Opera Guide and Synopsis: Die Fledermaus, by Johann Strauss

The comic opera Die Fledermaus (The Bat), by Johann Strauss, was composed to a libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée and premiered in Vienna in 1874. The story was inspired by the play Das Gefängnis (The Prison) by Julius Benedix.

Characters in Die Fledermaus

• Gabriel von Eisenstein, a baron (Tenor, often sung by a baritone)
• Rosalinde, his wife (Soprano)
• Alfred, a singing teacher and Rosalinde's former lover (Tenor)
• Adele, Rosalinde's maid (Soprano)
• Ida, her sister (Soprano)
• Dr. Falke, a notary (Baritone)
• Dr. Blind, a lawyer (Tenor)
• Frank, governor of the prison (Bass)
• Prince Orlofsky (Mezzo-soprano, often sung by a countertenor)
• Frosch, a jailer (Spoken)

Synopsis of Die Fledermaus

Act I

Adele receives a letter from her sister Ida inviting her to a masked ball held by Prince Orlofsky that night. She plans to dress up as a noble lady and attend the ball, and feigns illness to get off work early. Meanwhile, Rosalinde's former lover Alfred sings to her outside her house.

Eisenstein arrives at home. As punishment for insulting an official, he has been sentenced to eight days in jail. Although he is supposed to begin his jail term that day, Dr. Falke convinces him to go to a masked ball instead. (Unbeknownst to Eisenstein, Falke is actually planning to get revenge on the baron for humiliating him at a previous ball.) Eisenstein bids a dramatic farewell to his wife and goes off to the ball.

Alfred visits Rosalinde and attempts to seduce her, but she rebuffs him. Unfortunately, Frank, the governor of the prison, appears and, seeing Alfred's familiarity with Rosalinde, presumes him to be Eisenstein. In order to avoid a scandal, Alfred impersonates Eisenstein and goes to jail.

Act II

At the ball, Prince Orlofsky explains that he does not tolerate his guests looking bored, and that everyone must drink with him. Eisenstein, in disguise as the Marquis Renard, agrees. He then spots Adele and identifies her as their maid. Adele, however, is disguised as an actress and denies knowing him, so he eventually admits that he must be mistaken.

Rosalinde arrives, disguised as a Hungarian countess. Eisenstein, not recognizing her, attempts to seduce her, and in the process she swipes his pocket watch.

Act III

The next morning Frank (introduced at the ball as Chevalier Chagrin) arrives at the jail, still drunk. The jailer, Frosch, has taken the opportunity to get very drunk himself. Adele attempts to ask Frank for his help in starting a career as an actress, but Frosch puts her and her sister Ida in a jail cell. Meanwhile, Eisenstein has arrived to begin serving his sentence.

Rosalinde, who has arrived at the jail to retrieve Alfred, mistakes Eisenstein for a notary and explains both her predicament with Alfred and her desire to divorce Eisenstein. Becoming gradually more frustrated, Eisenstein reveals his identity and expresses his wish to avenge himself.

At this moment, Falke arrives with the party guests, explaining that the whole thing was set up to get revenge on Eisenstein and that everyone, even Rosalinde, was in on the joke. Frank promises to help Adele become an actress. Eisenstein blames the alcohol for his infidelity, and Rosalinde forgives him.

Sources

Die Fledermaus Libretto

The Opera Goer's Complete Guide, by Leo Melitz