presents
DIE FLEDERMAUS
A Study Guide
Music by Johann Strauss II
Libretto by Carl Haffner and Richard Genée
Based on the play Le Révellon by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy
First performed on April 5, 1874, Vienna, Austria
Sung in English
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF OPERA PROVIDENCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 3
A Short Introduction to Opera 4
What is Operetta? 5
Audience Etiquette 6
Cast List 7
Pronunciation Guide 8
Interesting Facts about Die Fledermaus 9
The Composer 11
The Librettists – Carl Haffner and Richard Genée 12
Background to Die Fledermaus 12
Synopsis 13
What to Listen For 15
Glossary: Important Words in Opera 16
Resources 18
THE LATE JOHANN STRAUSS 19
Understanding the Story of Die Fledermaus 23
Writing a Review of Die Fledermaus 26
MESSAGE FROM
THE PRESIDENT
OF OPERA PROVIDENCE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
It is with great pleasure that Opera Providence and its Board of Directors presents Strauss’ DIE FLEDERMAUS to the Rhode Island community. Strauss’ ever-popular operetta is a madcap comedy of light-hearted deceit, filled with lively dance and music. The synopsis of the opera includes a Bourgeois citizen, Eisenstein, who must go to prison because of an oversight by his lawyer. Hearing the news, Alfred, a former lover of Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinda, decides to use Eisenstein’s absence as an opportunity to renew his courting of Rosalinda. The madcap comedy begins as Eisenstein’s friend, Falke, arrives and invites the unwitting husband to postpone his imprisonment for a few hours and attend a masquerade. Eisenstein and Falke depart for the masquerade and Alfred arrives at Rosalinda’s home, only to be mistaken for Eisenstein and carted off to jail. At the ball, Eisenstein is dazzled by a mysterious Hungarian countess who is none other than his wife in disguise. When he turns himself in at the jail, he finds Alfred and Rosalinda already there. The three confront each other, the rest of the cast magically appear, tension dissolves and all unite in singing the praises of champagne. Truly a comedic story designed to entertain the senses of all.
Opera Providence is both pleased and privileged to be presenting this remarkable work. DIE FLEDERMAUS represents one of the most well known and greatest operettas written by Strauss. This Study Guide will give you insights into the development and existence of opera as an art form, the history of the times surrounding DIE FLEDEMAUS, and the complete background and storyline of the music you will see performed. Using the Study Guide will enhance the beauty of the music and the story to all students who attend DIE FLEDERMAUS.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Opera Providence,
Robert A. DeRobbio, Ph.D.
President
Joyce Stevos, Ph.D.
Education Consultant
A Short Introduction to Opera
An opera, like a play, is a dramatic form of theatre that includes scenery, props, and costumes. In opera, however, the actors are trained singers who sing their lines instead of speaking them. An orchestra accompanies the singers. A conductor coordinates both the singers on stage and the musicians in the orchestra pit.
Opera consists of many dimensions: the human voice, orchestral music, the visual arts (scenery, costumes and special effects), drama (tragedy or comedy), and occasionally dance. The melding of these elements can make you cry tears of joy or sadness, produce laughter or anger, but most importantly transport you to a magical land of music and song.
Opera has its roots in Greek drama and originated in Florence, Italy, in the late 1500’s, with a small group of men who were members of a Camerata (Italian for society). The intellectuals, poets and musicians of the Camerata decided they wanted words to be a featured aspect of music. They used ancient Greek drama as their inspiration, including the use of a chorus to comment on the action. The Camerata laid down three principles for their new art form:
§ The text must be understood; the accompaniment must be very simple and should not distract from the words.
§ The words must be sung with correct and natural declamation, as if they were spoken, and must avoid the rhythms of songs.
§ The melody must interpret the feeling of the text.
The first significant composer to develop fully the ideas of the Camerata was Jacopo Peri (1561-1633), whose opera Dafne, based on a Greek myth, was performed in 1594 and is regarded as the first opera. Operas continue to be composed today.
Operas are divided into scenes and acts that contain different types of vocal pieces for one or many singers. An aria is a vocal solo that focuses on a character’s emotions rather than actions. A recitative is sung dialogue or speech that occurs between arias and ensembles.
