Beethoven's only opera Fidelio embodies his ideals of heroism and freedom from political oppression. The opera was first produced in Vienna in 1805, under the title of Leonora with the overture now known as Leonora No. 2.

Later Beethoven shortened and revised it several times with again new overtures (Leonora No. 3 and Leonora No. 1). In 1814 a revision of the opera was given in its present form as Fidelio, with an entirely new overture. The original Fidelio overture is in E Major. This trans...