Fidelio

This 2004 Zurich production of Beethoven's only opera is worth noting for a variety of reasons. One is the conducting by the late Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1929-2016), an early music specialist who always brought idiosyncratic insights to later works. Here, most of his tempi are substantially slower than usual, but he periodically speeds up to a nearly frantic pace, and overall his reading is intensely coiled as the company orchestra follows his lead with utter conviction. Another point of strength is the excellent singing (aside from one exception). Camilla Nylund is a silvery soprano as Leonore, the ever-faithful wife who has disguised herself as a boy, Fidelio, in order to enter the service of Rocco, jailer of the fortress where her husband Florestan (ringing tenor Jonas Kaufmann) is being held as a political prisoner. Of the remaining principals, only Alfred Muff disappoints as Pizarro, the tyrannical governor who intends to kill Florestan if Leonore cannot intervene; his unfocused, wobbly baritone diminishes the villainy that should mark the role. There is ample compensation, however, in the firm bass of László Polgár as Rocco and the charming contributions of Elizabeth Rae Magnuson as his daughter Marzelline and Christoph Strehl as her suitor Jaquino. Rolf Glittenberg's spare set design is prosaic, but his wife Marianne Glittenberg's costumes add some dash, and Jacob Schlossstein's lighting design creates a moody atmosphere. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, and PCM stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and PCM stereo on Blu-ray, this is recommended. (F. Swietek)