Die Fledermaus

I mentioned several of the telecasts that she did from the Met.

Her roles also included Adèle in Fledermaus, Zerbinetta early in her career, three Verdi roles, actually four, Gilda, Nannetta, Oscar, and the Voce dal cielo in Don Carlo.

She didn't sing too much bel canto, but both her Adina and her Norina were portrayals to be cherished.

I'm not going to play you from the Met telecast with Pavarotti, but rather a performance six years earlier and on the other coast, San Francisco, of Adina's last act scene opposite the Nemorino of José Carreras, Prendi per me se libero, followed by the Cavaletta Il mio rigor dimentica.

I'm going to start this evening's program with an overture.

[classical music]The overture to Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus.

The Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Oscar Danon will be, uh, featuring this evening, uh, as will Anna Moffo who plays Rosalinda, the wife of Eisenstein.

The English equivalent for Die Fledermaus is The Bat.

But we're not talking about the creature, we're talking about a bat costume which Dr. Falke was wearing at a fancy dress ball, and von Eisenstein humiliated him by making him walk home in broad daylight dressed in this costume, making him a bit of a laughing stock.

Von Eisenstein himself has been sentenced to eight days in prison for insulting a public official, a policeman I think it might have been.

Which actress, best known for roles in Scarface and Batman Returns, was once crowned Miss Orange County? Michelle Pfeiffer.

Which famous operetta by Johann Strauss II features a masked ball and themes of mistaken identity? Die Fledermaus.

Which critically acclaimed HBO series set at a family-run funeral home showcased Michael C. Hall's range before he became known for playing a vigilante serial killer? Six Feet Under.

Which organ contains tiny air sacs that facilitate gas exchange in the human body? Lungs.

There's also A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Royal Opera, the Royal Ballet and Opera.

Uh, Buch- Bluthochzeit in Frankfurt, Dead Man Walking at ENO, Fledermaus, uh, at Musiktheater an der Wien.

Uh, Fra ohne Schatten at Aix-en-Provence, a Barry Kosky production.

Uh, Prince Igor in Gärtnerplatz, and, uh, Rienzi for the first time.

He said he had to work.

It seemed strange at the time, because Fledermaus was one of his favorite operas.

Yes, I remember.

While we were having dinner, someone came to the door and asked to see him.

Well,

I can tell you about this operetta.

This song is from an operetta, and I don't speak German at all, so sorry to the German heads out there.

This is from an opera titled Die Fledermaus.

Die

Not really.

But it's from Act One.

But yeah, it is a German operetta.