Sotto Voce and the Avanti Festival Orchestra will present Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio, on Friday, August 14 and Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. Performances take place at Asbury Hall, 341 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.
Fidelio tells a timeless story of transcendent love and heroism. Leonore – the wife of a political prisoner – disguises herself as the young boy, Fidelio, in order to befriend her husband’s captors. When the moment is right, she fights for his freedom, at great personal risk. The production features both local and national talent and showcases the power of bel canto vocal technique. Two original cinematic interludes accompanying the instrumental overtures at the start of each act will broaden the visual depth of the unfolding drama. The opera will be fully staged with sets, costumes, and props. The opera will be sung in the original German with English supertitles and dialogues in English between musical numbers.
Cast Highlights:
● Leonore (alias Fidelio) – Soprano Amanda Santos (in her Sotto Voce debut)
● Florestan (Leonore’s husband) – Tenor Danny Leclerc (in his Sotto Voce debut)
● Rocco (a jailer) – Bass Tim Flynn (Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, March 2025; Sarastro in The Magic Flute, February 2024)
● Marzelline (Rocco’s daughter) – Soprano Jessie Downs (Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, March 2025; Suor Angelica in Suor Angelica, June 2024; Pamina in The Magic Flute, February 2024)
● Jaquino (Marzelline’s suitor) – Tenor Robert Flora (in his Sotto Voce debut)
This production marks Sotto Voce’s third collaboration with conductor Mason Cancilla and will serve as the capstone of Avanti’s 3rd Annual Buffalo Beethoven Festival.
Sotto Voce is a collectively run opera company based in Buffalo. Sotto Voce’s mission is to celebrate the power of the human voice, collaborate across artistic disciplines, and present music drama in innovative performance contexts that reimagine familiar stories and bring to life new ones. Its repertoire consists of both canonical and new dramatic vocal works.
Avanti is a group of dedicated musicians ranging from amateur to professional. Together, they form an ensemble, whose repertoire spans the Baroque through the Modern. Avanti is also dedicated to aiding in the development of young local soloists and composers.
More information and tickets at https://sottovocevocalcollective.com/events.