Sarasota Opera's "Die Fledermaus" Hits the Stage!

"Walk, don't run, to get your tickets to this life-affirming show." - Richard Storm, The Herald Tribune
"This is an enjoyable, fresh Fledermaus..." - June LeBell, The Observer

"Hilarious and delightful" - Martin Clear, Bradenton Herald

Sarasota Opera opened it's 55th season on November 1st with a revival of the company's production of Johann Strauss, Jr.'s Die Fledermaus.  Below is the opera synopsis accompanied by photos from the production to give you a glimpse into the show.  

Remaining performances are November 5th, 7th, 13th and 15th.  Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at (941) 328-1300 or online at www.sarasotaopera.org 

ACT I

The home of Rosalinda and Gabriel von Eisenstein, near Vienna

Soprano Angela Mortellaro as Adele

A man’s voice is heard serenading from the street as Adele, Rosalinda’s chambermaid, reads an invitation to attend Prince Orlovsky’s grand party. Rosalinda refuses Adele’s request for the night off, since Eisenstein, her husband, is scheduled to begin a jail sentence that very evening. The serenader returns; it is Alfred, Rosalinda’s former admirer, who obtains a promise that he may visit Rosalinda later that night.

Soprano Danielle Walker as Rosalinda, Adele's employer

Tenor Joshua Kohl as Alfred, Rosalinda's lover

Baritone Sean Anderson as Eisenstein
Baritone Matthew Hanscom as Dr. Falke

Eisenstein enters, furious with his lawyer Dr. Blind whose incompetence has lengthened his stay behind bars. Dr. Falke arrives to invite Eisenstein to stop at Orlovsky’s party on his way to jail and Eisenstein, anticipating a fun evening ahead, agrees to attend. When Eisenstein goes off to dress, Rosalinda decides that with her husband away and Alfred at hand, Adele should not stay at home after all.

When Adele and Eisenstein leave Alfred returns to seduce Rosalinda. Frank, the warden of the prison, arrives to take Eisenstein into custody but mistakes Alfred for Rosalinda’s husband. Fearing a scandal, Rosalinda persuades Alfred to protect her reputation by pretending to be Eisenstein.

Baritone Steven Condy as Frank, the Warden

ACT II

Prince Orlovsky’s villa

The party is hitting its stride when Adele arrives. Falke promises Orlovsky an amusing comedy called “The Revenge of Dr. Fledermaus.” As soon as Eisenstein is introduced as a Frenchman, “Marquis Renard,” Falke writes a note inviting Rosalinda to the party. 

Mezzo soprano Blythe Gaissert as Prince Orlovsky

Eisenstein and Adele recognize each other, but Adele laughs off his comment that she resembles his wife’s chambermaid. Prison warden Frank is announced as “Chevalier Chagrin.” 

A masked Hungarian countess (in reality the disguised Rosalinda) arrives. 

Smitten by the mysterious noblewoman, Eisenstein promises her his chiming watch if she will unmask, but Rosalinda manages to steal the timepiece away from her husband without revealing her true identity.

To demonstrate her Hungarian authenticity, Rosalinda sings a song of longing for her homeland. 

Falke explains to the amusement of the party guests that once after a costume party, Eisenstein left him drunk and asleep in his bat costume under a tree; when Falke awoke the next morning, he was surrounded by taunting children. Dr. Falke hints that one day he will take revenge on his friend. As the clock strikes, Eisenstein and Frank hurry on their separate ways to the jail.

ACT III

The prison warden’s office

Baritone Constandinos Tsourakis as Frosh, the jailer

Alfred annoys the drunken jailer Frosch with his constant singing. Returning drunk from Orlovsky’s party, Frank falls asleep in his chair. The doorbell rings and Frosch admits Adele. She confesses to Frank that in reality she is the chambermaid in Eisenstein’s house. The bell rings again; Frank, recognizing Eisenstein (as “Marquis Renard”), tells Frosch to hide Adele and her sister.

Eisenstein and Frank reveal their true identities to each other. Frank, however, is skeptical because he has already arrested “the real Eisenstein.” They are interrupted by Frosch who announces a veiled lady. Frank goes to meet her as Frosch shows in Dr. Blind. Eisenstein forces Blind to surrender his clothes and glasses so that he can use them as a disguise.

