Santa Fe Opera's 2014 season, which begins on June 27, contains much to look forward to: the long-awaited American premiere of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen by Chinese composer Huang Ruo; an ingenious pairing of Mozart's The Impresario with Stravinsky's Le Rossignol; as well as a rarity--a new production of Fidelio, Beethoven's only opera.
Although its overtures are frequently performed in U.S. concert halls, the complete Fidelio is hardly ever performed in this country. This may be due to the opera's reputation as being imperfect: a heroic, yet flawed work from a composer more renowned for his flawless masterpieces.
That assessment may be valid, but I have not had the luxury of forming my own opinion about the work, because I have never had the opportunity to hear Fidelio live. Those who have travel plans to the Southwest this summer might do well to check out Santa Fe's production, because it may be your only opportunity for quite some time.
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