Organization

Conductor

Karl Böhm

Stage director

Otto Schenk

Set designer

Jan Schlubach

Costume designer

Barbara Bilabel

Singer

Soprano

Gundula Janowitz

Rosalinde

Tenor

Bernard Richter

Gabriel of Eisenstein

Renate Holm

Adele

Waldemar Kmentt

Alfred

Spoken

Frosch

Baritone

Heinz Holecek

Doctor Falke

Wiener Staatsoper

Orchestra

Wiener Philharmoniker

Others

Chor der Wiener Staatsoper

Die Fledermaus -  (The Bat)

Vienna

Austria

Vienna, 19th century. Gabriel von Eisenstein has to serve several days in prison for insulting officials. When he says goodbye to his wife Rosalinde, his friend Dr. Falcon. The latter suggests that he go to prison later and that he should accompany him to a party at Prince Orlofsky's palace beforehand. Eisenstein is delighted. He doesn't know that Falke is only luring him to the festival to take revenge on him. Because at the carnival, Eisenstein had exposed the falcon disguised as a bat to ridicule. Other guests and chess pieces in Falke's plan are Adele, Eisenstein's chambermaid, prison warden Frank and last but not least Rosalinde. Disguised as a Hungarian countess, she turns her unsuspecting husband's head. However, Alfred, an admirer of Rosalinde, who was mistakenly arrested instead of Eisenstein, adding to the confusion. But the next morning everything is resolved - the party appears in prison and reveals the real culprit - the champagne!
"Otto Schenk's madhouse revealed how funny 'Die Fledermaus' can be and how operettas can be brought to the screen" (Süddeutsche Zeitung).
"Schenk delivered an elegant, graceful, artful screen version... [He] supplemented the dialogues, that is: events were more precisely motivated, and he contributed deliciously funny twists. He staged - a real delight the stage design in the style of the founding years - extremely agile, demanded chamber play nuances from the singers. Each passage was highly musically formed, facial expressions and gestures were savored with every taste and wonderful ideas" (Münchner Merkur).

Die Fledermaus Strauss II,J

Public

The Bat

Approved

The Bat by Strauss II, From (1972/1972), Directed by Otto Schenk,, Conductor Karl Böhm

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Program, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues