Leonore ; Fidelio : op. 72 ; Ouvertüre Leonore I : op. 138
(Music)

Operas, the 1st recorded primarily using the 1805 version, with Leonore overture no. 2, the 2nd with "Fidelio" overture and Leonore overture no. 3; the 3rd work is an independent overture not used with the opera.

Durations: 139:00; 135:00; 9:09.

Program notes by John Eliot Gardiner, David Cairns, and Hans Schmidt, in English and German with French, Italian and Spanish translations, synopsis, and librettos, by Joseph Sonnleithner, with Stephan von Breuning (1st work) and Georg Friedrich Treitschke (2nd work), after Jean-Nicolas Bouilly, in German with English and French translations (337, 32 p. : ill.) included.

In the 1st work: Hillevi Martinpelto, Kim Begley, Franz Hawlata, Matthew Best, Christiane Oelze, Michael Schade, Alastair Miles, singers; Christoph Bantzer, narrator; Monteverdi Choir; Orchestre révolutionnaire et romantique; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor. 2nd work: Gundula Janowitz, René Kollo, Manfred Jungwirth, Hans Sotin, Lucia Popp, Adolf Dallapozza, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, singers; Wiener Staatsopernchor; Wiener Philharmoniker; Leonard Bernstein, conductor. 3rd work: Wiener Philharmoniker; Claudio Abbado, conductor.

Recorded Sept. 1996, the Colosseum, Watford (1st work); and Feb. 1978 (2nd work) and Oct. 1989 (3rd work), in Grosser Saal, Musikverein, Vienna; previously released material.

Compact disc.