Fidelio's first lines Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jacquino and Marzelline

This piece, translating to "Now, darling, now we are alone" is the opening piece right after the overture. It is a rather one-sided love duet: Jacquino loves Marzelline, but this love is not reciprocated and Marzelline sends him away.

Answer: Marzelline

Meaning "O if I were already united with you", this aria is the first solo piece in the opera. It gives us the reason why Marzelline just sent Jacquino away: she has fallen in love with the young Fidelio who has arrived at the prison where the opera takes place to apprentice with Rocco, the gaoler.

Answer: Quartet

This quartet whose title means "I feel so strange" involves Marzelline, Jacquino, Rocco and Fidelio, each singing to themselves in the form of a vocal fugue. Marzelline wishes for her marriage to Fidelio to go ahead as quickly as possible, Jacquino is realizing he might lose her, Rocco is just seeing the new blooming love and, finally, Fidelio is afraid of being discovered because he is harboring a secret...

Answer: Rocco

A simple aria by Rocco - "If one does not also have some gold" ends the romantic and playful introductory part. It just reflects that young love also needs material security. This piece is followed by "Gut, Söhnchen, gut" ("Good, my son, good"), a trio where Rocco encourages his apprentice to be bold and face the hardships and terrors of the goaler's work with confidence.

Answer: Pizarro and Rocco

This piece is preceded by Governor Pizarro's choir-accompanied aria "Ha, welch ein Augenblick" ("Ha, what a moment") in which he contemplates the murder of Florestan, a political prisoner he long since wanted to get revenge on. In this duet, "Now, old man, we need to hurry", Pizarro entices Rocco to commit the murder for a large sum of money, but Rocco refuses, so Pizarro decides to do the deed himself and orders Rocco to prepare a grave in Florestan's cell.

Answer: Leonore

Fidelio - who is rather, Leonore, Florestan's wife, in disguise - has heard the exchange but is not sure which prisoner is the one to be killed. She however suspects it will be Florestan. After the recitative "Abscheulicher, wo eilst du hin?" ("Abominable one, where are you hurrying to?"), her great aria "Come, hope, let the last star..." is a prayer even if it does not actually address God. The line continues "...of the tired ones not fade."

After the aria, the finale of act 1 consists of a choral piece showing a brief respite for the prisoners with lesser sentences - they get some fresh air in the courtyard - while the main characters discuss and prepare the vile deed.

Answer: Florestan

Act 2 opens in Florestan's cell, deep underground. A recitative "Gott, welch Dunkel hier" ("God, what darkness here") addresses his dire state of confinement before the lyrical aria "In life's days of spring" reminisces of better days. Florestan falls back asleep.

Answer: Rocco and Leonore

This duet, "Now quickly on, now dig with haste", accompanies Rocco's and Leonore's work on the grave to be created in an old cistern. Once they are done, Florestan awakens and his wife (who now recognizes him, but does not say a word), gives him some water and bread.

This is followed by the thankful trio "Euch werde Lohn in bess'ren Welten" ("Yours be reward in better worlds") before Governor Pizarro enters the cell, ready to commit the murder.

Answer: Florestan and Leonore

The plot reaches its climax with Pizarro's vengeful "Er sterbe" ("Die!"). Before Pizarro can, however, commit the murder, Leonore interposes with the line "Töt erst sein Weib" ("Kill his wife first") and then draws a pistol, keeping Pizarro in check.

At that point, the signal is given that the royal minister coming for an inspection has arrived. Pizarro and Rocco hurriedly leave. Florestan and Leonore are left to celebrate their reunion with the "O nameless joy" duet.

Answer: Choir

The finale begins with the choir's "Hail to this day" as Florestan and Leonore emerge from the cell. The minister, seeing that Pizarro is keeping political prisoners without authorization, declares an amnesty for all of them and the opera ends in the jubilant "Wer ein holdes Weib errungen" ("He who gained a virtuous wife"), a celebration of love, faithfulness and courage.