January 7, 1989: Die Fledermaus in Oslo

1989-01-07 Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauss), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Dr. Falke = Terje Stensvold
Alfred = Ragnar Ulfung
Adele = Solveig Kringlebotn
Rosalinde = Helena Döse
Eisenstein = Arild Helleland
Dr. Blind = Tor Gilje
Frank = Stein Arild Thorsen
Orlovski = Vesla Tveten
Ida = Gro Hundvin Eliassen
Frosch = Rolv Wesenlund

Zdenka Perharda, conductor




19 years after the performance, I say:

This operetta, The Bat (Die Fledermaus) is often played on New Years Eve or Day. Afterall it has a tune for Champagner as the King of Wine. This production was known for having Rolv Wesenlund, the famouse Norwegian comedian as Frosch. He is famous in Norway and Sweden. The old tenor master, Ragnar Ulfung sang Alfred and Swedish soprano Helena Döse was his wife. The new and now famous Norwegian soprano, Solveig Kringlebotn (or Solveig Kringelborn as she is called when she sings outside Scandinavia) was a wonderul Adele.

The operetta was upgraded to be set in the 1930's. Something that neither harmed it or enhanced it.

OD Travel

September 23, 2007: Fledermaus in Berlin

2007-09-23 Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauß), Komische Oper Berlin

Gabriel von Eisenstein = Klaus Kuttler
Rosalinde = Gun-Brit Barkmin
Frank = Martin Winkler
Prinz Orlofsky = Karolina Gumos
Alfred = Christoph Späth
Dr. Falke = Günter Papendell
Dr. Blind = Thomas Ebenstein
Adele = Natalie Karl
Ida = Saskia Krispin
Frosch = Peter Renz

Die Fledermaus



Komische Operette in drei Akten von Johann Strauß
Libretto von Richard Genée
So | 23.09.2007 | 19:00 Uhr
Premiere



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13. Januar
27. | 27. Juli

Musikalische Leitung ... Markus Poschner
Inszenierung ... Andreas Homoki
Ausstattung ... Wolfgang Gussmann
Chöre ... Robert Heimann
Lichtgestaltung ... Franck Evin



The Critics were not convinced by this production. "Too much laughs on the stage, not so much from the audience". The Regisseur has taken the operetta too serious, not enough Champagner-sprudl, only Sekt (no real Champagne).

First I loved it then I didn't. Intermission between act 2 and 3 said the program. But in reality it was in the middle of act 2. Which did in a way make sense and too the ball room from the drunken mind of Eisenstein was also a good idea. But then the prison scene was still a ballroom with all the furniture fallen down, it did not make sense. The newspapers did not like how Frosch was reduced to a nobody, no good comedy/comedian there. And the end was too cynic for an operetta. With Adele back as a chamber maid and Eisenstein to jail and Rosalinde with her Alfredo having supee at Eisenstein home. Too cynic.

The Orlofsky was just someone from the opera ballet dressed up to be a nobleman from Russia. Adele was just a joke to the people at this "ball". This was supposed to be a more tradional Fledermaus but really it was still REGIE-Theater where the regisseur just impose his ideas to an opera/operetta.

Singing was good. They were not really good in dialogue, could not hear every word. Acting good. But this was an operetta without brio...

Original blog post
OD Travel

July 24, 1985: Fledermaus in Vienna (Volksoper in der Staatsoper)

1985-07-24 Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauss), Wiener Staatsoper

Gabriel von Eisenstein, Rentier = Harald Serafin
Rosalinde, seine Frau = Mirjana Irosch
Frank, Gefangnisdirektor = Karl Dönch
Prinz Orlofsky = Claudia Eder
Alfred, Gesangslehrer = Richard Karczykowski
Dr. Falke, Notar = Russell Smythe
Dr. Blind, Advokat = Heinz Hellberg
Adele, Stubenmädchen = Ilonka Szep
Ida, ihre Schwester = Guggi Löwinger
Frosch, Gerichtsdiener = Ossy Kolmann

Franz Bauer- Theussl, conductor

The Wiener Volksoper in the State Opera. The difference with Volksoper and Staatsoper is not just the ticket price, it is status, and it is repertory and language. Volksoper gives operetta and opera in German language. The Staatsoper gives opera in the original language, it was not always so but always was Staatsoper big brother and Volksoper little brother. In recent years only Jánácek's Jenufa was played in Staatsoper in another language as the original (Czech) in German.

