Die Fledermaus

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A play within a play, a lusty but innocent flirtation, a philandering husband, some mistaken identity, a wealthy count, and sumptuous music.

ACT I
Falke, victim of a practical joke at the hands of Eisenstein, is out for revenge. Eisenstein is on his way to serve a brief jail sentence for injuring a tax collector, but Falke convinces him to make a detour to a ball, where he can flirt with the women. Lying about her aunt being sick, the maid Adele beseeches her mistress Rosalinde, Eisenstein’s wife, for the night off, for the real purpose of attending the ball. Softened by a visit and serenade from Alfred, an old flame, Roselinde grants Adele permission. Eisentein sets off for the ball, telling his wife he is leaving for jail. But Falke has surreptitiously invited Roselinde to come to the ball as well. Meanwhile, Alfred has come back for romance, but when Frank, the prison warden arrives, Roselinde needs to protect her reputation, so she sends Alfred off to jail as Eisenstein.

ACT II
Deception continues. At the ball, Eisenstein is introduced as Marquis Renard, Frank as Chevalier Chagrin, Adele as Olga (an actress), Roselinde as a masked Hungarian countess, and the host Prince Orlofsky as themself. So, have you got your scorecard updated? Entertaining the rich but bored Orlofsky is Falke’s goal for the evening, and Ida, a popular and respected dancer is on the bill. Although she is Adele’s sister, she did not invite her to the ball because of the status difference between them. Nevertheless, she is there because Frank sent her a fake invitation. Eisenstein and Adele recognize each other yet maintain their disguised roles. Roselinde arrives in full disguise with full knowledge of what is going on. Eisenstein and Frank do not recognize each other. Since they are both “French”, they quickly become good friends, not knowing that within hours they would be on opposite sides of prison bars. Many a female has been seduced by Eisenstein’s watch, and he thinks it is working on the disguised Roselinde. However, she is the one who seduces him, getting the watch away from him in the process.
The entire party ensemble sings drinking songs well into the night.

ACT III
Alcohol in no small quantity has been consumed by Frosch the jailer, under torment by Alfred’s constant singing from his cell. Frank, enthralled by Adele’s acting talent, has to admit he does not have the means to support her new career. Eisenstein arrives to find his jail cell occupied and learns of the Roselinde/Alfred affair. Usurping attorney Dr. Blind’s judicial attire, after he had been summoned to deal with Alfred’s claim of false arrest, Eisenstein obstreperously seeks the right of vengeance, accusing
Roselinde of infidelity. But she produces the infamous watch, and Eisenstein realizes it is he, not she, who is guilty. Somehow, the two realize that they truly love each other. Falke acknowledges his practical joke. Prince Orlofsky was finally entertained. Who can figure out how so many people can fit into a jail? The conclusion: champagne is to blame.”