Ludwig Van Beethoven - Fidelio

Fidelio, Ludwig van Beethoven's only opera, was given two screen treatments within a 15-year period. The first, filmed in 1955 but released in 1961, is a near-literal translation of a stage performance. Claude Nollier sings the dual role of Fidelio and Leonore. Others in the cast include Richard Holm as Floresta, Erwin Gross as Don Fernando and Hannes Schiel as Don Pizzaro. Like the 1970 adaptation of Fidelio, the 1955 production includes an alternate version of Beethoven's "Leonore" overture.