Music
Kosky in an operetta frenzy – New “Fledermaus” in Munich
According to the Bavarian State Opera, Boris Kosky’s production is the first new “Fledermaus” in 26 years. photo
© Britta Pedersen/dpa
With his new production of “Die Fledermaus” in Munich, director Kosky throws himself into a dazzling spectacle that is accompanied by Johann Strauss’ stirring melodies.
For years, the native Australian had resisted staging the “Fledermaus” operetta, but now he plunges headfirst into it and is practically wallowing in the comedy accompanied by Strauss’s lively melodies. “It’s the champagne’s fault,” it says at the end of the last act, and at times the 56-year-old’s production itself seems like a great champagne rush, which ultimately gives way to a hangover and disillusionment in the sobering-up cell.
This is mainly due to the orgy-like, colorful, excellently choreographed crowd scenes that make up Kosky’s production. They ensure that his “bat” appears primarily visual and sensual, rather than intellectual. Unfortunately, in the prison scenes in the third act, she doesn’t stop at too much thigh-slapping humor.
Kosky had promised “a new look at the piece.”
Despite this (or precisely because of this), Kosky is celebrated when the curtain falls – as are the general music director of the Bavarian State Opera, Vladimir Jurowski, at the conductor’s podium, Georg Nigl as Gabriel von Eisenstein, Diana Damrau as Rosaline, Katharina Konradi as Adele, Andrew Watts as Prince Orlofsky and the entire ensemble of singers.
Kosky had promised a “new look at the piece” and announced: “I would like to give Munich a little foretaste of this Kosky operetta frenzy.” After Munich, Kosky staged another operetta that he actually wanted to avoid: “The Merry Widow” by Franz Lehár in Zurich.
According to the Bavarian State Opera, Kosky’s production is the first new “Fledermaus” in 26 years. Opera director Serge Dorny said after the premiere: “It was extremely necessary to have a new ‘Fledermaus’.”