Die Fledermaus - Spring Branch ISD

Student Performance Study Guide
Die Fledermaus (The Bat )
Johann Strauss II (1825–99)
Libretto by Carl Haffner and Richard Genée
Welcome
Welcome to HGO’s 2013 student performances of Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II, the Waltz
King. This rollicking comedy of masked deceptions and revenge, set to beautiful waltzes and lyrical
singing from 1874 Vienna and set in 1930s Manhattan, is a Houston Grand Opera main-stage
opera adapted for student matinees in a two-hour version on November 5 and November 8. It is
also presented in its entirety for high school students at High School Night on November 6.
The student performance principals are artists from Houston Grand Opera’s prestigious Studio
program (read more about the Studio program on page 6). The chorus, orchestra, and “supers”
are those that are performing with the original cast. The conductor is a former HGO music staff
member.
HGOco, Houston Grand Opera’s unique initiative to connect the company to our community,
believes in education. To complement classroom strategies, artist integration, and music
appreciation, HGOco has designed a series of learning tools for teachers, parents, youth, and new
audiences.
• Study Guide: a curriculum-based study guide to help prepare students and teachers for Die
Fledermaus as well as a series of arts integrated core curriculum activities available online.
(HGO.org/studentperformances)
• Professional Development Workshop: October 23, 2013 at 6 p.m. (for more information
see the inside back cover or visit HGO.org/teacherworkshops)
•Docent Program: upon request, HGOco will provide a free Die Fledermaus presentation, led
by an HGO docent, at your school.
Now, sit back and enjoy your Houston Grand Opera experience at the beautiful Brown Theater at
the Wortham Theater Center.
Sandra Bernhard
Director of HGOco
Houston Grand Opera
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
1
Table of Contents
3
Opera 101
4
Attending the Opera
5
About Die Fledermaus and Characters
6
Cast
7
Synopsis
8
The Genre, the People, the Place, and its Effects
10
Making Opera Relevant: Updating Fledermaus to 1930s Manhattan
11
Listening Guide
14
Vocabulary
15
Discussion Topics and Exploration
16
Upcoming Events
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
2
Opera 101
What is Opera?
The term “opera” comes from the Italian word for “work” or
“piece,” and it is usually applied to the European tradition of
grand opera. Opera is a form of storytelling that incorporates
music, drama, and design.
Though its origins date back to ancient Greece, the form of
opera we are familiar with today started in the late sixteenth
century in Florence, Italy. Count Giovanni de’ Bardi was a
patron and host to a group of intellectuals, poets, artists,
scientists, and humanists including Giulio Caccini
and Vincenzo Galilei (father to the astronomer and scientist
Galileo Galilei, who was most famous for his improvements
to the telescope). These individuals explored trends in
the arts, focusing on music and drama in particular. They
were unified in their belief that the arts had become
over-embellished and that returning to the transparency
of the music of the ancient Greeks which incorporated
speech, song, and a chorus to further the plot and provide
commentary on the action would present a more pure,
natural, and powerful way to tell stories and express emotions.
The first opera, Dafne, about a nymph who fled from Apollo
and was subsequently transformed by the gods into a laurel
tree, was composed by Jacopo Peri in 1597. From then on,
the early operas recreated Greek tragedies with mythological
themes. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,
topics expanded to include stories about royalty and everyday
people. Some operas were of a serious nature (called opera
seria) and some lighthearted (called opera buffa). Since then,
What are the differences between
operas, musicals, and plays?
Traditionally, operas are through-sung, meaning they are
sung from beginning to end with no dialogue in between.
Singers must have powerful voices in order to be heard
over the orchestra (the ensemble of instrumental
musicians that accompanies the dramatic action on
stage during an opera). Remember: opera singers don’t
use microphones!
Musicals are a combination of dialogue and sung pieces
and often include choreographed numbers. The singers
often use microphones and are accompanied by a pit
band that includes more modern instruments, such as a
drum kit, guitar, and electronic instruments.
Plays are primarily spoken works of theater with
minimal singing or music.
There are always exceptions to the rule: though Les
Misérables is through-sung, it is still classified as a
piece of musical theater because of its style of music.
By the same token, some operas, like Mozart’s The
Magic Flute, have spoken dialogue in addition to singing.
operas have been written on a wide variety of topics such as
cultural clashes (Madame Butterfly), comedic farce (The Barber
of Seville), politicians on foreign visits (Nixon in China), and
children’s stories (The Little Prince), to name a few.
Attending the Opera
Make the most of your experience
Welcome to the Brown Theater at the Wortham
Theater Center.
So you’re headed to the opera, and there are a few questions
on your mind. What do I wear? Can I take photos of the
performance? How will I understand it—isn’t opera in
another language?! Relax! Here are a few tips on how to get
the most out of your opera experience.
First, there’s the question of what to wear. Some people
think of the opera and imagine the entire audience decked
out in ballgowns and tuxes, but that’s just not the case!
People wear all sorts of things to the opera—jeans, dress
pants, cocktail dresses, suits, etc. The important thing is to
be comfortable and show personal flair. Wear something
that makes you feel good, whether it be jeans or your nicest
tie, and grab a sweater before you leave home—the air
conditioning can be a bit chilly.
