Johann Strauss Jr.: Die Fledermaus at Music Hills.com

Music CD 1

Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Overture
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 1. No. 1. Introduction. Turtle dove that flew away
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 1. Dialogue. Turtle dove that flew away
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 1. No. 1a. Duet. Oh Milady
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 1. Dialogue. Oh my darling Rosalinde
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 1. No. 2. Trio. I can tell you...
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 1. Dialogue. Poor darling...
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 1. No. 3. Duet. Come along to the ball
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 1. Dialogue. Well, what's going on here?
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 1. No. 4. Trio. Oh, my poor poor darling
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 1. Dialogue. It's so hot in here
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 1. No. 5. Finale. Drink, my darling, drink for me
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. No. 6. Introduction. It's a party...
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. Dialogue. Ida! Adele?... Here I am
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. No. 7. Couplets. ...I entertain... My guests drink vodka and champagne
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. Dialogue. Do you like vodka?
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. No. 8. Ensemble and Couplets. I want your kind attention
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. No. 8. Ensemble and Couplets. My dear Marquis, it seems to me
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. Dialogue. My humblest apologies, Mademoiselle Olga

Music CD 2

Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. Dialogue. Ah, what an original watch!
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. No. 9. Duet. How engaging, how exciting
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. Dialogue. That must be the mysterious count
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. No. 10. Czárdás. Songs of my homeland
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. Dialogue. Thank you, thank you
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. No. 11. Finale. Champagne!
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. No. 11. Finale. Dear Chevalier, mon bon ami
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 2. No. 11. Finale. Enough, my friend, enough!
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 3. No. 12. Entr'acte
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 3. No. 13. Melodrama. His Majesty will celebrate
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 3. Dialogue. The warden has come back
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 3. No. 14. Couplets. Ever since I was a baby
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 3. Dialogue. As a chamber maid you certainly are liberated
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 3. No. 15. Trio. To judge this expression
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 3. Dialogue. You dare approach me?
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), operetta (RV 503): Act 3. No. 16. Finale. O Eisenstein, you must not

Music reviews of Johann Strauss Jr.: Die Fledermaus

Music Review: A sparkling performance, full of fun and great singing
Rating: 5 Stars

Musically, this performance just can't be beat. Sutherland sings with beauty, intelligence, and a sure flair for comedy. Judith Blegen sings Adele's two arias with an ease that eludes most Adeles. Her coloratura in the Laughing Song sounds more like laughter than usual, without any loss of tonal beauty. Bonynge supports the singers with tempi that bring out their best. Listen to the end of the first act, when the tempo slows and Sutherland floats a few high notes over the ensemble. This sounds more like the end of the sextet in Lucia than any other Fledermaus I have ever heard. And it works!

But what really distinguishes this performance is that everybody is having fun and relishing every moment. At one point, Judith Blegen, who also studied violin, pulls out a violin and accompanies herself on it. Even Dame Joan pokes fun at herself: Spying her maid at Orlofsky's ball, she fumes, "It's Adele... and in MY gown... CUT DOWN!" Watergate was still a current event at the time of this broadcast, and the script is peppered with references to it: "The best of people are going to jail nowadays -- doctors, lawyers, even politicians" and "Are you telling the truth?... To the best of my recollection at this point in time." And could there ever be a better Frosch than Walter Slezak? Who else could handle low comedy while lending an air of Viennese charm?

The performance is in English, with occasional forays into other languages. Listen for the moment when Eisenstein and Frank, both masquerading as Frenchmen, are encouraged to speak to each other in their native language. Their exchange is in most recordings of Fledermaus, but it is so much better here where they have the advantage of playing to an audience. And Sutherland sings the Czardas (beautifully) in Hungarian. According to the program notes, she later recalled with amusement that a review of this performance said that her rendition of the Czardas was so unintelligible it may as well have been sung in Hungarian. (Incidentally, her diction is fine in this recording. You will understand all of her dialog and almost all of her singing -- I never understand all of anyone's singing in opera.)

In case it isn't obvious, I highly recommend this recording. If only there were a video....