Die Fledermaus: Opera in the Crypt
About the Event
Experience Strauss' wonderful opera in a chamber version performed by the operetta ensemble Oper@Tee in the crypt under St. Peter's Church in Vienna.
Austria's most popular operetta ensemble Oper@Tee thrills audiences in the country's smallest opera theater with their original version of the famous Viennese operetta, lively, full of punchlines and at the highest level.
The local specialists for Viennese operetta present 'Die Fledermaus' with piano accompaniment and a strong focus on the witty dialogues as well as arias and duets in full length. An extraordinary and unforgettable pleasure!
OPER as well as OPERETTE at KRYPTA stands for authentic, honest opera craftsmanship and guarantees the original as it was written. Established as the smallest opera theater in Austria, the performances at the KRYPTA captivate with their intensity and high quality.
At any time of the year, the KRYPTA is pleasantly tempered.
First act
Gabriel von Eisenstein is to spend the night in jail for insulting an official. He prefers to follow the advice of his friend Falke to have fun with Prince Orlofsky beforehand. But in truth, Falke has other plans. Eisenstein once played a disgraceful trick on him, which now has to be avenged.
When Eisenstein leaves for a supposed stay in prison, his wife Rosalinde is happy to let him go. She also gives permission to the parlor maid Adele, who asks to be allowed to visit a sick relative. No sooner are they all out of the house than Rosalinde's ex‐lover Alfred appears for a secret tête-à-tête. But the two are interrupted by prison warden Frank, who is to escort Eisenstein to prison. In order to save face and not to snub Rosalinde, Alfred pretends to be her husband and allows himself to be arrested.
Act Two
At the feast of the young Prince Orlofsky, Falke assures him that an evil joke will take place that evening at Eisenstein's expense. Eisenstein promptly appears and pretends to be the 'Marquis Renard'. Adele, who is also invited, is introduced as the artist Olga. When Eisenstein accuses her of being his parlor maid, she rejects this with feigned indignation.
Prison warden Frank visits the company as 'Chevalier Chagrin,' and finally the masked Rosalinde arrives in the disguise of a Hungarian countess, since Falke guaranteed her that she would meet her husband at the ball. Eisenstein is enraptured by the 'unknown' beauty. Rosalinde, however, organizes his pocket watch in order to be able to prove his infidelity later.
In a drunken mood, Eisenstein describes to the illustrious company how he once exposed Falke when he left him drunk in a bat costume in a marketplace on Ash Wednesday and left him to the ridicule of the ragamuffins.
Third act
At dawn, the neatly hungover prison warden is about to go on duty. Suddenly Adele and her sister Ida appear. They have followed the supposed 'Chevalier' and now confess who they really are. Still believing she has found a patron, Adele asks Frank to finance her acting training.
When Eisenstein enters the prison to begin his sentence, he learns from Frosch that he was already arrested the night before. To Eisenstein's astonishment, the prisoner turns out to be Alfred. Since Rosalinde, who wants to visit Alfred in prison, also shows up, Eisenstein recognizes the connections. His anger quickly dissipates, however, when she presents the pocket watch and reminds him of his flirtation with the 'Hungarian countess'.
In the end, the entire ball society, including Prince Orlofsky and Falke, arrives at the prison and presses for clarification: this was the infamous revenge plan of the 'bat' Falke. Last but not least, the good‐humored prince promises Adele to be her patron in the future.
Practical Information
The 'Opera in the Crypt' series is a unique form of presenting opera at its very essence. With piano accompaniment, talented singers in costumes perform the works in the exceptional, intimate atmosphere of the crypt under St. Peter's Church. Through the short distance between audience and musicians you can experience opera in a way you have never heard or seen it before.
Cast / Production
Ensemle Oper@Tee
