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
Wednesday, 26. October 201111.00 o' clock Vienna ⁄ Musikverein ⁄ The Große Musikvereinssaal
Konzert zum Nationalfeiertag
Johannes Wildner conductor
Program Johann Strauss II : Ouverture to «Die Fledermaus» Eduard Strauss I : Hektograph / Polka schnell op. 186 Josef Strauss : Ardent Love / Polka mazurka op. 129 Josef Strauss : Delirien / Waltz op. 212 Johann Strauss II : Chit-Chat Polka op. 214 Johann Strauss II : Thunder and Lightning / Quick polka op. 324 Break Johann Strauss II : Light of Heart / Quick polka op. 319 Johann Strauss II : Anna Polka op. 117 Josef Strauss : Music of the Spheres / Waltz op. 235 Johann Strauss II : Csárdás from the opera «Knight Pásmán» op. 441 Johann Strauss II : New Pizzicato Polka, from the Operetta «Fürstin Ninetta» op. 449 Eduard Strauss I : Clear the Track! / Quick polka op. 45 Johann Strauss II : The Blue Danube / Waltz op. 314 Encore Johann & Josef Strauss : Pizzicato Polka Johann Strauss I : Radetzky March op. 228
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