The libretto, by Giovanni Schmidt, is based on Léonore, ou L'amour conjugal (1794) by Jean-Nicolas Bouilly, which was also the source of Beethoven's Fidelio.

Leonora was first performed at the Kleines Kurfürstliches Theater, Dresden, on 3 October 1804 with the composer's wife singing the title role.

Leonora disguises herself as a man in order to infiltrate the prison where her husband, Florestano, is being held by his enemy, Don Pizarro.

Probably the first performance since then was given at Schwetzingen in 1976 under Peter Maag, who had discovered the score in Parma, Paer's birthplace.

Soloists were: Carson/Casula/Jerusalem/Frusoni/Stavrù/Luccardi/Tadeo-G.[2] Two years later (1978) Decca made a studio recording, also under Maag: Koszut/Gruberová/van Kesteren/Jerusalem/Orth/Brendel/Tadeo-G with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.