And also in Fledermaus we couldn't understand the Austrian jokes. But it was wonderful.

OD Travel

May 14, 1999: Die Fledermaus in Vienna 1999

1999-05-14 Die Fledermaus (J. Strauss), Theater an der Wien

Gabriel von Eisenstein = Wolfgang Brendel
Rosalinde, his wife = Silvana Dussmann
Prince Orlofsky = Agnes Baltsa
Alfred, voice coach = Herbert Lippert
Dr. Falke, notary = Olaf Bär
Dr. Blind, barrister = Ernst-Dieter Suttheimer
Frank, prison director = Anton Scharinger
Adele, Rosalinde's maid = Isabel Rey
Ida, her sister = Mercedes Echerer
Frosch, court usher = Erwin Steinhauer

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor


Wiener Festwochen 1999

Die Fledermaus (The Bat)
by Johann Strauss
Libretto and lyrics by C. Haffner and R.
Genée based on the vaudeville "Réveillon"
by Meilhac and Halévy


New production
Joint production of Vienna Festival and Zurich Opera

Musical director: Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Director: Jürgen Flimm
Stage design: Dieter Flimm
Costumes: Birgit Hutter
Choreography: Catharina Lühr



Vienna Symphonic Orchestra
Arnold Schoenberg Choir



Venue: Theater an der Wien
Premiere: 8 May (Televised ORF)
Additional performances: 10, 12, 14, 16 May
19.00 - 22.30

(Interesting that no audience is alike.)

Brava, Agnes Baltsa!
Brava, Isabel Rey!
Brava, Silvana Dussmann!

OD Travel + Photos

May 12, 1999: Die Fledermaus in Vienna

1999-05-12 Die Fledernaus (J. Strauss), Theater an der Wien

Gabriel von Eisenstein = Wolfgang Brendel
Rosalinde, his wife = Silvana Dussmann
Prince Orlofsky = Agnes Baltsa
Alfred, voice coach = Herbert Lippert
Dr. Falke, notary = Olaf Bär
Dr. Blind, barrister = Ernst-Dieter Suttheimer
Frank, prison director = Anton Scharinger
Adele, Rosalinde's maid = Isabel Rey
Ida, her sister = Mercedes Echerer
Frosch, court usher = Erwin Steinhauer

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor

Wiener Festwochen1999

Die Fledermaus (The Bat)
by Johann Strauss
Libretto and lyrics by C. Haffner and R.
Genée based on the vaudeville "Réveillon"
by Meilhac and Halévy


New production
Joint production of Vienna Festival and Zurich Opera

Musical director: Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Director: Jürgen Flimm
Stage design: Dieter Flimm
Costumes: Birgit Hutter
Choreography: Catharina Lühr


Vienna Symphonic Orchestra
Arnold Schoenberg Choir

Frank, prison director = Anton Scharinger
Adele, Rosalinde's maid = Isabel Rey
Ida, her sister = Mercedes Echerer
Frosch, court usher = Erwin Steinhauer

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor
Theater an der Wien
DIE FLEDERMAUS
Prinz Orlofsky = Agnes Baltsa
Adele = Isabel Rey

The Spanish Soprano Isabel Rey (she lives in Zurich) is Adele, a Wienerin. The Greek Mezzo Agnes Baltsa (who also live in Switzerland) is Orlovsky from Russia. Isabel Rey is everything one wants Adele to be, she knows comedy and have a strong sense of language (German, naturally). Act 1 belongs to Isabel Rey. Then in act 2 comes Orlofsky Ball, and when Orlovsky and Adele, who is presented as Fräulein Olga (from Russia), wants to be a singer and sings a line from "Pres de remparts de Seville" and then Prinz Baltsa repeats it, to the great enjoyment of the house.
Act 3 starts with a boring Frosch, interesting for the Viennese, but not for me. Only Isabel Rey is good in this act, when Baltsa comes, then it is a good end of this operetta.

OD Travel + Photos