Strauss J. Die Fledermaus

Listen to the Music & Opera playlist : 

THE BAT, THE PINNACLE OF VIENNESE OPERETTA

Composed in just forty-two days by the great Viennese composer Johann Strauss in 1874, Die Fledermaus is an operetta which, despite its modest beginnings, is today recognised as one of the masterpieces of the genre. It wasn't until 1904 that the operetta finally found its audience, but since then it has made a name for itself through its musical refinement and orchestral innovations. The lively, playful overture and the famous waltz in Act II are moments of unparalleled grandeur, symbols of the festive and brilliant spirit of Vienna at the time.

The action takes place during a night of madness in elegant, carefree Vienna. At the heart of the plot, Dr Falke, once ridiculed by his friend Eisenstein at a fancy dress party, plots a delicious revenge. He convinces Eisenstein, a fickle husband, to go to a ball organised by the mysterious Prince Orlofsky. There, under the masks and in the whirl of the waltzes, Eisenstein finds himself intoxicated by the charms of a woman he believes to be a stranger, but who is none other than his own wife, Rosalinde, disguised for the occasion. The misunderstanding, orchestrated with finesse and humour, gives way to a series of twists and turns in which identities are revealed, leading to a cascade of comic misunderstandings.