Die Fledermaus

“Happy is he who forgets what can no longer be changed...“ There was a lot to forget at the premiere of Johann Strauss's greatest operetta hit in 1874 at the Theater an der Wien. Barely a year earlier, the Gründerkrach (Old Founders' Crash) had devastated large parts of the financial and construction industries; bankruptcies, personal insolvencies, unemployment, company closures, and rising prices were felt across all social classes. After years of seemingly unlimited advancement, the Viennese bourgeoisie in particular experienced a profound shock that reached far into their private lives.

The composition of Die Fledermaus (The Bat), whose brilliantly exhilarating melodies are completely insensitive to the serious world events, falls right in the middle of this period. Here, love, desire, and champagne celebrate a turbulent party on the volcano—including amusing jabs at class differences, gender roles, deceitful marital hypocrisy, jealousy, and love struggles. At the height of the champagne frenzy, however, all differences are abolished: “You and you – duidu,“ says the lady-in-waiting to her employer, the Russian nobleman to the Hungarian countess, the prison director to the vengeful Doctor Falke, the actress to the tenor.

With his cheerful, life-affirming play on repression, Johann Strauss created the operetta of all operettas, a performance that absolutely must include star guests and contemporary impromptu operas. At the end of the year and, of course, on New Year's Eve, the State Theatre will perform “Im Feuerstrom der Reben“ (In the Fiery Stream of the Vines): full of depth, excitement, song, and dance!

Recommended for ages 12 and up

program

Die Fledermaus
Operette von Johann Strauss
In deutscher Sprache mit deutschen Übertiteln

Place

Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck (English: Tyrolean State Theatre) is the state theatre in Innsbruck, Austria, located near the historic Altstadt (Old Town) section of the city. The theatre is surrounded by Imperial Hofburg, the Hofgarten, and SOWI Faculty of the University of Innsbruck. The main theatre has about 800 seats and the studio theatre in the basement has around 250. Plays, operas, operettas, musicals and dance theatre are performed at the theatre.