J. Strauss: Die Fledermaus Overture
J. Strauss: Die Fledermaus Overture
235 words
note by Chris Myers
Excerpt:
Strauss’ most popular stagework, Die Fledermaus (The Bat), is best characterized as a romp—a husband sentenced to prison stops by a party on his way to jail, finds his wife in the company of an overly-attentive companion, and wackiness ensues. The catchy, tuneful music mirrors the quick-paced action onstage, and it is paired with remarkably skillful orchestration (Brahms, on hearing the show for the first time, is said to have remarked, “Now there is a master of the orchestra!”). It is no coincidence that Die Fledermaus is the single most oft-performed operetta in the repertoire.