In 1800 Beethoven was still considered an outsider in Vienna, trying to establish his reputation at court. The ballet The Creatures of Prometheus was his first important commission for the Viennese Court Theater. It was premiered in March of 1801 and achieved a moderate success, receiving 20 performances in its first season, 13 in the second and none thereafter.

The Prometheus myth is among the most central to Ancient Greek religion. Prometheus stole fire from the gods for the eternal benefit and promotion of humankind, the so-called “creatures” in the title. He subsequently went on to trick Zeus into accepting sacrifices of the inedible parts of animals, leaving the rest for human consumption. As punishment, Zeus had him chained to a desolate rock where by day a raptor devoured his liver, which regenerated at night. The ballet, on the other hand, portrays a man and woman receiving artistic and technological gifts from various gods whom Prometheus introduces them to – presumably before Zeus finds out. No hint of the raptor.

The complete ballet consisted of an introduction and 16 numbers, but the Overture quickly acquired an independent life, appearing in print in 1804. It is the only part of the ballet generally performed today, although complete recordings do exist. Choreographed performances are also extremely rare. The Overture is rooted in the eighteenth- century tradition – a slow introduction plus an Allegro – with little relevance to the ballet as a whole.

One of the stunning aspects of the Overture, however, is its opening, whose four emphatic chords leave listeners in doubt about the key of the piece. When Beethoven tried the same trick in the First Symphony, his audience was scandalized. They soon got used, and celebrated the composer’s innovations. Unfortunately, the rigid conventions of Viennese theater did not agree with Beethoven’s rebellious spirit, and no other commissions for ballets came his way.