Beethoven Fidelio (1978): reparto, argumento y streaming

Released in 1978, Beethoven Fidelio is a música film directed by Otto Schenk, running about 147 minutes. “Pretty darn close to having” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. This production is a gala affair; the sets are traditional (evocative of 18th-19th century Spain); the lighting is bright, so colors are good and one can see all of the action. Singers are generally well chosen and perform admirably. However, at this point, slight reservations creep in; although Janowitz (Fidelio/Leonore) and Kollo (Florestan) look "good" and act well, the singing parts tax them a bit when pushed to the limit. Most of the time that doesn't matter, and an argument can be made that a little vocal strain is in character with their dire plight. Ideally, for me, Vickers as Florestan would have added extra vocal heft and more sensitive acting than Kollo.

Who’s in it. Beethoven Fidelio stars Gundula Janowitz as Leonora, René Kollo as Florestan, Manfred Jungwirth as Rocco and Hans Sotin as Don Pizarro, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 10.0/10, Beethoven Fidelio sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Beethoven Fidelio page.

If you liked it. Fans of Beethoven Fidelio tend to enjoy Whiplash, Coco, Green Book and La leyenda del pianista en el océano.