Composers write the score or the music for the opera. Sometimes the composer will also write the text of the opera, but most often, they work with a librettist. The story of the opera is written as a libretto, a text that is easily set to music. In the past, the libretto was also bound and sold to the audience. Today, the audience can easily follow the plot with the use of surtitles. Surtitles are the English translation of the libretto, and are projected onto the screen above the stage.
There are several differences between opera and musicals like Phantom of the Opera. One significant difference is the ‘partnership’ between the music and the drama in an opera. Musicals use songs to help tell a story while in an opera, the music contributes to the drama, it does not only accompany it. The musical style is another important difference between the two art forms; opera is usually classical and complex, while musicals feature pop songs and sometimes rock and roll. Also, singers in musicals have microphones hidden in their costumes or wigs to amplify their voices. The voices of opera singers are strong enough that no amplification is needed, even in a large venue. Furthermore, operas are almost completely sung, while musicals commonly use spoken words. Some operas have spoken words. These are called singspiel (German) and opera-comique (French). Examples are Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Bizet’s Carmen, respectively.
All terms in bold are defined in the Glossary.
From Manitoba Opera
What is Operetta?
The term operetta is often used to mean a light or comic piece. Operettas also fall under the category of Singspiel. This type of singing makes different demands on opera singers, who need training to be able to speak and project as well as sing. Much of the music is less demanding vocally and often uses lighter voices. Characteristically, the music of an operetta is melodic, popular and accessible, with stories that focus on love and romance.
Audience Etiquette
The following list will help you (and those around you) enjoy the experience of a night at the opera:
§ Dress to be comfortable. Many people enjoy dressing up in formal attire.
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§ Arrive on time. Latecomers disturb the singers and others in the audience. Latecomers will only be seated at suitable breaks – often not until intermission.
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§ Find your seat with the help of your teacher or an usher.
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§ Remove your hat. This is customary and is respectful to the artists and to people sitting behind you.
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§ Turn off cell phones, pagers, digital watch alarms, and all electronic devices.
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§ Leave your camera at home. A flash can be very disturbing to the artists and audience members alike.
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§ Save all conversations, eating and drinking, and chewing gum, for the intermission. Talking and eating can be disruptive to other audience members and distracts from your ability to be absorbed by the show. The audience is critical to the success of the show = without you, there can be no performance.
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§ Settle in and get comfortable before the performance begins. Read your program before the performance – rustling through the program during the show can disrupt everyone.
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§ Clap as the lights are dimmed and the conductor appears and bows to the audience. Watch as the conductor then turns to the orchestra and takes up his or her baton to signal the beginning of the opera.
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§ Listen to the prelude or overture before the curtain rises. It is part of the performance and is an opportunity to identify common musical themes that may reoccur in the opera.
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§ Sit still during the performance. Only whisper when it is absolutely necessary, as a whisper is heard all over the theatre, and NEVER (except in an emergency) stand during the performance.
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§ Applaud (or shout Bravo!) at the end of an aria or chorus piece to show your enjoyment. The end of a piece can be identified by a pause in the music.
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§ Laugh when something is funny – this is a performance and you are expected to respond!
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§ Read the English surtitles projected above the stage. Most operas are not sung in English (Die Fledermaus is sometimes sung in German, however Opera Providence’s performance will be sung in English). You may use the surtitles to help you understand the story.
§ Listen for subtleties in the music. The tempo, volume, and complexity of the music and singing often depict the “feeling” or “sense” of the action or character. Also, notice repeated words or phrases; they are usually significant.
Finally, have fun and enjoy the show!!!
