Best Of Operetta, Vol. 3

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Cat No: 8550943

Release Date: 12 January 1999

Label: Naxos - Nxc / Naxos Classics

Packaging Type: Jewel Case

No of Units: 1

Barcode: 730099594325

Genres: Classical

Composer/Series: BEST OF OPERETTA, VOL. 3

Description
The Best of Operetta Vol. 3 Johann Strauss followed his father's example in establishing his own dance-orchestras, in spite of the latter's express wishes. By 1871, the date of his first operetta, the younger Strauss was firmly established as the Waltz King of Vienna. Hampered by libretti of indifferent quality, he scored significant and lasting success, above all, with the operetta Die Fledermaus (The Bat), with a libretto by Richard Genee apparently based on Carl Haffner's version of a French original, Meilhac and Halevy's Le reveillon. Die Fledermaus was first performed at the Vienna Theater an der Wienon 5th April 1874. The plot concerns Rosalinde, wife of Eisenstein, who, in her husband's absence, has a lover, her singing teacher Alfred. Eisenstein himself is to be imprisoned and is due to report to the prison on the evening on which the action starts. He is, however, induced by his friend Falke to accompany him to a party at the house of Prince Orlofsky. Adele, Rosalinde's maid, has pleaded the excuse of a sick aunt to enable her to attend the same party together with her sister and disguised as an actress. Rosalinde's intended evening with Alfred is interrupted by the prison governor Frank, who comes to take Eisenstein to gaol and now, presuming Alfred to be her husband, takes him instead. At Prince Orlofsky's Eisenstein is introduced as the Marquis Renard and Frank too appears, under the name of Chevalier Chagrin. Rosalinde attends the party disguised as a Hungarian countess. Falke, it seems, has had an ulterior motive in persuading Eisenstein to accompany him. He means to settle scores with him over an incident in which he was left, after a fancy-dress ball, to make his way home dressed as a bat. Falke plans the bat's revenge. The party at Prince Orlofsky's brings a series of misunderstandings that are only finally resolved in the third act, which takes place at the prison. Here disguises are cast aside and the identity of Alfred is revealed, through further subterfuge from Eisenstein, now posing as the lawyer Dr Blind, but all ends in eventual reconciliation and happiness, with any misunderstandings now attributed to King Champagne. The Overture to Die Fledermaus [1] sets the mood of the piece, with the waltz prevailing in a medley of themes. In Klänge der Heimat [6] (Sounds of Home) Rosalinde, in her disguise as a Hungarian countess, sings her famous csárdás to entertain Prince Orlofsky's guests. Trinke, Liebchen! Trinke schnell! [7] (Drink, my dear! Drink quickly!) is a duet for Rosalinde and her lover, Alfred, now in Eisenstein's house, wearing the latter's smoking-cap and dressing-gown. It is followed by the appearance of Frank, ready to arrest the master of the house. Mein Herr Marquis [9] is Adele's so-called laughing song, as she teases the disguised Eisenstein, still pretending to be the actress Olga, although she is wearing one of Rosalinde's dresses to attend Prince Orlofsky's reception. Spiel'ichdie Unschul
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