New Year's Eve in Munich - Festive Moments Maria Stuarda & Die Fledermaus

INCLUDED

• Travel in the Car Rouge, 2+1 seating
• Music tour manager from/to Switzerland
• Accommodation at the 4* Hotel Platzl
• 3 x B&B (room/breakfast buffet)
• 1 x New Year's Eve dinner incl. drinks
• 1 x gourmet dinner at a restaurant
• 1 x opera ticket, 1st category
• 1 x operetta ticket, 1st category
• City tour and walking tour
• Car Rouge audio system

Hotels

4* Superior Hotel Platzl

4* Superior Hotel Platzl

4* Superior Hotel Platzl

4* Hotel Platzl, Munich

Opera description

Production

Barrie Kosky gives the “operetta of all operettas” a new look and turns to its morbid side. The setting is Vienna, city of the golden age of operetta, where Die Fledermaus received its premiere at the Theater an der Wien in 1874. It is not only Gabriel von Eisenstein for whom the bat's revenge becomes a nightmare. A society, an entire city, dances towards the abyss. To take revenge on his friend Eisenstein, Dr Falke, alias the Bat, stages a game of mistaken identities at Count Orlofsky's. There a marquis and a chevalier, a countess and aspiring actresses meet for an intoxicating party. Glasses clink, relationships begin to wobble, there is love, lying and dancing. The revellers celebrate for as long as they can, true to the motto: “Happy is he who forgets...”.

ACT ONE

The more bourgeois, the more unfulfilled: Rosalinde von Eisenstein, a Viennese woman of some standing, settled in a marriage with the dull-witted Gabriel von Eisenstein, is fending off the advances of her pre-marital lover, the tenor Alfred. Adele, the Eisensteins' chambermaid, who is rather ungifted at domestic service, longs for a career in show business, which her sister Ida, already performing in higher circles, is meant to help her achieve: Adele receives a letter from her inviting her to an excessive party at Prince Orlofsky's, notorious throughout Vienna. Adele invents an illness of her aunt's so that she can be released from the Eisensteins' service for an evening. Everyone will meet there later – naturally wrapped in costumes that protect their identities. Gabriel von Eisenstein in particular thirsts for such a night, as he has in fact been sentenced to a short term in prison for behaving abusively, both verbally and physically, towards the judiciary. He has one night left before his sentence begins. His lawyer, Dr Blind, managed to secure this brief postponement in court. Dr Falke, in turn, a close friend of Eisenstein's, has long been waiting for this moment. He will take revenge on Eisenstein – for Eisenstein once humiliated his companion in front of Viennese society by putting him, dead drunk after a night of carousing, into a bat costume and letting him wander lost through Vienna. So Falke invites Eisenstein to Orlofsky's as well – with the prospect of extramarital liaisons naturally included. Eisenstein is easily won over, for he is well practised in such matters: a luxurious pocket watch has often served him as bait for younger ladies on his nocturnal outings. Gabriel bids farewell to his wife as he sets off for prison. She, of course, is also invited to Orlofsky's as part of Falke's revenge plan. Rosalinde soon finds herself confronted by Alfred, who once again tries to seduce her with his vocal and oral talents. The two are interrupted by the prison governor, Frank. He is looking for the convicted husband in order to escort him to prison. The logical consequence: Alfred has to pass himself off as Eisenstein in a hurry and let himself be taken to prison in his place, otherwise the tête-à-tête would become public. In the end, everyone is on their way to Orlofsky's party, even the pedantic prison governor Frank is drawn there.

