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.

Tenor Joshua Kohl to open the Orioles' Pre-Season 3rd Year in a Row!

For the third year in a row, tenor and former baseball player Joshua Kohl will sing the National Anthem at the Baltimore Orioles’ first Spring Training game of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday, March 5th at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.

A huge Chicago White Sox fan, he played ball throughout his youth and was a varsity player in high school. “I was an avid baseball player growing up and all through high school starting varsity as a freshman” he says. “There’s nothing better than hitting a home run in a game. It’s exhilarating!”

He loves it so much that he decided to forego the high school musical in his senior year to play on the team. “I figured I’d be singing for the rest of my life but this would be my last chance to play ball. The funny thing is that the odds for being successful in either field are probably about the same!”

However, today Mr. Kohl has hung up his cleats and is currently singing the principal role of Edgardo in Sarasota Opera’s 2012 production of Lucia di Lammermoor. He has also sung leading roles at opera companies such as Dallas Opera, Tulsa Opera, Nashville Opera and Hawaii Opera Theater.

Judging from the reviews he has received for his portrayal as Edgardo, he made the right decision. He was described as “powerful” by the Herald Tribune and Albert Cohen of ProOpera.org applauded Mr. Kohl’s portrayal of the role writing, “He covered the entire emotional range from adoring lover to a furious whirlwind…”.

About being asked to sing the National Anthem for the third year in a row, he says, “Getting to sing the National Anthem is always a great experience. As for the Orioles, I remember going to the old Memorial Stadium, and then to Camden Yards. Going to card shows and stadiums growing up was such a great deal of fun. And yes, I cry at the end of FIELD OF DREAMS every time.”

Baseball and Opera continue to be family activities in Kohl’s household. His wife of 6 ½ years, soprano and Boston Red Sox fan Sarah Asmar, is currently singing the role of Frasquita in Carmen and is a Studio Artist at Sarasota Opera this season, has sung the National Anthem at Fenway Park.

Don’t miss your chance to see Joshua Kohl on stage! Performances of Lucia di Lammermoor will continue through March 23rd and tickets are available online at http://www.sarasotaopera.org/ or by calling the Sarasota Opera Box Office at (941) 328-1300.