 

Rosalinda meets with Alfred to warn him that Eisenstein is on his way. Her husband re-enters, now disguised as Blind. Accusations mount until Eisenstein takes off his disguise. Rosalinda confronts him on his behavior at Orlovsky’s party by producing his watch. 

As Falke arrives to enjoy seeing his revenge on Eisenstein, Rosalinda forgives Eisenstein for his flirtations. Everyone decides that the previous night’s confusion can be attributed to Champagne the King!

Conductor - Victor DeRenzi
Stage Director - Stephanie Sundine
Scenic Designer - David P. Gordon
Costume Designer - Howard Tsvi Kaplan
Lighting Designer - Ken Yunker
Hair & Make-Up Designer - Sue Sittko Schaefer
Chorus Master - Roger L. Bingaman

DIE FLEDERMAUS Returns to Sarasota Opera November 1st!

Baritone Sean Anderson as Eisenstein
in the 2006 Sarasota Opera production
of Die Fledermaus

Sarasota Opera will open its 2013 fall season on November 1st with the  operetta Die Fledermaus (The Bat) by Johann Strauss, Jr.  Sparkling and effervescent, Die Fledermaus gradually became a global hit after its premiere on April 5, 1874, and is the most performed operetta in the world!

Even though operetta was the musical genre du jour in mid-nineteenth century Vienna, the form did not begin there.  The origin of the form  was in Paris during the 1850s.   Composer Jacques Offenbach was having great success with one act comedies poking fun at politicians and aristocrats which proved to be a nice alternative to the increasingly serious French grand opera.  Offenbach’s theater was packed with patrons eager to enjoy evening s of light musical entertainment. In a short time, the popularity of these operettas (operette in French) swept through Europe, particularly in Vienna, where Austrian composers began trying their hand at creating works of similar style.

The most successful of these was Johann Strauss, Jr.  In addition to writing Viennese waltzes that are still played today, Johann Strauss, Jr. is famous for taking the French operette form, layering it with some Viennese flavor, and creating the Viennese operetta; His most famous and beloved being Die Fledermaus.         

Die Fledermaus premiered on April 5, 1874, at the Theater an der Wien was well received by the audience.  It enjoyed 16 initial performances in Vienna then quickly made its way around Europe with varying degrees of success.  It wasn’t until the early 20^th Century that audience enthusiasm solidified its stature as a cultural landmark and the work is now presented regularly around the world.

Sarasota Opera's 2006 production of Johann Strauss, Jr.'s Die Fledermaus

An elaborate revenge scheme is hatched by Dr. Falke to expose the womanizing ways of his friend Eisenstein.  The previous winter, following a masked ball, Eisenstein left his friend Falke drunk and asleep under a tree in a bat costume (hence the name of the opera “The Bat”).  Falke has now invited Eisenstein to enjoy a final night of frivolity, before he departs for a short stint in jail, at an elaborate Viennese ball hosted by Prince Orlovsky.  Falke tricks Eisenstein into flirting with his own wife, Rosalinda, who is disguised as an Hungarian countess.  A comedic evening, full of hidden identities and amorous intrigues, results in this charming story where ultimately champagne reigns as king!

Baritone Sean Anderson, who won critical acclaim as George in last season’s Of Mice and Men and Iago in the 2012 production of Verdi’s Otello, made his Sarasota Opera debut as the scheming Eisenstein in 2006.  Of his return in the role, Mr. Anderson says, “I always look forward to performing in Die Fledermaus, or any operetta for that matter, largely due to dialogue.  Opera singing is demanding without the addition of spoken text that must, must be on par dramatically with the sections which are sung. To strive to do both with artistic integrity is a challenge I relish bending my skill towards.”       

Mr. Anderson will be sharing the stage with a large cast of Sarasota Opera favorites.  Soprano Danielle Walker (A King for a Day, Carmen) will sing the role of his wife Rosalinda; Soprano Angela Mortellaro (Hansel and Gretel) will sing Adele, Rosalinda’s chambermaid; tenor Joshua Kohl (Lucia di Lammermoor, Don Giovanni) as Alfred, Rosalinda’s former lover; baritone Matthew Hanscom (Of Mice and Men, Turandot) as Dr. Falke, a.k.a “The Bat”; and mezzo-soprano Blythe Gaissert (Rigoletto, La rondine), as Prince Orlovsky, the host of the Viennese Ball where Falke’s plot unfolds.  Stephanie Sundine will direct and Maestro Victor DeRenzi will conduct the Sarasota Orchestra.  Originally written in German, this production will be sung in English in a translation by Marcie Stapp.  And like all productions at Sarasota Opera, subtitles will be projected above the stage. 