Chimes ring throughout the lobby starting ten minutes
before the performance, reminding everyone to get to their
seats. Head towards the door noted on your ticket, grab a
program from the usher, and find your designated seat. Be
sure to turn off your cell phone—the hall is built to carry
sound, so small sounds travel farther than you may think. If
you’d like to get a picture of yourself and your friends at the
opera, do so now—photography is not permitted once
the performance begins. A camera flash is very distracting to
the performers, who are working hard to stay focused and in
character.
As the lights go down and the audience quiets, listen
carefully. Whatever little bit of outdoor sound you might
have heard in the lobby (a siren passing, a honking horn) has
been virtually eliminated here. Not a peep! That’s because
the auditorium is physically separated from the outside and
the ground below, making for the best acoustic experience
possible.
Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the opera! You’ll notice
a horizontal screen above the stage: that’s where the English
translation of the opera is projected—even if the opera is
being sung in English, as with these performances of Die
Fledermaus. HGO was among the first opera companies to
adopt this practice, which has revolutionized opera stages
around the world by making opera more accessible.
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
Make sure to show
Fun Fact
your appreciation
to the performers
The Student Matinees are 2 hours
by laughing at
in length. Stay in your seat during
humorous bits or
intermission for a “backstage tour.”
applauding after a
well-performed aria.
If a performer has pulled off some particularly impressive
vocal fireworks, it’s absolutely acceptable to yell out your
appreciation in addition to applause. You may hear your
fellow audience members shouting “bravo!” for a man,
“brava!” for a woman, or “bravi!” for a group of performers.
Feel free to join in!
Published with the permission of the Canadian Opera Company. Written by
Vanessa Smith, COC School Programs Manager.
“When do I applaud?”
There’s no hard and fast answer. The etiquette depends on the
kind of music being performed. When in doubt, just applaud
when everyone else does. There are certain set arias or songs
within almost every piece that audiences recognize, but often,
4
since the music is continuous, there is no real spot for applause.
About Die Fledermaus
Die Fledermaus, Johann Strauss’s greatest operetta, portrays a
late-nineteenth-century Vienna of loose morals and decadent
parties. Johann Strauss II (1825–99) was the most popular
composer of his day—something of a rock star. His buoyant
operettas and genial waltzes enraptured audiences and enabled
him to accumulate far more wealth than his more serious
colleagues, Wagner and Verdi, whose music he often parodied.
Die Fledermaus, through compositional wit and musical
vitality, has transcended its operetta origins to become an
acknowledged cornerstone of the operatic repertoire.
Background
The story of Die Fledermaus is based primarily on two sources,
Das Gefängnis (The Prison) by German playwright Julius
Roderich Benedix, and the French vaudeville play Le réveillon
by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. It is probably the
translation of Le réveillon into German by Carl Haffner that
acted as the immediate impetus for Die Fledermaus, with the
French custom of the réveillon (midnight dinner party) being
replaced by a Viennese ball. There are two rumors attached to
the composition and premiere of Die Fledermaus that persist:
the first is that the work was composed in forty-two days, and
the second is that the work was such a failure initially that it
was canceled after sixteen performances. It is true that Strauss
sketched out the work in six weeks, but it took six months
from the start of composition to the start of production—
meaning the work must have taken much longer than fortytwo days to compose. And the work wasn’t really canceled
after sixteen performances: it was only halted temporarily
because of a pre-booked run by a visiting opera company at
the Theater an der Wien, after which performances of Die
Fledermaus promptly resumed.
Characters
Name
Gabriel Eisenstein
Rosalinde
Superintendent Frank
Prince Orlovsky
Alfredo
Dr. Falke
Blind
Adele
Ida
Frosch
Description
Man of private means
Eisenstein’s wife
Prison warden
A wealthy Russian
Orlovsky’s singing teacher and
Rosalinde’s former boyfriend
Notary
Eisenstein’s lawyer
Rosalinde’s maid
Adele’s sister
Jail guard
Voice Type
Tenor
Soprano
Baritone
Mezzo-soprano
Tenor
Pronunciation
EYE-zen-shtine
rose-ah-LEEN-dah
frAHnk
or-LAHV-skee
al-FREH-doh
Baritone
Tenor
Soprano
Soprano
Speaking role
FAL-kuh
blint (short “i” as in squint)
ah-DELL
EE-dah
frosh
Published with the permission of the Canadian Opera Company. Written by
Carly Anderson, former COC Children and Youth Programs Manager.
