Leonora is based on a deeply moving, true story that took place in France in the 18th century that revolves around a young woman who disguises herself as a man and under the name of Fidelio to rescue her wrongfully imprisoned husband. One of four operas inspired by the 1798 libretto Léonore by Jean Nicolas Bouilly, which was originally set to music by Pierre Gaveaux, the politically infused plot subsequently inspired not only Paër, but also composers Simon Mayr and, of course, Ludwig van Beethoven, whose opera Fidelio is frequently performed. Chicago audiences will have the extremely rare opportunity to see Paër and Beethoven’s operas side by side, as Chicago Opera Theater’s three performances of LEONORA, have been scheduled to complement the fall run of Fidelio at Lyric Opera.

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Leonora

Fine Arts Building Chicago

Chicago Opera Theater is thrilled to bring Ferdinando Paër’s Leonora to Chicago for its North American premiere in October 2024. Leonora is based on the deeply moving true story of a woman in 18th century France who disguised herself as a man to rescue her wrongfully imprisoned husband. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, four different operas were written based on this story - the most famous of which is Beethoven's Fidelio. But Paër's Leonora, which premiered a year before Beethoven's opera, is not only a remarkable and beautiful work in its own right - it also influenced Beethoven's writing.

Ferdinando Paër

Events

Past events

1 - 6 Oct, 2024

Leonora · Fine Arts Building Chicago

Sep 12, 2024

Close-Up with Leonora · Chicago Opera Theater

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