Heidi Duncan as Ida &
Peter Barrett as Dr. Falke
Photo: Emily Cooper

 


Vancouver Opera

Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus

When & Where October 26 - November 3, 2024; evenings at 7.30pm + 2pm matinee on Sunday | Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Rosalinde Lara Ciekiewicz, Soprano Adele Claire de Sévigné, Soprano Gabriel Eisenstein John Chest, Baritone Dr. Falke Peter Barrett, Baritone Frank Giles Tomkins, Bass-baritone Orlofsky Mireille Lebel, Mezzo-Soprano Alfred Owen McCausland, tenor Dr. Blind Lyndon Ladeur, Tenor Ida Heidi Duncan, Soprano Ivania Simran Claire, Mezzo-soprano Frosch Beatrice Zeilinger

Conductor Jacques Lacombe Director Ashlie Corcoran Set Design Julie Lévesque Intimacy Director Lisa Goebel Costume Design Emily Wahlman Lighting Design Gerald King Choreography Shelley Stewart Hunt Stage Manager Michelle Harrison

Dialogue in English, sung in German with English SURTITLES™

Reviewer John Anthony Jane


Die Fledermaus is an operetta in three acts by Johann Strauss II with each act set in a different location: the Eisenstein home, A Cinema - Orlofsky's party venue and the local jailhouse.

This meretricious, though delightfully entertaining Strauss operetta, produced by Vancouver Opera under the artful direction of Ashlie Corcoran, is a good old-fashioned caper with a healthy measure of mistaken identities and cheating spouses. The production, sung in German, though with most of the dialogue spoken in modern English, has been moved forward from its original setting in 1874 to the ‘swinging sixties.’ However, it still manages to retain much of the humour and all of the flamboyance as that of the original.

Socialite, Gabriel Eisenstein (John Chest) has been sentenced to eight days in prison for an altercation with a policeman; however, on the encouragement of his old friend Dr Falke (Peter Barrett), he decides to spend his last night of freedom at Prince Orlofsky's masquerade party. Eisenstein hardly suspects that the invitation is part of an elaborate scheme by Falke as payback for a prank played many years earlier. The two plan their evening of debauchery with the mirthful duet Komm mit mir zum souper.

The roguish doctor also weaves Eisenstein's wife, the coquettish Rosalinda, into the plot, having her attend as a masked Hungarian Countess. Rosalinda (Lara Ciekiewicz) meanwhile is also planning a tryst with Alfred (Owen McCausland), a bumptious tenor who ardently serenades her from the street, much to the amusement of the house staff.

While Rosalinda is busy entertaining Alfred, Frank, the prison governor arrives to arrest Eisenstein in person. Fearing for her reputation, our heroine allows Alfred to be mistakenly identified as her errant husband. To press her point she sings the humourous aria Mein Herr, was dächten Sie von mir.

Act II moves the story to the site of Prince Orlofsky’s party where obvious confusion ensues. John Chest is delightfully preposterous as a philandering Eisenstein, flirting first with Adele (a.k.a. Olga) whom he observes as having a resemblance to his wife's maid (who indeed she is). Montreal soprano Claire de Sévigné is outstanding as the petulant and vivacious Adele. She steals every scene she is in and completely confuses Eisenstein, leading the company in the instantly recognizable Mein Herr Marquis, popularly known as the “Laughing Song,” asking the question, “What lady’s maid ever had a hand or foot like mine”. Eisenstein then unwittingly turns his attentions to his own wife, when introduced by Prince Orlofsky as the mysterious Hungarian Countess. When challenged about her Hungarian heritage, Lara Ciekiewicz confounds everyone with what sounds like a Hungarian folksong - Klange der Heimat (trans. Sounds of my homeland).

This is a well paced production, with principal members drawing excellent characterizations. Among the supporting players, mezzo-soprano Mireille Lebel was especially convincing in the en travesti role as the nonchalant Prince Orlovsky who hosts the Hollywood themed costume party that the audience enjoyed identifying the celebrities. Beatrice Zeilinger in the only non-singing role was immensely enjoyable as Frosch the station sergeant.

Johann Strauss’ music has a special appeal to musicians and here under the baton of conductor Jacques Lacombe the music truly sparkles. The flair with which Maestro Lacombe handles the clever orchestration of both the Overture and the Entr’acte is exquisite. The mischievous back and forth across the stage by the company in costume during the Overture was a memorable bonus.

Emily Wahlman’s sumptuous costumes, Gerald King’s creative lighting and Julie Lévesque’s purposeful sets bring the production quality to top professional level.

© 2024 John Anthony Jane