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
5
Student Performance Cast and Creative Team
Adele
Andrea Carroll †
Alfredo
Scott Quinn †
Rosalinde
Natalya Romaniw †
Bellboy/Head Waiter/Frosch
Jason Graae
Gabriel Eisenstein
Kevin Ray †
Blind
Reginald Smith Jr. *†
Dr. Falke
Samuel Schultz
Superintendent Frank
Michael Sumuel ‡
Prince Orlovsky
Carolyn Sproule †
Ida
Uliana Alexyuk *†
Fred Astaire
Phillip Broomhead *
Ginger Rogers
Krissy Richmond
Conductor
Craig Kier
Director
Lindy Hume
Set Designer
Richard Roberts
Costume Designer
Angus Strathie
Lighting Designer
Michael James Clark
Choreographer/ Associate Director
Daniel Pelzig
Michelle Beale and Dick Anderson Fellow
Dr. Ellen R. Gritz and Mr. Milton D. Rosenau Jr. Fellow
Joanie and Don Haley/Nancy and Ted Haywood Fellow
Melinda and William Brunger/Lynn Guggolz Fellow
Mr. and Mrs. Harlan C. Stai, Terrell Tone Owen Memorial Endowed
Fund at the Community Foundation of Abilene Endowed Fellow
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas D. Barrow Fellow
Beth Madison Fellow
* Houston Grand Opera debut
† Houston Grand Opera Studio artist
‡ Former Houston Grand Opera Studio artist
The Houston Grand Opera Studio is one of the most highly respected young artist programs in the country. For
more than thirty years it has served young singers and pianist/coaches, providing a bridge between full-time training
and full-fledged operatic careers. Each year after an exhaustive nationwide search, a hand-selected group of talented
individuals is brought here to Houston to work alongside the best in the business at Houston Grand Opera. In
main-stage productions and at other less traditional venues, these artists hone their craft as singing actors. During
a residency of up to three years, each performer receives customized training from an expert team while gaining
invaluable performance experience at the highest level.
Alumni of the Studio perform at the best opera houses all around the world—but internationally renowned artists
such as Joyce DiDonato, Scott Hendricks, and Ana María Martínez still regularly return to their home stage at the
Wortham Theater Center, back to the audiences who watched them bloom in the springtime of their careers.
Synopsis
ACT I
Alfredo, a vagabond tenor, is still in love with his old flame, Rosalinde, now Gabriel Eisenstein’s wife. Outside Eisenstein’s
house he serenades Rosalinde, who immediately recognizes his beautiful voice. Rosalinde’s maid, Adele, anxious to go to a
masked ball with her sister, Ida, coyly asks her mistress for a night off to visit her “sick aunt,” but Rosalinde refuses. Alfredo
enters to woo Rosalinde, but she insists that he leave for fear her husband will come home. Eisenstein and his lawyer, the
stuttering, incompetent Blind, arrive from a session in court. Eisenstein has been sentenced to eight days in jail for talking
back to a government official and blames his sentence on Blind. Angrily vowing revenge, Blind leaves and Dr. Falke enters to
invite Eisenstein to a masquerade. Here, Falke says temptingly, Eisenstein will meet the most beautiful girl in Vienna and have
a last fling before his jail term commences that evening. Actually, Falke intends to get revenge for a past practical joke. Once,
when the two friends were returning home from another masquerade, Eisenstein deposited the tipsy Falke, costumed as a bat,
on a park bench. He awakened the next day to the jeers of a crowd who dubbed him Dr. Fledermaus (Dr. Bat). Eisenstein is
due at the jail in one hour, but Falke convinces him to pretend to go to jail and attend the ball instead, disguised as a marquis.
Rosalinde, in the meantime, has had second thoughts about Alfredo and plans a rendezvous. To assure their privacy, she allows
Adele to take the night off. Rosalinde receives a note from Falke telling her to attend the ball disguised as a Hungarian countess so
she may witness her husband “serving his term.” Rosalinde receives Alfredo, but their tête-à-tête is interrupted by the arrival
of Superintendent Frank, the jailer, who assumes Alfredo is Eisenstein. To save her reputation, Rosalinde persuades Alfredo to
pretend he is her husband, and the warden takes him off to jail.
INTERMISSION
ACT II
The party is in progress at Prince Orlovsky’s plush villa. Eisenstein, in disguise as the “Marquis Renard,” arrives and begins
to woo all the beautiful ladies. Eisenstein thinks he recognizes Adele, dressed as an actress in one of Rosalinde’s most elegant
gowns, but she laughs him off. Rosalinde arrives disguised as the Hungarian countess and is wooed by her own reeling
husband. With subterfuge, she secures his watch to hold as later proof of his philandering. Superintendent Frank also joins the
party in disguise. The gaiety continues until dawn. Eisenstein departs for jail followed by the tipsy jailer, who is still unaware of
Eisenstein’s true identity.
INTERMISSION
ACT III (presented at High School Night only)
Moments later at the jail, Frosch, another drunken jailer, tries to keep order among the inmates, who haven’t been able to sleep
due to Alfredo’s singing. Superintendent Frank arrives, still giddy with champagne, followed by Ida and Adele, who met him
at the party and hopes he might further her career as an actress. Frank, hearing a knock at the door, hides the two sisters in a
cell and admits Eisenstein, who has come to serve his sentence. The new prisoner is surprised to find his cell already occupied
by a man who calls himself Eisenstein and was found having supper with his wife. To better obtain an explanation from
the imposter, Eisenstein dons a legal robe and wig obtained from the recently arrived Blind. No sooner is he disguised than
Rosalinde hurries in to secure Alfredo’s release and begin divorce proceedings against her unfaithful husband. With Alfredo at
her side, she confides her flirtation to the “lawyer.” Enraged, Eisenstein reveals his identity and accuses his wife of infidelity,
at which point Rosalinde whips out the watch she has taken from him at the ball. Adele and Ida join them and the jail begins
to fill up—Prince Orlovsky and his guests have all come to see Falke’s revenge played out. Falke reveals his joke, and the
bewildered Eisenstein turns to Rosalinde, who embraces him in forgiveness. To celebrate the couple’s reconciliation, Orlovsky
and his guests sing a final toast to “Dr. Fledermaus” and “king champagne.”
