If—as they say—”necessity is the mother of invention”, the term could have been created for UT Opera Theatre. First, a scheduling conflict preventing them from performing in their usual venue, the Bijou Theatre downtown, had them planning instead on the Tennessee Amphitheater in World’s Fair Park. Then, a forecast of chilly, wet weather this weekend prompted yet another move—this time to the UT Band Room in the Natalie Haslam Music Center. Their production of Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus will see four performances there this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Admission is FREE for this production.
Unsure about the location? Visitors arriving in the Music Center lobby will be directed to the right space.
Die Fledermaus (The Bat) had a roundabout birth, originally based on a French costume comedy by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, Le Réveillon. As written, the work was deemed unsuitable for Strauss’ Viennese audience, so it was subsequently re-worked by librettists Karl Haffner and Richard Genée. Strauss’ affinity for the material was obvious. He completed the score in only 43 days with notable vocal parts and a brilliant orchestration that has both tuneful waltz and polka moments and abundant amounts of dramatic/comic substance. Farcical is the plot descriptor here, one that hinges on mistaken identity, flirtation, and a practical joke that turns out quite differently than expected. Die Fledermaus was first performed in April 1874 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna.
Part of the inventiveness of UTOT’s different staging experience stems from the energy that comes from alternative approaches. Director James Marvel believes that this is a real positive.
“The acting style is sort of an expressionist version of old Hollywood delivery, ” Marvel offers. “It’s about veneer, facade, and feigned emotions that are punctuated by an intentionally overly dramatic gestural world. 98% of the time when you see Fledermaus, the dialogue is mediocre. Ours is energized and essential. As a result, I think it is funnier. I honestly think our Act 1 is the best I’ve ever seen it done.”
As is the regular custom for UTOT, the four performances will feature double casting. The four performances are:
• Friday, April 8, 7:00 pm
• Saturday, April 9, 2:00 pm
• Saturday, April 9, 7:00 pm
• Sunday, April 10, 2:00 pm
Natalie Haslam Music Center on the UT Campus
