BGSU Opera Theater presents 'Die Fledermaus'

Faculty and students will be featured in the BGSU Opera Theater production Feb. 27-28 of “Die Fledermaus” by Johann Strauss Jr.

A lively story in song about love, deception and good-natured revenge, the opera will be staged at 8 p.m. both nights in Kobacker Hall of the Moore Musical Arts Center. Tickets are $8, $10 and $12 and go on sale today (Feb. 16) at the center box office (2-8171).

The opera will also feature members of the Bowling Green Philharmonia conducted by Emily Freeman Brown.

Originally written in German, the three-act tale is based on the dance music of Austria in 1874. The opera tells how Dr. Falke plots revenge on his friend Gabriel von Eisenstein, who left him asleep on a bench after a fancy ball. Falke, who is wearing a bat costume (“Die Fledermaus”), is awakened by a jeering crowd.

An opportunity for revenge presents itself when Prince Orlofsky gives another ball at which Eisenstein intends to flirt with all the ladies. Without Eisenstein’s knowledge, his wife, Rosalinda, and chambermaid, Adele, also attend the party. Rosalinda gathers evidence of Eisenstein’s philandering and he is thrown in jail on a minor charge. As morning breaks, everyone gathers at the jail where Falke reveals his plot and all are reunited.

BGSU’s production will be sung in English under the direction of Eugene Dybdahl, who has cast more than 40 Bowling Green students in the comic opera. To enable more students to take part, the director has assembled a double cast, which means different students will perform each night.

Eisenstein will be portrayed by tenor Christopher Scholl, music performance studies.

Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinda, will be played by graduate students Lori Hicks of Bowling Green and Sarah Nicholas of Dakota, Ill.

Second-year graduate student Summer Ellis of Seguin, Texas, and junior Abigail Studor of North Royalton will portray Eisenstein’s maid, Adele. Senior Gregory Ashe of Huber Heights and first-year graduate student Russell Gartner of Findlay will share the role of Alfred, Rosalinda’s former lover.

Prince Orlofsky will be played by senior Elizabeth Baldwin of Sylvania and first-year graduate student Renee Huss of Bluffton. Seniors T. Edward Federle of Cincinnati and Justin Randolph of Zanesville will appear in the role of Dr. Falke.

The part of Frosch will be played by David Kuhlakowski of Toledo. Kuhlakowski has performed with the BGSU Summer Musical Theater since 1996, including roles as Marcellus in the “Music Man,” Nicely-Nicely Johnson in “Guys and Dolls” and Ali Hakim in “Oklahoma.”