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
7
The Genre, the People, the Place, and its Effects
Die Fledermaus (The Bat) was an immediate hit at its premiere
in Vienna in 1874. It was performed over 300 times at the
Theater an der Wien over the next 25 years, and was the very
first of Johann Strauss II’s operettas to be performed at the
Court Opera. Between 1896 and 1921, it was performed
nearly 12,000 times on German-language stages—more than
any other operetta at the time. By today’s standards, it was
like a very popular movie that everyone wanted to see.
What’s an operetta? Operetta is characterized by its
light music and subject matter compared to its musical
counterpart, opera. Most operettas lean toward sentimentality,
romance, comedy, and satire. By contrast, most operas—
with the exception of comic ones—are grandly dramatic
or melodramatic. Another rule of thumb is that in almost
all operas, everything is sung through—if you want to say
something, you’ll have to do it in song! In operetta there is
both speaking and singing, as in musical theater.
What’s the Theater an der Wien? The Theater an der Wien is
a historic theater located
in Vienna (Die Fledermaus
is set in Vienna). It was
completed more than
200 years ago in 1801,
and is still standing today.
As one of the oldest
theaters in Vienna, it has
seen the premieres of
many celebrated operatic
Theater an der Wien, Jacob Alt
and symphonic works,
painting, 1815.
including several of
Beethoven’s symphonies.
A Court Opera? It’s just what it sounds like: a beautiful
theater where works that were considered important were
attended by the entire household of the royal court, including
the higher and lower nobility, the clerics, ambassadors, and
ministers as well as important guests.
ABOUT THE
COMPOSER
Johann Strauss II was born in what is
present-day Vienna in 1825 to Johann
Strauss I, who was also a musician
and conductor of some renown in
Austria. In his teens, Strauss II became
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
a professional musician and played in several orchestras. At
age nineteen, he established himself as his father’s greatest
professional rival. Following his father’s death in 1849,
Strauss took over his father’s orchestras, which had become
a considerable business, requiring assistant conductors,
librarians, copyists, publicists, and booking agents for
European and world tours. During this time, Strauss
composed some of the most popular music of the day. His
music was sung in theaters, danced to at balls, and performed
in concert halls throughout Europe. He was even given the
nickname the “Waltz King” (also his father’s nickname),
because his waltzes were his most famous compositions and
greatest contribution to the musical repertoire. Strauss was
a musician who achieved a rare combination of fame and
financial reward from his orchestral performances and tours.
WHAT WAS VIENNA LIKE IN THE
1870s?
In the 1870s, right before the great stock market crash of
1873, Vienna was experiencing a period of extraordinary
economic growth. This surge was due in part to the rise and
development of the railway system and the continuing effects
of the Industrial Revolution. Not only did the railway make
building and selling easier, but it also made migration to
Vienna from rural areas more accessible. Over a few short
years, Vienna became the fourth-most-populated city in the
world. It was a time of great cultural output for the city—the
famous Ringstrasse Boulevard was built and became home to
many lavish and architecturally inspired public buildings and
mansions. All this underscored the grandeur and opulence of
Habsburg rule.
In the 1870s, Viennese theater owners were looking for a
work written within the Austrian state that would resonate
with its people. Theaters in Vienna wanted to reduce their
dependence on imported works, notably the popular—but
quite expensive—operettas of German-born French composer
Jacques Offenbach. But in 1873, the Viennese Stock
Exchange collapsed, resulting in major bank failures and a
freeze in lending that substantially affected the European and
American economies. (In fact, the subsequent depression
was referred to as “the Great Depression” until the financial
calamity of the 1930s!)
With economic panic in the air, Viennese theater directors
were keenly aware that something light and entertaining was
needed for the theater-going audience.
8
SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
The source of Die Fledermaus’s plot is generally attributed to
Roderich Benedix’s (1811–73) Das Gefängnis (The Prison), a
popular comedy about mistaken identities, which premiered
in Berlin in 1851. Twenty years later, the famous French
writers Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy adapted the nearly
forgotten play and produced it as a comedy in three acts at
the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris in 1872. Their title was
Le réveillon (The Party). The success of the Meilhac-Halévy
play inspired the Theater an der Wien to purchase rights to
it shortly thereafter. They commissioned Strauss to write the
music and enlisted the help of resident conductor Richard
Genée and playwright in-residence Carl Haffner to develop
the libretto (the words or text of the operetta).
WHY IS IT SO POPULAR?
