Download - Vancouver Opera

Original libretto by Carl Haffner and Richard Genée based on Le Réveillon by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy
Dialogue adapted by Nancy Hermiston
Study Guide: In Depth
The activities in the study guide are designed to be used in collaboration with the synopsis found in Die
Fledermaus: Start Here and can be used either individually or together to support attendance at the opera and
reflection after the performance.
Opera is extravagant, and multilayered, which makes it a fantastic interdisciplinary learning experience, but can
also make it hard to get one’s head around initially. For this reason, we divide opera into five categories: Music,
Theatre, Story, Spectacle, and Collaboration. Die Fledermaus is known for its lyrical music and farcical story. For
that reason, we are going to focus on the music, story and theatrical elements of Die Fledermaus.
MUSIC
The music of Die Fledermaus is an example of Viennese music of the 19th century. The composer, Johann
Strauss, was known as the “Waltz King”. His father, Johann Strauss Sr., was also a well-known composer.
Strauss Jr established himself as his father’s greatest professional rival at only 19 years of age.
Both Strausses held the title “The Waltz King” at one time. Waltzes are dances felt in three with emphasis on the
first beat. If you say “oom pa pa” with stress on the “oom”, you can get an idea of how this sounds. One of the
most famous waltz melodies is included in the overture to Act One.
Activity
Listen to the opening overture of Die Fledermaus.
Throughout the overture there are excerpts from many of the waltzes heard in
the opera. Create a map of the overture that identifies when the waltzes can be
heard. Use colour, descriptive words or images to label what you are hearing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QROR4LioU-8
Jonathan Darlington, Music Director of Vancouver Opera and conductor of Die Fledermaus, wrote this about the
music.
Strauss's music is clear, simple, without anything particularly audacious but with astoundingly rich thematic
material. There is an inexhaustible profusion of melodic ideas, but what sets him apart is his spectacular ear for
orchestral colour: the clarinet solo opening to the Czardas, Rosalinde’s stirring – and utterly false – Hungarian
song, or the combination of the glockenspiel with pizzicato strings and harp for the chiming of a clock. So
simple and so effective. This is why some of the greatest conductors of the German tradition – from Mahler
through to Karajan, Böhm, Kleiber and others - held Die Fledermaus in such esteem. It is as pure and refined as
the best chamber music and relies on fine, porcelain-like delicacy for its effect.
Activity
After attending the opera what was your response to the music? Write a letter to
Maestro Darlington explaining what you thought including what you did and maybe,
did not, enjoy.
THEATRE
First produced by Theater an der Wien, Vienna, 5 April 1874
First produced by Vancouver Opera 1976
Die Fledermaus (The Bat) is defined as an operetta. The differences between opera, operettas and musical
theatre can be very fuzzy at times. Die Fledermaus is considered an operetta because it includes spoken lines
between arias instead of recitatives. The story of the opera is also lighter in its themes and character
development than other traditional operas.
One aspect of Die Fledermaus that is seen very often in opera is the inclusion of a "trouser role" which is a
woman singing a man’s part. The role of Prince Orlovsky is sung by a mezzo-soprano. Trouser roles are often
used in opera to represent young men or boys.
The opera takes place in three acts which each take place in a different location. The story opens in a living room,
moves to a ball room and ends in a jail room. There is a great deal of action in each act as the different
characters move in and out of the story. To ensure the audience knows which action to focus on, lights are used
to highlight specific characters. Lighting designers work with the director and stage managers to create a lighting
design for the opera. During technical rehearsals in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the lighting designer rehearses
each scene with the lights and determines which lights are going to be used, if the lights will require colours or
filters and essentially creates a plan for the entire production.
Activity
Create a tableaux in your classroom based on a novel, script or poem. Include as
many students as works for the scene ensuring that there is an action suggested by
each character. Vary the height and depth of the scene. Have a second group of
students light the scene using flashlights and experimenting with drawing focus to
different aspects of the tableaux. A narrator can then read the text while the lighting
crew animates the story.
STORY
Die Fledermaus opened in Vienna, Austria in 1874. It was very well received but the timing of the opening was
unfortunate as the Viennese stock market crashed in the months before. The frothy story of champagne-soaked
nobility attending a party premiered at a time when many had lost their life savings. Due to this fact, the original
was only performed 16 times before it closed. However, between its début in 1874 and 1921, Die Fledermaus
was so popular that it was performed on German-language stages over 12,000 times.
Another aspect of Die Fledermaus that identifies the work as an operetta is the lightness of the story and
character development. Die Fledermaus is essentially a farce and as such includes jokes, mistaken identities and
a plot with many twists and turns. Over time it has become traditional to adapt the libretto to include references
to local events and contemporary humour. Many productions also cast a local celebrity in the role of Frosch.
Activity
Select a well known fairy tale, myth or fable – something most students in the class
are aware of. Working in groups, have students work together to adapt the story to
fit into their school community. Add in jokes or well known phrases as well as a local
celebrity to make a surprise appearance. Have each group share their story with the
class.
VOCABULARY
Overture: The musical introduction to an opera. Overtures often include music from later in the opera.
Aria (AH(AH-reeree-ah):
ah) a song for one voice and instrumental accompaniment. In opera, an aria lets a character
reflect on an event, expressing their feelings and thoughts.
Libretto (lee(lee-BREHBREH-toe):
toe) the words to the opera. Sometimes the composer writes both the words and music, but
usually a librettist creates the text. The plots are often adapted from a story or play.
Recitative (reh(reh-sihsih-tahtah-TEEVE)
TEEVE):
VE) a sung conversation. It has the rhythms and speed of dialogue, but is set to
music. While composers use arias to express emotions, most of the business of the plot happens in recitative,
when the characters “converse” with each other.
A Note For Teachers
Vancouver Opera’s thriving education program is a source of pride for everyone involved with the company. We
would love to hear back from you and your students after attending any one of our diverse education programs.
Students are always welcome to write a review of the performance they attend and I encourage all teachers who
participate in our programs to send me the work created by students. I am also very interested in hearing from
you about your connection to opera, how you use it in your classroom and any suggestions you have for us!
Thank you,
Colleen Maybin
Director of Education and Community Engagement
Vancouver Opera Education
Nurturing hearts, opening minds and broadening creativity through opera