|
Title |
|
Die Fledermaus (The Bat) |
| Composer |
|
Johann Strauss Jr. (1825
- 1899) |
| Librettists |
|
Haffner and Genée. Libretto based on a play by Henri Meilhac
and Ludovic Halévy, Le Réveillon |
| Genre |
|
Light opera in three acts. |
|
First performance |
|
5th April, 1874, Theater an der Wien, Vienna. |
| Time of
action |
|
About 1870. |
| Place of action |
|
- A living room
- A ball room
- Office of prison-governor
|
| Main parts |
|
| Von
Eisenstein |
tenor or
high baritone |
| Rosalinde,
his wife |
soprano |
| Frank |
bass-baritone |
| Orlofsky |
mezzo-soprano
(trousers-rôle) |
| Alfred |
tenor |
| Falke |
baritone |
| Adele |
colorature-soprano |
| Frosch |
spoken rôle |
|
|
Prominence of chorus |
|
The main task of the chorus is in act II, at
Orlofsky's ball. It also figures in the finale of act III. So its
contribution is limited, but what it has to sing is of great beauty. |
|
Orchestra |
|
2 flutes,
2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons,
4 French horns, 2 trumpets, 3
trombones, harp, kettle-drums, percussion, strings.. |
|
Special demands |
|
A good orchestra is essential. The parts of
Rosalind (Csardas!) and Adele (florid passages) require trained voices. |
|
Full score and orchestral parts |
|
Available. |
|
Level |
|
The chorus parts are not difficult, but the
soloists' are. |
|
Length |
|
About 2½
hours. |
| Music |
|
Die Fledermaus presents a wealth of melody and
harmony unparalleled in light opera and is deservedly nicknamed "the Queen
of operettas". Many of its numbers, both orchestral and vocal, have
achieved lasting popularity. It is a masterpiece of music. |
| Story |
|
A wealthy
gentleman named Von Eisenstein is to serve a prison-sentence for contempt of
the law.
His friend Falke
persuades him to attend a masked ball at the palace of the Russian prince
Orlofsky on
the eve of the day when he is due to report at the prison. After he has
left home his wife Rosalind is visited by her former lover Alfred.
Unfortunately, the governor of the prison has decided to go and fetch
Eisenstein at his home and personally accompany him to prison. When he
finds Rosalind in the company of Alfred, he assumes that the latter is
Rosalind’s husband. In order to avoid a scandal Alfred decides to take
Eisenstein’s place in prison. At the ball all the main persons (Alfred
excepted) meet:
Rosalind disguised as a Hungarian countess, the Eisensteins’ servant Adele
dressed up in a gown of her lady’s, the Governor as “Chevalier Chargrin” and
Eisenstein as the “Marquis De Renard”. All this has been plotted by Falke in
order to take revenge on Eisenstein, who once, after a masked ball,
abandoned him in a public park dressed up as a bat. Eistenstein is furious
when he finds out that his wife has received Alfred but is made to eat
humble pie when she shows him the watch that the “Hungarian
countess” has tricked out of him at the Orlofsky ball.
The amusing
plot is derived from a play by Offenbach’s librettists Meilhac and Halévy.
|
|
Costumes |
|
Costumes for the chorus as guests at the ball,
and servants. |
