Romance and music fill the air as the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents German composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fidelio in the fifth installment of CCP’s The Met: LIVE in HD Season 10 this June 3, 2025, at 5:30 p.m., at Glorietta 4, Cinema 1 in Makati City.
A scene from The Met’s staging of FIdelio
Beethoven’s classic opera Fidelio follows Leonore, a noblewoman determined to uncover the secret imprisonment of her husband. Bearing the name Fidelio, she disguises herself as a man and infiltrates the dungeons. What began as a romantic gesture transformed into a freedom cry as Leonore sheds light on the cruelty behind bars.
Narrating a poignant tale of freedom secured through unconditional love, Fidelio is based on an actual incident where a woman dressed as a man successfully freed her incarcerated husband during the French Revolution in Tours, France. This courageous act attracted author Jean-Nicolas Bouilly to write a play, which inspired musicians.
First created in 1805, Beethoven’s Fidelio was staged 12 days before Napoleon won a decisive victory in Austerlitz. The Viennese had fled the city, leaving theater attendance to a few French officers. In 1806, Fidelio’s second version received mild success.
“This child of my mind has cost me more pain than the others,” Beethoven once said before achieving the final version of Fidelio in 1814.
Decorated with melodies of liberty, idealism, and justice, the opera beautifully describes the protagonists’ inner feelings. The key arias of Leonore and her husband Florestan musically embody their thirst for hope and freedom. Meanwhile, a powerful oboe solo in the opera, Humanitätsmelodie (melody of humanity), gently tells the imprisoned men’s struggle for justice with increasing dramatic tension.
Through Fidelio’s orchestration, Beethoven’s musical genius is further emphasized. Teamwork, however, became a chore because of his advancing deafness. Despite looking for suitable libretti, Beethoven never completed another opera. Fidelio might have been his only opera, but its brilliance remains immeasurable.
Lise Davidsen
In The Met’s staging of Fidelio, Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen lends her golden voice to the heroine Leonore. Ying Fang, recipient of the Martin E. Segal Award, is the sophisticated Marzelline who mistakenly falls for Fidelio. Internationally acclaimed tenor David Butt Philip transforms into the righteous Florestan. Under the baton of Grammy-nominee Susanna Malkki, the awaited rescue of Beethoven’s Fidelio is expertly interpreted.
In partnership with the Metropolitan Opera of New York, the Filipinas Opera Society Foundation, Inc., and Ayala Malls Cinemas, the CCP presents Beethoven’s liberating harmonies in High-Definition video and Dolby Surround Sound.
The CCP’s The Met: LIVE in HD invites Filipino audiences to welcome world-class artistic experiences. While developing the nation’s appreciation for the arts, the premier arts institution shares the complex but fulfilling process of mounting operas through this project.
Catch the only opera by Beethoven with CCP’s The Met: LIVE in HD Season 10 on June 3, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at Glorietta 4, Cinema 1 in Makati City. Regular tickets are priced at Php350. Students and young professionals, upon presentation of a valid ID, can avail of the special price of Php100. To purchase tickets, visit the ticket booth at Glorietta Cinema or book online via www.sureseats.com.
Keep track of the latest screenings of CCP’s The Met: LIVE in HD through the official Facebook account of the CCP Film, Broadcast, and New Media or the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph). For current and future event updates, follow the CCP’s official social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