With tickets starting at only $19, this is a wonderful opportunity to see one of Johann Strauss, Jr.’s most celebrated works come alive.  Performances are November 1, 3(m), 5, 7, 13, and 15(m).  Evening performances begin at 8pm and matinée performances (both weekend and weekday) begin at 1:30pm.  For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Sarasota Opera Box Office at (941) 328-1300 or visit us at www.sarasotaopera.org.

ARTISTS PROFILE: Mezzo-soprano Blythe Gaissert

Blythe Gaissert returns to Sarasota Opera, 

this time wearing pants…

Mezzo-soprano Blythe Gaissert

The last time mezzo-soprano Blythe Gaissert performed at Sarasota Opera was in 2008 in the production of Rigoletto that opened the newly renovated and named William E. Schmidt Opera Theater. That season Blythe was a member of the Studio Artists Program and performed the role of the sexy Maddalena, a character who most definitely wears a skirt. For the Fall 2013 season, Blythe returns as a Principal Artist to perform Prince Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus, a role that is part of the operatic tradition of female singers portraying young men and therefore wearing pants. These “pants roles” include Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, and Octavian in der Rosenkavalier.

In thinking about her next assignment at Sarasota Opera, Blythe says, “This is my first time doing Orlovsky. I am really enjoying the challenge of doing a pants role again (it has been several years since I have gotten to be a "dude" or do comedy!) I have also found a lot of satisfaction in researching and learning about the traditions of Strauss' music, and look forward to benefitting from the knowledge of some of the other performers who have done the opera before. It's also kind of a return to my roots in another way. I originally studied to be a theater and musical theater performer, and so many of those elements are in Die Fledermaus since operetta was a sort of predecessor to the American musical that we know and love today!”

She continues, “I am so excited to be coming back as a Principle Artist this season! I feel like I got so much of my artistic education with the excellent Apprentice and Studio Artists Programs at Sarasota Opera and from its artists and community, and now I have a chance to come back and put all that I learned to use.  My husband is originally from Sarasota, so it is also great to be able to come back and perform in front of family and friends on the big stage! I am also hoping that my almost two year old son will be able to come and see me perform, although I'm not sure he will recognize me once the make-up and costume designers do their magic.”

Blythe Gaissert as Maddalena (left) in the 2008 Sarasota Opera production of Verdi's Rigoletto.
Photo by Richard Termine.

Blythe has been engaged by the Metropolitan Opera, LA Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and New Mexico’s Opera Southwest as well as the Tangelwood Music Festival, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Lyrique en Mer Festival in France. This September she appears in concert with the Sarasota Orchestra, singing works by Aaron Copland, Ravel, and DeFalla. For Sarasota Opera’s November 12 Operetta Concert, Blythe performs Noel Coward’s “Il Love Were All” from Bitter Sweet and a selection from Offenbach’s La Périchole.

-Greg Trupiano, Artistic Administrator

Don't miss Ms. Gaissert's performances as Prince Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus opening November 1st and running for six performances through November 15th.  Tickets are available at www.sarasotaopera.org or by calling (941) 328-1300.

ARTISTS CORNER: Soprano Angela Mortellaro

ARTISTS CORNER:  Soprano Angela Mortellaro made her Sarasota Opera debut as a Studio Artist singing the role of Gretel in the 2010 production of Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel.  Ms. Mortellaro will return this fall as a principal artist to sing the role of Adele in Johann Strauss Jr.'s Die Fledermaus opening November 1st, 2013.  She is currently in Sarasota singing the title role of Annelies - Inspired by the Diary of Anne Frank with Key Chorale April 14.  We caught up with Ms. Mortellaro in between rehearsals and asked her to answer a few questions about her life as a singer, what she learned as a Studio Artist with Sarasota Opera, and what he is looking forward to the upcoming fall season with Sarasota Opera.