Die Fledermaus satisfied the public’s desire for elegant,
danceable melodies that distracted them from the pressure
of contemporary economic circumstances. It was highly
comedic and showcased Strauss’s brilliance at writing catchy,
sparkling tunes. Yet Die Fledermaus wasn’t simply an exercise
in escapism.
The work is as much a homespun love story to Vienna as
it is a story about lust and mistaken identities. Those salon
settings and champagne choruses that made Die Fledermaus
famous were somewhat unusual for the genre. Operettas in
the nineteenth century were more likely to be set in a distant
time and place—medieval Germany or a fictional island—
than in any recognizable city. But Die Fledermaus sought to
represent Viennese identity amidst increased industrialization
and economic expansion, while serving up a pleasing tonic
to soothe an anxiety-gripped public in the wake of the 1873
crash. In managing to be at once topical and evasive about
unsettling social realities, Die Fledermaus struck a balance that
resonated with audiences and ensured it a lasting life.
Die Fledermaus continues to be popular more than 130 years
after its premiere. It is in the repertoire of many large opera
companies. In fact, it is among the most frequently performed
operettas in the world. The work is a time capsule of Vienna
at the fin de siècle (French for “end of century”), and its widely
appealing artistic qualities have garnered it much admiration
Fun Fact
In the nineteenth century, champagne production skyrocketed
to reach an output of 20 million bottles in 1850, compared to
300,000 bottles in 1800. That’s almost 67 times more! Clearly,
Strauss’s operetta assimilated something of Europe’s growing
appreciation
of the drink
by Guide
featuring it so prominently.
Die
Fledermaus
Study
and attention. It’s arguably Strauss’s best work in a long,
successful, and prolific career—and that’s saying something!
POINTS TO PONDER
Single room settings: Most of the operetta takes place in
single rooms—Eisenstein’s parlor, a room at Prince Orlovsky’s
party, and the jail. In contrast to other nineteenth-century
operettas, Die Fledermaus is set in the very place and time it
was written; this rejection of the foreign and fantastical in
favor of interior scenes might reflect the desire to retreat into
the home and family following the stock market crash of
1873. It was also cheaper for a theater to depict a room in a
private home than invest in an elaborate set design to present,
for instance, a magical forest.
Masked balls or Maskenfreiheit: Maskenfreiheit is the act of
remaining masked for the duration of a party, as Rosalinde
does when she impersonates a Hungarian countess at
Orlovsky’s ball. Masks allow for a sense of freedom that comes
from anonymity. Die Fledermaus satirizes the masked ball as a
venue for casual flirtation without any consequences.
The soubrette: Usually played by a young soprano, the
soubrette is a flirtatious maid role, frequently featured
in comedic operas and operettas including The Marriage
of Figaro (Susanna) and Don Giovanni (Zerlina). In Die
Fledermaus, Adele’s Laughing Song (see musical excerpt #3
on page 12) is an occasion for the servant to interact with her
employer as musical and social equals. The song has become a
benchmark of the soubrette repertoire.
Pants role: Refers to any male character portrayed by a female
singer, and whom the audience accepts as male. Roles are
determined by vocal range, and pants roles are a common
theatrical convention used to identify an adolescent or a
young man. In Die Fledermaus, Prince Orlovsky is a pants
role, and will be played in HGO’s student performances by
mezzo-soprano Carolyn Sproule.
THE WALTZ
The waltz was a musical form in triple time (think “oompa-pa” with the emphasis on the “oom”) that emerged in
regions like southern Germany, Austria, and Bohemia in the
eighteenth century. The name might derive from the German
walzen (“rolling”), which suggests the smooth danceability
of this particular musical style. Its evolution into a separate
dance form (dance steps and techniques set to waltz music)
was gradual. But the simplicity of the musical style and the
relatively uncomplicated dance steps propelled the waltz into
widespread popularity.
Published with the permission of the Canadian Opera Company. Written by
Carly Anderson, former COC Children and Youth Programs Manager.
9
Adapting Die Fledermaus
What you will see in HGO’s staging of Die Fledermaus is not
Vienna, but America. Director Lindy Hume explains why.
During the early 1870s, Vienna was the glamour capital of Europe, and therefore of the world. Waltzing to Strauss’s tunes
was patriotic and the craze for all strata of society. Money was plentiful, champagne a symbol of success and affluence, and
new building construction was everywhere throughout Vienna. Emperor Franz-Joseph showed off the city’s industrial strength
by pouring resources into the great Vienna Exhibition of 1873. Vienna was showing itself off as one of the great cities, but
underneath, the foundations of this Empire were extremely vulnerable...
The economic and social costs of the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71) were splintering the European economy, yet the reckless
spending on New Vienna continued. Eight days after the lavish opening of the Vienna Exhibition, confidence in the Vienna
Stock Exchange evaporated, and on Black Friday 1873 the Stock Market crashed. Fortunes were wiped out, many prominent
industrialists committed suicide, and the champagne set sobered up to deal with the hangover of reality.
