary by program

• Libretto by Joseph von Sonnleithner and Georg Friedrich Treitschke from the libretto of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly Léonore ou l’amour conjugal

I thought tonight's show was decent entertainment, but not nearly as much fun as the recent performance of Ravel's Spanish Hour. Joélle Harvey certainly captured my attention in her brief turns in the spotlight – I'll be happy to see her listed on future concert programs.

Lisa Houston posted a promo interview with Nina Stemme on SFCV.

Joshua Kosman posted a disappointingly brief promo for the opera on SFGate. I guess the newspaper (or Symphony?) doesn't feel it's necessary to pay for a better piece? Seems amusing to me that while the title focuses on Nina Stemme, the first pic that pops up is of Brandon Jovanovich: someone's asleep at the switch!

Stephen Smoliar posted a rather lukewarm review for the Examiner. Fair enough!

Mark Swed posted an interesting review for the L.A.Times. Didn't realize our arts were part of their awareness! Plus, they also added a good set of pics. Nice to have those too, thanks!

Steve Winn posted a lukewarm review for SFCV.

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2015 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2015 event list! ☸ On to the next event!