Text by Joseph Sonnleithner und Georg Friedrich Treitschke, a German version of J. N. Bouilly’s "Léonore ou l’amour conjugal”

Place and time: A Spanish prison near Seville, end of the 18th century

Characters: Don Fernando (Bariton) - Don Pizarro (bariton) - Florestan (tenor) - Leonore (soprano) - Rocco (bass) - Marzelline (soprano) - Jaquino (tenor) - 1st prisoner (tenor) - 2nd prisoner (bass)

"The whole matter concerning the opera is the most troublesome in the world. There is a very great difference between letting oneself be guided by reflection and giving oneself up to free inspiration. In short, I assure you, dear Treitschke, the opera is going to win me a martyr’s crown.” Beethoven had already revised the opera several times by the time he wrote these words to Treitschke. Reworked partly at the urging of friends and partly of his own free will, the opera finally made its breakthrough in its final version. The triumphal first performance of the third version of the work was held at Vienna’s Kärtnertortheater on 23 May 1814 with Beethoven conducting. Treitschke, who was a stage director and dramaturgical adviser at the Court Opera, vividly reports that as "Beethoven conducted, his temperament often jolted him out of the beat; however, Kapellmeister Umlauf kept everything together wonderfully behind Beethoven’s back, through his eyes and his hands.”