Cast List
Opera Providence
Presents
Die Fledermaus
May 16 and 18, 2008
Columbus Theater
Providence, Rhode Island
Setting: A spa town, near a big city
Cast
Rosalinde Von Eisenstein, Gabriel’s wife soprano
Gabriel Von Eisenstein, Rosalinde’s husband tenor
Frank, the Prison Warden baritone
Prince Orlofsky, a Russian prince mezzo-soprano
Alfred, an Italian tenor tenor
Dr. Falke, Eisenstein’s friend baritone
Blind, a Lawyer tenor
Adele, Rosalinde’s Chambermaid coloratura soprano
Ida, Adele’s sister soprano
Frosch, the Jailer speaking role
Yvan, the Prince’s valet speaking role
Guests and servants of the Prince
Pronunciation Guide
Die Fledermaus...... Dee Flay-Der-Mouse
Rosalinde Von Eisenstein ...... Rosa-Linda fon Eyes-En-Stein
Gabriel Von Eisenstein...... Gabe-ri-el fon Eyes-En-Stein
Adele A-dell
Dr. Falke…………………………………………………………………………...Dr. Falk-uh
Prince Orlofsky Prince Or-lov-ski
Blind ...Blint
Interesting Facts about Die Fledermaus
Ø Some have written that Die Fledermaus, opened on April 5, 1874 was such a failure that it had to be taken off stage after 16 nights. Not true! A visiting operatic company season had been pre-booked at the theater. After that season finished, the operetta returned for its second premiere opening September 1874.
Ø When it premiered at the Theater an Der Wien on Easter Sunday, 1874, Die Fledermaus diverged in several ways from Viennese works that preceded it. Operetta audiences had come to expect elaborate costumes and stage design to accompany a story set in some distant land. But in this work, performers dressed in contemporary public attire instead of the fussy adornments typical of most operettas, and the sets required only the interiors of private homes and the local police station. While many operettas opened with a rousing chorus set in a large open space or outside, in Die Fledermaus, the curtain rose on a family living room and no chorus appears until the second act. Audiences and critics immediately noticed the departure from the norm; as the third act began at the work’s premiere, a listener in the balcony exclaimed, “Another room already!”
Ø Some have written that the work was composed in 42 days. The fact is that although the work was sketched out in 6 weeks (42 days), 6 months elapsed from the start of the composition to production.
Ø Geistinger, the first performer to play Rosalinde, had formerly performed Rosalinde’s csárdás. Assuming a disguise as a Hungarian countess provided the means for its inclusion at Prince Orlofsky’s party in the operetta.
Ø The original Dr. Falke was Ferdinand Lebrecht who died of a heart attack on stage at the Theater an der Wien in September 1874. Alexander Girardi assumed his first Strauss role then and began a long association performing in other Strauss productions.
Ø Originally, Prince Orlofsky was a mezzo-soprano. Since World War I, the role has been sung either by a mezzo or a baritone. Mezzo-sopranos often sing the parts of young men in opera.
Ø The Austrian stock market crash of May 1873 left theaters scrambling to stay afloat in any way they could. With many fortunes ruined overnight, even enthusiastic theater goers were reluctant to spend money on tickets, much less invest in producing new, extravagant works. Theaters were forced to make do with existing sets and performers, who in those days were required to provide their own costumes. With Die Fledermaus, companies could present a more credible ensemble by wearing contemporary fashions instead of the exotic outfits of the past.
Ø Die Fledermaus contains some of Strauss’ most easily grasped melodies, a quality for which he strove. Strauss once observed: “If an operetta is to become popular, everyone must find something in it that appeals to his taste…And the people in the balcony must also get something that they can remember, for these people have no money to buy piano scores and even fewer have a piano. There, one must manage to send them from the performance so that something immediately sticks in their ear!”
Ø Former New York Mayor Rudolf Giuliani has appeared in two Metropolitan Opera performances of Die Fledermaus, singing O Solo Mio on his way to the Times Square New Year’s Eve party.
The Composer
Johann (Baptist) Strauss II, the oldest son of celebrated composer and violinist Johann Strauss, was born in Vienna on October 25, 1825. Despite his great success, the elder Strauss was adamantly opposed to the idea of his son pursuing a career in music and intended Johann II to enter the banking profession. The younger Johann, however, displayed musical gifts at an early age. He began composing when he was six years old, and his mother arranged for him to secretly study violin with Franz Amon, the leader of his father's dance orchestra. When the senior Strauss abandoned the family, Johann pursued additional formal musical training. Johann II formed his own orchestra and made his professional debut as concertmaster and conductor in 1844, performing both his own works and those of his father. When his father died in 1849, Johann II combined the two orchestras. He was named Hofballmusik direktor from 1863 until 1871, and engaged his brothers Josef and Eduard (both of whom were also composers) as conductors and violinists.