On Easter Sunday in 1874, the operetta "Die Fledermaus (The bat)" by Johann Strauss II was performed for the first time at the Theater an der Wien. The performance was quite successful. There were 40 performances en suite, and only the illness of a leading actress, who subsequently left the ensemble, ended the series. However, the special status of the operetta as the pinnacle of the entire genre was not recognized until later, first in Berlin and Budapest. In Vienna, the critics raised all sorts of objections after the premiere, especially against the libretto by Richard Genée. Today these objections are found ridiculous, and if the American film industry had already been in the habit of awarding particularly successful products with a whole series of awards, then "The Bat" would have deserved a few Oscars: at least for the music, but also for the cleverly structured book and for the best supporting role (because the prison servant frog later became the obligatory “third-act comedian” in operettas). And there would have been a special Oscar for the overture to "The Bat": because its ingenious structure, the charming interplay of motifs and its enchanting, brilliant verve was unmatched by any later operetta prelude. Like the entire operetta, it is a top work of its kind.
Johann Strauss (Sohn): Ouverture zu «Die Fledermaus» © by WJSO-Archive
Sunday, 10. May 200911.00 o' clock Vienna ⁄ Musikverein ⁄ The Große Musikvereinssaal
Concert at the Musikverein Vienna
Alfred Eschwé conductor
Program Johann Strauss II : Ouverture to «Die Fledermaus» Johann Strauss II : Flower Festival / Polka op. 111 Josef Strauss : On Holiday Travels! / Quick polka op. 133 Johann Strauss II : Streams of Lava / Waltz op. 74 Johann Strauss II : Nightingale Polka op. 222 Joseph Lanner : Tarantel-Galopp op. 125 Johann Strauss II : Roses from the South / Waltz op. 388 Break Johann Strauss II : Spanish March op. 433 Josef Strauss : Village Swallows from Austria / Waltz op. 164 Johann Strauss II : Fantasy Flowers / Polka mazurka op. 241 Johann & Josef Strauss : Monster Quadrille Johann Strauss II : Bandits Galop / Polka schnell op. 378 Johann Strauss II : Tales from the Vienna Woods / Waltz op. 325 Encore Johann Strauss I : Radetzky March op. 228
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