Rochelle Schrader, Sean Wallace, and ensemble members in Die Fledemaus (photo by Missy Myers of Capturing Fireflies Photography)
If you don't think opera can be frivolous and fun, Opera Quad Cities will prove otherwise, with a big dollop of flair and abundant thrills for the ear and eye.
The troupe is presenting Die Fledermaus (German for "The Bat") at St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center, directed by Augustana College music professor Michelle Crouch. This comic operetta was composed by Austrian Johann Strauss II from a libretto by Germans Karl Haffner and Richard Genée. (You may know Strauss the Younger from his 1866 smash-hit waltz "The Blue Danube.") It debuted in Vienna in 1874; its origin was an 1851 German farce, which inspired a 1872 vaudeville play in France that morphed into an Austrian play, and the piece found its final form with Strauss' pleasing melodies.
Unlike opera, an operetta contains dialogue, and Die Fledermaus' script is funny, even in a different country 151 years later. Farces often employ mistaken identities to enhance the merriment. In this work, all but three of the principal characters purposely pretend to be someone else. The production features spoken dialogue in English, with songs in the original German – an ideal way to stage opera for English-speaking audiences. Translating lyrics brings challenges in manipulating fiddly meter and rhyme, which can result in awkward phrasing. Moreover, in this production, even non-German speakers can understand the songs, as a screen simultaneously displays English supertitles (like subtitles, but above the action instead of below).
The screen wasn't used at the Tuesday dress rehearsal I attended, so despite my two years of college German, I didn't get the full impact. But I still enjoyed it. And you won't be lost during this plot anyway, as the program gives a synopsis for each of the three acts. The plot? A medley of scandalous flirting, lying to get out of work, sneaky liaisons, revenge, a lavish party, excessive drinking, going to jail for assaulting a cop – a typical weekend then or now, right?
Crouch's tremendous cast boasts powerful, trained voices, and the high notes reach the stratosphere. Impressive résumés abound, and the performers' work on this stage is physically and mentally demanding. Rochelle Schrader plays the clever central character Rosalinde, Travis Richter is her husband (and the prisoner-to-be) Eisenstein, Chelsea Crumbleholme their maid Adele, and Zinnia Manning Adele's sister Ida. Joshua Morey portrays Rosalinde's former beau Alfred, as well as a tenor who tempts her with his high A. Sean Wallace plays Dr. Falke, Eisenstein's oldest friend, who invites him out for a night of revelry. Marcus Mills is Eisenstein's lawyer Dr. Blind, while Benjamin Laur portrays prison warden Colonel Frank, and Kai Swanson is Frosch, the non-singing, hilarious, tipsy jailer. "My Dear Marquis," also known as "Adele's Laughing Song," is the most famous piece in the operetta, and it's lively and appealing in this production.
The host of the ball, which lasts for all of Act II, is the young Russian Prince Orlofsky – a Hosenrolle (breeches role), meaning a young male character written for a woman due to the vocal range required. Alice Lind portrays the jaded, morose, yet gracious Orlofsky with a convincing Russian accent, including the distinctive "dark L.” (You'd know it if you heard it.) The ball attendees, meanwhile, are played by Abi Jensen, Bob Gull, Caleb Schrader, Catie Johnson, Georgi Feigley, Jesslyn Cohen, Jon Schrader, Josephine Koppes, Karmi Rivera, Law Ger Htay, Lillian Dawn, Miriam Anderson, Morgan Wehling, Noah McCracken, Olha Huska, Shyam Devasthali, Sophia Kizzier, Sophia Marmion, Thayne Lamb, and Trevor Loes.
Conductor and music director Nathan Windt leads the amazing orchestra of 34 impeccably disciplined musicians – there's even a harpist. And the dancing, with choreographer Shelley Cooper and assistant Jesslyn Cohen arranging the moves for the main cast, was integrated well. A sequence of three short ballet pieces, staged by Ballet Quad Cities choreographer Nora Ambler, features charming young dancers in matching peasant-themed costumes: Alexandra Ripley, Amelia Gomez, Celia Arnold, Emma Isaacson, Lila Castro, and Shiori Suzuki. Their interlude fit into the plot as entertainment during the ball.
Of course, when going to an elegant soirée, you can't just throw on any old thing, and the masquerade attire was created by Howard Tsvi Kaplan of the Sarasota Opera, with Lora Adams, Sarah Kahler, Cindy May, and Greg Hiatt serving as local costume coordinators. The ladies of the ensemble wear magnificent color-saturated glittering gowns in rich green, bronze, burgundy, black, turquoise, and dark grey.
At Tuesday's rehearsal, some of the performers acted more naturally, and expressed stronger emotions, while singing than they did during their dialogue. The only sound issue I noted was a few people speaking too softly when on the terrace, and in truth, the most disappointing thing about Die Fledermaus, for me, was that there's no bat – just an anecdote about someone in a bat costume. The program, though, features a beautiful illustration of a bat mask by Travis Kershaw; that will have to suffice for we chiropterophiles. Opera Quad Cities' talent is immense, the production values are spectacular, and the chances to attend a performance are few. Endeavor to see this one.
Opera Quad Cities' Die Fledermaus runs in St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center (2101 North Gaines Street, Davenport IA) June 20 and 22, and more information and tickets are available by visiting OperaQC.org.
