Overview
Synopsis
On New Year’s Eve, Eisenstein is being forced to go to jail for punching a police officer, however decides to evade jail for one night so that he can go to Prince Orlofsky’s lavish party. Eisenstein wants to go with his friend Falke, so he tells his wife, Rosalinde, that he is heading off to jail. Meanwhile, Rosalinde knows that Eisenstein is lying, and follows him, in disguise as a Hungarian countess to the ball. Adele, their maid, also feigns an excuse to be released from work that night so that she can also go to the ball, disguised as a Russian actress named, Olga. After many mistaken identities, Eisenstein attempts to seduce his own wife without knowing. Much frivolity, and many festivities behind them, the great farce ends up with a happy ending for all.
Show Information
- Book
- Karl Haffner , Richard Genée
- Music
- Johann Strauss II
- Category
- Operetta
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1874
- Genres
- Comedy, Farce
- Settings
- Multiple Settings, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- new year’s eve, 1899, vienna, austria
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Small
- Dancing
- Musical Staging
- Ideal For
- Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Johann Strauss had already become famous for his dance music, most notably his waltzes, and Die Fledermaus is one of his most famous operettas, often included in seasons as a holiday special. Originally a German play by Julius Roderich Benedix called Das Geflangnis (The Prison). Another version of the play was a French version by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy that was performed as a French vaudeville. This translation was translated into German by Karl Haffner, to be performed as a play.
to read the context for Die Fledermaus and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act I
On New Year’s Eve, Alfred, a tenor, sings to Rosalinde, his old lover and now married to Eisenstein, outside her window. Adele, Rosalinde and Eisenstein’s maid, is trying to plan to get the night off so that she may go to a ball with her sister, Ida. When Rosalinde enters, Adele pretends to have received a letter from her sick Aunt who needs help, but Rosalinde does not allow her to leave. Disappointed, Adele storms off. Alfred enters the home and loudly declares his love for
to read the plot for Die Fledermaus and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
|
Songs
Overture
Act I
- No. 1: Introduction: Täubchen das entflattert ist… Ach, ich darf nicht hin zu ihr (Alfred, Adele, Rosalinde)
- No. 2: Trio: Nein, mit solchen Advocaten (Rosalinde, Eisenstein, Blind)
- No. 3: Duet: Komm mit mir zum Souper (Falke, Eisenstein)
- No. 4: Trio: So muss allein ich bleiben (Rosalinde, Eisenstein, Adele)
- No. 5: Finale: Trinke, Liebchen (Rosalinde, Alfred, Frank)... Herr, was dächten sie von mir (Alfred, Rosalinde, Frank)...Nein, nein, ich zweifle gar nicht mehr (Frank, Rosalinde, Alfred)
Act II
- No. 6: Entr’act and Chorus: Ein Souper heut’ uns winkt (Chorus)
- No. 7: Couplets: Ich lade gern mir Gäste ein (Orlofsky)
- No. 8: Ensemble and Couplets: Ach, meine Herrn und Damen (Orlofsky, Falke, Adele, Eisenstein, Chorus)
- No. 9: Duet: Dieser Anstand, so manierlich (Rosalinde, Eisenstein)
- No. 10: Csardas: Klänge der Heimath (Rosalinde)
- No. 11: Finale: Im Feuerstrom der Reben (Orlofsky, Eisenstein, Adele, Rosalinde, Frank, Falke, Ida, Chorus)
Act III
- No. 12: Entr’act
- No. 13: Melodram (Frank)
- No. 14: Couplets: Spiel’ ich die Unschuld vom Lande (Adele, Ida, Frank)
- No. 15: Trio: Ich stehe voll Zagen (Rosalinde, Alfred, Eisenstein)
- No. 16: Finale: O Fledermaus! (Tutti)
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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Scenes
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