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
Saturday, 05. May 198411.00 o' clock Vienna ⁄ Musikverein ⁄ The Große Musikvereinssaal
Concert at the Musikverein Vienna
Kurt Woess conductor
Program Johann Strauss II : Ouverture to «Die Fledermaus» Johann Strauss II : Singers Joy / Polka française op. 328 Josef Strauss : Without a Care! / Quick polka op. 271 Johann Strauss II : Roses from the South / Waltz op. 388 Johann Strauss II : Chit-Chat Polka op. 214 Johann Strauss II : Voices of Spring / Waltz op. 410 Johann Strauss II : Thunder and Lightning / Quick polka op. 324 Break Johann Strauss II : Egyptian March op. 335 Carl Michael Ziehrer : Walk In / Waltz op. 518 Eduard Strauss I : Brakes off / Quick polka op. 238 Johann & Josef Strauss : Pizzicato Polka Johann Strauss II : Bandits Galop / Polka schnell op. 378 Karl Komzák II. : The girls of Baden / Walz op. 257 Encore Johann Strauss II : The Blue Danube / Waltz op. 314 Johann Strauss II : Explosions Polka op. 43 Johann Strauss I : Radetzky March op. 228
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