In 1949, 13 letters from Beethoven to the widow Countess Josephine Deym, alias Brunswick, were found. It seems that they had been close friends since 1804. The letters reflect that Beethoven must have been very much in love with her.
"...A private grief robbed me for a long time of my usual energy and then my feelings of love towards you became strong.... When we shall be together again, alone, you shall hear all about my sorrows and the struggle I had to suffer with myself between life and death...I despaired of ever achieving any happiness during life on this earth...but now things are now much better: I have won your heart.... All the best wishes, my heart's angel. "
@First Leonore Performance@2
After many non-musical problems, such as censorship and the fall of Vienna to the French troops (who arrived and filled the theater), the first performance of Beethoven's opera "Leonore", was given. The opera was played only three times and then stopped for quite a long time, until the composer had made many changes. At last it achieved its definitive form as "Fidelio", eight years later.