ACT TWO

Things are wild at Orlofsky's house. Anyone here is at best not bourgeois, or willingly leaves all the etiquette of such a world at the cloakroom. This evening will be a Dionysian feast – intoxication by definition. Adele, wearing one of Rosalinde's dresses, meets her sister Ida, who is confused by the supposed invitation by letter – likewise written by the revenge-hungry Falke – but is delighted at her sister's arrival and wants to introduce her to society as an actress by the name of Olga. The famous-infamous Prince Orlofsky is meanwhile almost bored from so much partying and demands to be entertained. Falke proposes the performance of an impromptu play – its title is The Bat's Revenge. And so the entanglement arranged by Falke finally advances, and, as a matter of course, so does the level of intoxication of all the guests: Eisenstein arrives, whom Falke introduces as Marquis Renard. The prison governor also appears, under his false name Chevalier Chagrin. The highlight is the appearance of a much-heralded star: the Hungarian countess. This masked countess is none other than Rosalinde, who is appalled that her husband has lied to her and is here brazenly flirting with the chambermaid, whom he takes for an artiste, and finally, in costume, with her too. In doing so, she succeeds in stealing his pocket watch. The party is still in full swing in the early hours, but Eisenstein finally has to take his leave and sets off for prison.

ACT THREE

In this prison, the alcohol level is alarmingly high. The jailer Frosch encounters the very drunk prison governor, who can no longer see straight. One by one, everyone arrives here. Ida and Adele continue to work on Adele's still-pending career as an artiste and ask Frank for the help he promised Olga, as Chevalier Chagrin, in an intimate moment. Above all, he is to put in a good word for them with Rosalinde von Eisenstein, since Olga did, after all, take her dress. He agrees, but the next moment realises that Marquis Renard is standing at the door. So that Ida and Adele remain undiscovered, they are hidden away. Eisenstein, in turn, has to discover that, firstly, Chevalier Chagrin is in truth the prison governor and, secondly, that Eisenstein has already been imprisoned. He begins to rage when he learns how Alfred's case of mistaken identity came about. He feels betrayed by Rosalinde and thirsts for revenge. She, having meanwhile arrived, tries to talk her way out of the affair with Alfred. At this point, everyone feels deceived by everyone else and is beside themselves with rage. A quarrel breaks out between the Eisensteins and accusations rain down. Rosalinde then holds his watch under his nose. Before the situation escalates, Falke appears with Orlofsky and his entourage and enlightens Eisenstein. That is how the Bat takes its revenge! The masquerade is over. Everyone has been unmasked and would have to admit to their actions, were it not for the champagne. After all, the blame can be shifted onto that. Only one thing remains: the hangover …

Source: Bavarian State Opera, Munich

Maria Stuarda by Gaetano Donizetti

ACT ONE

The French ambassador woos Queen Elizabeth on behalf of his sovereign. She is not averse to such a union but, because she loves Leicester, asks for time to consider and dismisses the ambassador with a suitable message. As Leicester shows no emotion whatsoever, Elizabeth's suspicion that he loves the imprisoned Mary Stuart almost becomes certainty. When Leicester receives a letter from Mary from Talbot, he cannot hide his dismay from the Queen, who demands the letter from him, in which Mary asks for a meeting with Elizabeth. Although Leicester denies loving Mary and claims only to admire her beauty, the Queen does not believe him, but nevertheless wishes to receive her adversary.

ACT TWO

Leicester has hurried ahead to Fotheringhay Castle, where Mary is held captive with her nurse and confidante Anna Kennedy, in order to prepare her for the meeting with Elizabeth. Mary's youth and beauty make Elizabeth so furious that she not only insults the woman pleading for mercy, but also mocks her. Mary, already provoked by her humiliation, calls Queen Elizabeth a bastard and a disgrace to England's honour. Deeply shaken and wounded, Elizabeth rushes away and, to Leicester's dismay, announces Mary's imminent death.

ACT THREE

Elizabeth hesitates to sign the death warrant but is persuaded to do so by Sir Cecil. When Leicester comes to her, Elizabeth triumphantly holds the sentence in her hand and orders him to be present at the execution. Mary receives the sentence brought by Cecil and Talbot with fearless composure and is granted absolution by Talbot, who wears a priest's cassock beneath his cloak. Mary forgives her enemies and, at the last cannon shot, walks bravely and calmly to the block.

Source: Opera-guide.ch