Fidelio in Seattle

Fidelio will prima at the Seattle Opera on the evening of October 13th. Miss Christiane Libor will alternate with Miss Marcy Stonikas in the role of Leonore. Mr. Clifton Forbis who appears infrequently is Florestan, Mr. Arthur Woodley is Rocco, and Mr. Greer Grimsley is Don Pizarro. Fidelio does not set the stars alight for COMMANDOpera which finds the work mediocre. However, numerous houses mount the work simply out of the fact it is the sole operatic foray of Beethoven. One might offer there is a reason the Maestro only attempted one work within this realm. Was it perhaps the reality that others found more success in this form of composition for the theatre whilst he was vibrant?