There’s no doubt that Die Fledermaus is a period piece. However, Richard Roberts, Angus Strathie, and I agreed that there was
much more to be gained by bringing the action into the early twentieth century. Looking for a time and place for the action to
be set, we immediately fell on New York City in the early 1930s, as the parallels with Strauss’s Vienna were glaringly obvious:
• Society was reeling from shock, polarized after the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The rich were RICH and the
poor were POOR. While there were one million unemployed in New York City alone, reckless spending
and high living by the upper classes who had survived only thinly belied their real fear that they could lose
it any minute. A sense of desperation—“enjoy yourself now, the end of the world may be just around the
corner”— led to...
• An insatiable popular appetite for the scarce resources of optimism, escapism, and glamour; industrialized
and marketed by Hollywood. Movie musicals, a last flourish of extravagance, transported Americans to a
place where there was no recession or threat of war. A craze for romantic music and fabulous dancing,
theater, and parties was a spirited response to ugliness and depression. The perfect couple— Fred and
Ginger—danced with effortless grace to intoxicating orchestrations, becoming popular symbols of the 1930s.
• Emphasis was on city life, city wealth—new buildings, café society, night clubs. At the end of World War I,
New York City replaced Vienna as the intellectual center of the world, accepting many disenfranchised
European artists, entrepreneurs, and academics.
• The 1932 lifting of prohibition laws meant that the drinking of champagne was once again a fashion and
social statement among the “sophisticated” elite.
Moving the action forward gave the creative team a wealth of wonderful material to draw on in all areas: costumes, scenery,
choreography, comedy styles, architecture, and publicity. It is a delight to be influenced by the greats of Hollywood from
Groucho to Gershwin, and to concentrate on such delightful dilemmas as “should the Eisensteins have a Léger or a Mondrian
above the mantlepiece?”
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
10
Die Fledermaus: Listening Guide
In many ways, when it premiered, Die Fledermaus was the
first significant example of a new form of entertainment:
the Viennese operetta. During the mid-to-late nineteenth
century, it was Jacques Offenbach’s very French comic
operas that held the Viennese public in their thrall.
The management of the Theater an der Wien was on the
hunt for locally composed work to mount, and Strauss’s
popularity made him an ideal candidate. He resigned his
1
other positions (including the stewardship of the family
orchestra) and devoted the rest of his life to composing for
the stage.
Recording: Johann Strauss, Die Fledermaus. Bayerisches
Staatsorchester and Bayerischer Staatsopernchor under
Carlos Kleiber, conductor. With Hermann Prey, Julia
Varady, Lucia Popp, René Kollo, and Bernd Weikl.
Deutsche Grammophon, 457 7652.
MUSICAL EXCERPT
“Overture”
MUSICAL ELEMENTS AND SIGNIFICANCE
Very much in the tradition established by operatic composers such as Rossini, Strauss uses the overture to whet the audience’s
appetite for the piece they are about to hear and to put them in the appropriate mood. He begins with a brilliant fanfare of
three fast-rising chords that immediately command attention, setting a light-hearted, far-from-serious tone. Strauss typically
composed his operetta overtures as “preview” pieces, basing them on melodies from the operetta itself. In this case, most of the
thematic material comes from Act I, with the addition of the famous “Fledermaus Waltz” from the Act II finale (this begins
at 2:31). Remember that the waltz was Strauss’s specialty: he had already been crowned Vienna’s “Waltz King” long before
composing works for the stage, which he began to do rather late in life at the age of forty-five.
Following the frivolity of this waltz section, there is a change of tone at 3:40 when we hear a mournful oboe solo playing a
melody from one of Act I’s trios—the moment at which the heroine, Rosalinde, expresses tongue-in-cheek “sorrow” at the
prospect of her husband, Gabriel Eisenstein, leaving to serve his jail sentence. The mood and tempo picks up again at 4:47,
where Rosalinde’s mocking coloratura from the same Act I trio is echoed. Here, the quickly moving note passages indicate
that she is actually overjoyed at her husband’s departure, as it will allow her to be alone with her lover, Alfred. This section also
demonstrates a hallmark of Viennese operetta, which involves much flexibility in tempo. Listen how the music begins very
slowly and then gradually picks up speed to convey the characters’ excitement as they anticipate the fun they’ll have at Prince
Orlovsky’s ball.
Fun Fact
Coloratura derives from the Italian colorare
meaning “to color.” It is an ornamental type of
vocal music in which several notes are sung for
each syllable of the text.
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
11
2
MUSICAL EXCERPT
Act II, trio: “So muß allein ich bleiben” (I must remain alone then)
CONNECTION TO THE STORY
Rosalinde feigns sadness over her husband leaving for his prison sentence. Her maid Adele and husband Eisenstein share her
mood, though none are as broken up as they appear to be, since each is plotting to attend Prince Orlovsky’s ball.
MUSICAL ELEMENTS AND SIGNIFICANCE
As this “farewell trio” begins, we hear Rosalinde give voice to the same mournful melody introduced in instrumental form
during the overture. Strauss is very specific in his use of the oboe to accompany the vocal line here since its sad, haunting tone
is particularly suited to Rosalinde’s sentiment, however insincere it may be. When the tempo is kick-started at 1:23, the music
shifts from a minor (usually associated with a sadder mood) to a major key (happy!), and instead of a smooth vocal line, we get
a bouncing staccato tune that gradually accelerates to convey the characters’ anticipation of a fun night on the town. The toetapping rhythm in this section reminds us that first and foremost, Strauss was a writer of dance tunes and the key to the success
of his stage works is that they are “dance operettas” with many dance rhythms represented, especially the waltz.