Soprano Angela Mortellaro

 Q.  Where are you originally from and where do you make your home now?

A.  I'm originally from Brookfield, Wisconsin. I moved to Chicago recently and love it!

Q.  What drew you to become a singer?  Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity?

A.  Like many artists, I would say that singing found me. I always had an appreciation for music - I studied piano pretty seriously growing up, and my mother is a singer and choir director at our home church. I went to college with the intention of becoming a music teacher, and didn't think of myself as a performing artist. There have been many Aha! moments that told me music is a big part of who I am, and where I recognized the power and beauty of this art form. But, I'm not sure there was a specific moment about pursuing opera as a career. It was more like: I woke up one morning and realized that was the path I was on. Then, I just followed it.

Q.  What can you tell us about this character?  Why should the audience care about her?

A.  Adele is a fun-loving, mischievous and at times ridiculous person. What a riot! She reminds us not to take things too seriously, and I think that is an important lesson we all need to remember!

Q.  What are you looking forward to most about performing this particular role?

A.  I am looking forward to singing this wonderful music! Additionally, I am looking forward to the interplay between all these silly characters through the dialogue and plot twists.

Ms. Mortellaro as Gretel with mezzo-soprano Heather Johnson as Hansel in the
2010 Sarasota Opera prodution of  Hansel and Gretel

Q.  Is there something unique about your process when preparing a role for performance?

A.  I like to work on music over long periods of time, working very intensely, then ignoring it for a while. And working intensely again, and repeat! In the space in between is where I mull over things. This process seems to work for me.

Ms. Mortellaro in the title role of
Lucia di Lammermoor

 Q.  Beyond the musical work, what other kind of preparation/research work do you incorporate in the learning process?  Historical?  Character study? 

A.  I think incorporating research is so helpful. The more information I have about the music I'm singing, the richer of an experience it will be.

Q.  Does your preparation process differ between a role you have performed before and a role you are doing for the first time? 

A.  When I return to a piece I have done before, it is like a reunion with a wonderful friend! I love repeating roles because it is a fantastic opportunity. I have the chance to make different dramatic choices, bring a new vocal perspective, improve or change a cadenza, and I always learn something. Repeating a role is still a new experience because it is probably with a new company and different group of singers, director and conductor who bring their own ideas to a piece. That is really cool. Even if I have done something before, I try to approach each project like I have never seen it before. That way, there is more room for discovery! I love a new project, too. The truth is that I love the learning. I love sitting at the piano and being forever a student. Joy!

Ms. Mortellaro as Amore in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice 

Q.  Before you were a principal artist, you spent one season as a Sarasota Opera studio artist.  Do you feel that experience helped to prepare you for your upcoming role as a Principal Artist?  If yes, how so? 

A.  Yes, definitely. It not only prepared me to return to Sarasota Opera, but prepared me to sing professionally with other opera companies. Singing Gretel here was kindof a big deal! It was my first big role with a professional company.

Q.  Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal?  During a performance?

A.  Hmmm. It is hard to decide because there are so many funny things. I'm lucky that nothing terrible has ever happened. Wig malfunctions, props missing, curtains rising when they are not supposed to, dancers falling, carrying topiaries, trap door scariness more than once... One time I accidentally said "mooing" instead of "cooing" during a love aria. One incident that stands out though is a blood pack malfunction during my debut as Lucia with Minnesota Opera. It was a particularly gory production, and at the end of the Mad Scene I was supposed to slit my throat and use a blood pack. It would not burst!!! I squeezed that thing sooo hard and it finally burst... but it flew into the air in a glob and landed on a chorister. The audience couldn't see it, but we were in hysterics after the curtain came down.

Ms. Mortellaro backstage preparing to sing
the role of Despina in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte

Q.  How do you relax in between performances?  What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”?

A.  When I'm in a new place, one of the first things I do is find the nearest Bikram Yoga Studio. Taking lots of walks and getting exercise is the best way for me to feel relaxed.

Q.  How do you stay connected to family and friends when you are “on the road”?  Do you keep a blog?  Website?Facebook?  Twitter?

A.  Skype and iChat! I talk to my husband on the phone all the time, but to see his face when we are apart is so much better.





Subscriptions are available now for the 2013-2014 Sarasota Opera Season.  Subscribe before April 19th and receive a 15% discount on your subscription!  Contact the box office at (941) 328-1300 or download the registration form at www.sarasotaopera.org!