Die Fledermaus [Import]

These comments refer to the performance of Strauss' Die Fledermaus done by the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, conducted by Placido Domingo, starring Kiri Te Kanawa and Hermann Prey as the Eisensteins. (sung mostly in German, with subtitles in English, German, Spanish, and Japanese.)

This performance is a good introduction to Strauss' Fledermaus because Dr. Falke explains to Prince Orlofsky IN ENGLISH! the plot of his complicated prank on his old friend Gabriel Eisenstein.

As if the cast of excellent singers and the beautiful costuming were not enough, Prince Orlofsky's celebrity guests make this an evening to remember. In addition to an appearance by French crooner, Charles Aznavour, there is a ballet vignette with such superb dancing that it will leave breathless even those (like me!) who usually eschew ballet--it's dazzling!

Recorded in 1984, this is a New Year's Eve performance that you'll want to enjoy again and again with family and friends.

I adore Kiri te Kanawa. I saw her once in Montreal and enjoy every minute of it. It is worth watching her on this DVD. Your spirit will be lifted for the duration of "Die Fledermaus".

Die Fledermaus is probably the greatest operetta ever written. Strauss's music is wonderful and the libretto is clever and funny. And is good performances like this a lot of additional jokes are added in it. This is an excellent and (most of all) very entertaning performance. After seeing Hermann Prey in it, I haven't really wanted to see the part of Eisenstein done by anybody else. He is an amazing singer and actor. He IS Eisenstein. Prey's death in 1998 came to me as a shock. Kiri Te Kanawa as Eisenstein's wife Rosalinde isn't bad though she isn't one of my favorite singers. I have heard much better versions of Rosalinde's Czardas (which is one of my favorite songs ever). Doris Soiffel is great as the extremely bored Prince Orlofsky and Hildegard Heichele is an absolutely charming Adele.
The guest appearances are great too. I've read other reviews of this video and know that opera purists prefer another video that includes guest appearances from such (overrated) singers as Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne. But I prefer the ones on this video: A ballet number performed by Merle Park and Wayne Eagling, two funny songs from Dr. Evadne Hinge and Dame Hilda Bracket, and most of all Charles Aznavour doing a passionate rendition of his song "She".
What is sometimes slightly disturbing is that some of the dialogue is in German and some in English. I think it would have been better to sing in German and speak in English. But in spite of this, I love this video. Watching it makes you feel that you are a guest in a 19th century Viennese party.