When Adele sings “We’ll surely meet again!” at 2:49, the mock seriousness returns, but this time we hear a folk-like tune,
which is a departure from the more dramatic style of Rosalinde’s music at the trio’s start. The musical folksiness is in keeping
with Adele’s lower status as a servant and also serves as a reminder of operetta’s origins in the humbler German Singspiel
(literally, “song-play”).
3
MUSICAL EXCERPT
Act II, aria: “Mein Herr Marquis” (My dear Marquis), also known as the Laughing Song.
CONNECTION TO THE STORY
At Prince Orlovsky’s ball, Adele arrives dressed in one of Rosalinde’s gowns. Eisenstein (who is supposed to be in jail) is also at
the party. He recognizes Adele as his wife’s servant, but she denies it and ridicules Eisenstein for suggesting it.
MUSICAL ELEMENTS AND SIGNIFICANCE
Apart from the overture, this aria is probably the most well-known music from the operetta, a comic piece that offers plenty
of opportunity for both vocal display (high, staccato coloratura sections—listen at 1:01) and coy flirtatiousness. It is popularly
known as Adele’s Laughing Song due to its laughing refrain (repeated at 2:38 with extra vocal flourishes) which allows the
servant to make fun of the master to her heart’s content. Adele “performs” this piece for an audience at the party (you’ll hear
them clapping on the recording). After all, it is her ambition to become an actress, and having managed to escape her domestic
duties for one evening, she grabs the spotlight. There is also a subversive element to this little song—its light-hearted waltz
rhythm and fluffy coloratura sweeten its true purpose, which is a reversal of the servant/master roles, allowing Adele the
possibility of revealing her boss’s own duplicity.
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
12
4
MUSICAL EXCERPT
Act II, aria: Csárdás: “Klänge der Heimat” (Song of my homeland)
CONNECTION TO THE STORY
Rosalinde comes to the party disguised as a masked Hungarian countess and, to prove her ancestry, performs a fiery csárdás
(traditional Hungarian folkdance; pronounced char-dash).
MUSICAL ELEMENTS AND SIGNIFICANCE
The inclusion of this csárdás goes well beyond propping up Rosalinde’s Hungarian disguise. From
1860 to 1890, Vienna’s population more than tripled, largely because of an influx of immigrants from the provinces of the
Habsburg Empire: Bohemia, Moravia, and Hungary. Many flocked to operetta performances and composers like Strauss
treated them to the musical forms of their native lands—the mazurka, the polka, and, in this case, the csárdás. Despite his nonHungarian extraction, Strauss produced a remarkably accurate rendition of this traditional folkdance, which is characterized by
a variation in tempo, beginning slowly and then gradually picking up speed to end in a very fast tempo. Start listening at 2:38
as the tempo gradually accelerates, building to an incredibly exciting conclusion.
5
MUSICAL EXCERPT
Act II, ensemble: “Brüderlein und Schwesterlein” (Brother dear and sister sweet)
CONNECTION TO THE STORY
Under the influence of champagne, the guests at Orlovsky’s party pledge eternal brotherhood and sisterhood to one another.
MUSICAL ELEMENTS AND SIGNIFICANCE
The Act II finale is launched by Eisenstein’s friend Falke calling for eternal friendship, provided they can remember their
pledge in the morning! The ensemble begins with a broad melody (1:34) and is built up in canon form: once the initial tune is
established, other tunes that imitate the original are added in and sung by different voices (3:03). Finally, the canon is enriched
by the addition of the entire chorus. Strauss weaves a magical spell that seems to send everyone onstage into a state of slightly
drunken bliss. In fact, they cease to use real words, lapsing into gibberish, singing “duidu” (a kind of German “lalala”) to a
Viennese folk-like tune (4:22).
Published with the permission of the Canadian Opera Company. Written by
Gianmarco Segato, COC Adult Programs Manager.
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
Fun Fact
Maestro (/’maistrou/; Italian: [ma’estro](from
the Italian maestro, meaning “master” or
“teacher”) is a title of extreme respect given to
a master musician. The term is most commonly
used in the context of Western classical music
and opera. In the Italian opera world, the term
is not only used for the conductor, but also for
musicians who act as rehearsal pianists or
assistant conductors during performances.
13
Vocabulary
ACCOMPANIMENT—The musical background provided
for a principal part
ARIA—A musical piece for solo voice focusing on emotional
expression
BARITONE—The middle-range male voice
BASS—The lowest male voice
CHORUS—A group of singers who sing and act in a group,
never as soloists
COMPOSER—The person who wrote the music
CONDUCTOR—The person who leads the orchestra
DUET—A musical piece for two performers
ENSEMBLE—Two or more singers singing and expressing
their emotions at the same time
OVERTURE/PRELUDE—Introductory orchestral music
used to set the theme or mood for the story. Historically, the
overture was simply used to quiet the audience.
PANTS ROLE—A male character played by a woman.
