For Opera and Operetta in English
Strauss
Prince Orlofsky’s Ball
A Gala Concert Entertainment based on Die Fledermaus.
Original libretto by C. Haffner and Richard Genée.
Translated and adapted by Ian Gledhill.
Prince Orlofsky’s Ball is an entertainment based on Act 2 of Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. It is intended to be the framework for a gala concert party, and other items may be interpolated at any point at the discretion of the producer, and the script may be freely adapted to suit the needs of the production. Most of the essential details of the plot of Die Fledermaus are included, though some characters are omitted. The lyrics and much of the dialogue come from our complete English version of Die Fledermaus.
SYNOPSIS
Gabriel von Eisenstein has been sentenced to jail for hitting a policeman. His friend, Doctor Falke, persuades him to delay reporting to the prison and come instead to the party being held by the young aristocrat, Prince Orlofsky. Adele, Eisenstein’s maid, has also received an invitation to Orlofsky’s party. At the party Eisenstein is introduced by Falke under an assumed name, and he is embarrassed to meet Adele, also with a false identity. Colonel Frank, the prison governor, appears and he, too, has an alias. To complicate matters still further Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinda, arrives wearing a mask, pretending to be a Hungarian Countess. Eisenstein spends the rest of the evening courting the unknown stranger. He also tells the company the story of a joke he once played on Falke which resulted in Falke having the nickname of “Fledermaus”, the Bat. Falke mutters of revenge, but Eisenstein laughs it off, and the party continues into the night with champagne and dancing. However as morning approaches both Eisenstein and Frank make their excuses and try to leave. Falke refuses to let them go and makes them confess their true identities. Rosalinda also unmasks and Eisenstein discovers to his discomfort he has spent the whole evening flirting with his own wife. Falke admits the whole affair was arranged by him - the Bat has had his revenge.
Prince Orlofsky’s Ball
A Gala Concert Entertainment based on Die Fledermaus.
Original libretto by C. Haffner and Richard Genée.
Translated and adapted by Ian Gledhill.
Prince Orlofsky’s Ball is an entertainment based on Act 2 of Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. It is intended to be the framework for a gala concert party, and other items may be interpolated at any point at the discretion of the producer, and the script may be freely adapted to suit the needs of the production. Most of the essential details of the plot of Die Fledermaus are included, though some characters are omitted. The lyrics and much of the dialogue come from our complete English version of Die Fledermaus.
SYNOPSIS
Gabriel von Eisenstein has been sentenced to jail for hitting a policeman. His friend, Doctor Falke, persuades him to delay reporting to the prison and come instead to the party being held by the young aristocrat, Prince Orlofsky. Adele, Eisenstein’s maid, has also received an invitation to Orlofsky’s party. At the party Eisenstein is introduced by Falke under an assumed name, and he is embarrassed to meet Adele, also with a false identity. Colonel Frank, the prison governor, appears and he, too, has an alias. To complicate matters still further Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinda, arrives wearing a mask, pretending to be a Hungarian Countess. Eisenstein spends the rest of the evening courting the unknown stranger. He also tells the company the story of a joke he once played on Falke which resulted in Falke having the nickname of “Fledermaus”, the Bat. Falke mutters of revenge, but Eisenstein laughs it off, and the party continues into the night with champagne and dancing. However as morning approaches both Eisenstein and Frank make their excuses and try to leave. Falke refuses to let them go and makes them confess their true identities. Rosalinda also unmasks and Eisenstein discovers to his discomfort he has spent the whole evening flirting with his own wife. Falke admits the whole affair was arranged by him -
1 flute, 1 oboe, 2 clarinets, 1 bassoon,
2 horns, 2 trumpets, 1 trombone,
2 horns, 2 trumpets, 1 trombone,
timps, percussion,
strings.
strings.
Orchestration
The Villa Orlofsky.
Setting
Partygoers, footmen. (SATTB)
Chorus
Rosalinda (soprano)
Adele (soprano)
Prince Orlofsky (mezzo)
Ida (mezzo)
Adele (soprano)
Prince Orlofsky (mezzo)
Ida (mezzo)
Eisenstein (tenor or baritone)
Doctor Falke (baritone)
Colonel Frank (bass)
Ivan (speaking part)
Doctor Falke (baritone)
Colonel Frank (bass)
Ivan (speaking part)
Roles