Beethoven: Fidelio

Fidelio isn't just Beethoven's only opera – it's the last surviving work from the once-popular genre of revolutionary opera. Its mixture of the personal and the political drives a narrative that journeys from darkness into light, within a monumental musical architecture akin to one of the composer's groundbreaking symphonies. Fidelio's vocal writing is famously demanding, tailored to some of the finest singers of Beethoven's day. This live performance from Zurich in 2004 boasts similarly top-flight casting, with tenor Jonas Kaufmann and soprano Camilla Nylund at the height of their powers in the two principal roles. Conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt unearths the opera's raw instrumental drama amid Jürgen Flimm's beautifully lit staging.