Composers sometimes choose to have women sing the roles of
male characters—particularly to highlight youth or royalty—
because of their higher voices.
PROPS—Objects placed on the stage and used by the actors;
an abbreviation of the word “properties”
QUARTET—A piece written for four performers, or a name
for the performers themselves
SCORE—The printed page upon which all the vocal and
instrumental music of an opera is written
SET—The scenery used on the stage to show location
SOPRANO—The highest female voice
FINALE—The last musical number of an act or show, it
usually involves most of the cast and often repeats musical
themes from the show
SOUBRETTE—A soprano with the ability and agility to
sing many notes quickly, usually in an extended range. Often
plays the flirtatious maid in operettas.
LIBRETTIST—The person who wrote the words for an
opera
STAGE DIRECTOR—The person who decides how the
singers will move on stage and how they will act while they
are singing their parts
LIBRETTO—Literally “little book” of the text or words of
an opera
MEZZO-SOPRANO—The middle female voice, usually
darker and fuller than a soprano’s
TENOR—The highest male voice
TRIO—A name for a group of three performers or a piece
written for three instruments or singers
OPERA—A story told through words and music, often
accompanied by instruments. Many grand operas have heavy
themes and dramatic music.
OPERETTA—A light, comic story told through words,
music, and dancing. Often called “light opera.”
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
14
Connections: Die Fledermaus
One of the best parts of taking your students to the opera is the discussion that live theater can inspire. Take a deeper look into
the themes and story of Die Fledermaus with these discussion questions and ideas for further exploration.
Discussion Topics
If you’ve been to an opera before, discuss the differences between an opera, musical, play, and an operetta like Die
Fledermaus. Which form do you prefer? For more on the difference between opera and operetta, see “The Genre, the People,
the Place, and its Effects” on page 8.
This operetta was originally staged in 1874 and is often set in that period as well. What were changes that you saw? How did
the changes affect the storytelling? How did this staging differ? Do you feel the story translates well to different eras? If you
were a director, how would you choose to stage Die Fledermaus—in the 1800s? In the modern era? In space?
If you were to write your own version of Die Fledermaus, what would it sound like? Would you use spoken words? An
orchestra? A band? Who would the characters be like? Possibly, your characters are like your classmates—or are they like your
teachers and parents? Create the story as told by your characters. Explore the costume and set design of your new story by
drawing each scene.
Further Exploration
THE WALTZ
Johann Strauss II is known as the “Waltz King.” Listen again to the waltz from the end of Act II as well as some of Strauss’s
other waltzes. Learn the waltz together as a class so you can dance to it and then create your own modernized interpretation of
the waltz!
Need some support from dance educators? Contact Houston Ballet for its Dance Through the Decades program.
MASKS
Hidden identity plays a big part in Die Fledermaus. Create masks in your class that change your persona or bring some opera
into your art class by exploring mask-making through the ages. You can even create a “masquerade” with waltzing.
Published with the permission of the Canadian Opera Company. Written by
Vanessa Smith, COC School Programs Manager
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
15
Upcoming Events
Professional Development Workshops
It’s Not Just Music!
Opera is a visual art, history, literature, and social commentary set
to beautiful music. These workshops will enrich your students’
experience at HGO.
Join us for dinner, an in-depth opera preview, and discussion.
Together we’ll brainstorm ways to incorporate themes and ideas
into your curriculum, followed by a Houston Grand Opera dress
rehearsal of Die Fledermaus, The Passenger, or Das Rhiengold. These
workshops are designed to help you and your students connect with
opera in relevant ways and, as a bonus, you’ll earn TEA Continuing
Education hours by attending.
Die Fledermaus
October 23, 2013
Workshop 6 p.m.
Dress Rehearsal 7:30 p.m.
The Passenger
January 15, 2014
Workshop 6 p.m.
Dress Rehearsal 7:30 p.m.
Das Rheingold
April 8, 2014
Workshop 6 p.m.
Dress Rehearsal 7:30 p.m.
2013–14 Family Series
Heinen Theatre
Jan. 30–Feb. 1, 2014 | 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. daily
Opera to Go! presents Rapunzel
Discovery Green
Spring Break: Mar. 19–21, 2014 | 10:30 a.m.
Storybook Opera performances
Opera to Go! presents Fairy Tale Blasts!
For more information and to order, please visit HGO.org/HGOco,
call 713-546-0215, or email [email protected]
Die Fledermaus Study Guide
16
Founded in 1955, Houston Grand Opera is an internationally renowned opera
company with a reputation for commissioning and producing new works,
including fifty world premieres and six American premieres since 1973.
Houston Grand Opera exists to profoundly impact our community by creating
operatic art that provides access to music’s boundless power and beauty.
HGOco is Houston Grand Opera’s unique initiative that explores making
opera relevant to its changing audiences by connecting our company with
the community through collaboration. HGOco creates opportunities for
Houstonians of all ages and backgrounds to observe, participate in, and
create art.
HGO.org | 713-228-OPERA ( 6737 )
Student Performances are supported in part by:
Lawrence E. Carlton M.D. Endowed Fund in memory of Rubalee Hankamer Ball