Are you looking to enjoy the holiday spirit early this November? ISU Theatre, ISU Symphony Orchestra, and ISU Opera Studio’s “Die Fledermaus (The Bat)” offers an effervescent evening out at the opera – with gorgeous music, gemstone-hued ballgowns, and the glitz and glamour of a late 19th-century Viennese palace.
Set in 1899 during a New Year’s Eve masked ball, “Die Fledermaus” is a delicious farce of mistaken identity, love, forgiveness, flirtation, and a practical joke with unforeseen consequences. Composed by Johann Strauss II and performed in English with a brisk two-hour runtime, the show opens Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. in Fisher Theater and runs for one weekend only.
The production is led by Department of Music and Theatre faculty Chad Sonka, associate teaching professor and stage director, and Jodi Goble, teaching professor and music director.
From operettas to American musical theatre
“Die Fledermaus” is one of the most popular operas in the world, performed often in both professional and university settings. As an operetta, the show is perfect for audiences who may be new to opera as an art form. In contrast to lengthy, grand operas, operettas often sparkle with satire and lightheartedness, and mistaken identity plots abound. Sonka notes that if the operetta feels familiar to an American audience, there’s a good reason.
“The operetta genre is the grandfather of what we would now call American musical theatre,” he explained. “So, shows like ‘The Sound of Music’ or ‘Carousel,’ in terms of structure, have their birth in something like ‘Die Fledermaus.’ When people go see it, they recognize something like ‘Oklahoma.'”
Audiences might also find themselves humming along to the show’s score.
“There are a lot of melodies in this opera that you don’t know that you know,” Sonka said. “You will leave this show tapping your toes to tunes through the holidays!”
The ISU Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by Jacob Harrison, associate professor of music at Texas State University and a former Iowa State music faculty member.
Entertainment and education
Sonka said “Die Fledermaus” is well-suited to give students a rich educational experience and a resume-worthy professional credit.
“Jodi and I pride ourselves on framing ISU’s opera program to serve the students,” he said. “We choose shows based on the strengths of the students here at the time, combining that with what will serve them in their careers. This show is a fantastic learning opportunity because of all the elements involved. There are many dance styles, and the music is accessible enough for students to learn it accurately while having fun.”
The lead female roles are double cast, meaning one set of actors will perform those roles Thursday and Saturday and another set on Friday and Sunday. This structure gives students the professional experience of collaborating with a counterpart on staging and blocking and helps them hone their skills of self-discipline and responsibility.
“Many of the leads you’ll see are going on to become music teachers,” Sonka said. “We try to teach them the process of show preparation. Then, when they have to produce their school’s musical in a few years of their teaching, they have a basis of process to do so.”
Sonka also said it’s been an “absolute joy” to help today’s students discover the relevancy of an opera written in 1874. He said students have engaged deeply with the material, finding themes of unity and friendship within the show.
The ‘total art’
Sonka said his favorite part of the show happens during act two when the curtain rises on the palace of Prince Orlofsky. Rob Sunderman, former Iowa State scenic designer, has returned to Fisher Theater to design a Viennese ballroom with a grand staircase and chandelier. It will be an opulent setting for ballroom dancing, and choreographer Valerie Williams plans to have the cast showcase many dance styles.
“They call opera the total art for a reason because it combines every art form,” Sonka said. “Act two is when it will be on display in its full vibrancy.”
Kelly Marie Schaefer, teaching professor and the show’s costume designer, is working alongside student assistant designers Stephanie Wessels (’25 industrial technology) and Kale Block (’26 performing arts) and costume shop supervisor Doris Nash to produce costumes worthy of a lavish, Gilded Age-era New Year’s Eve ball. Drawing inspiration from a gemstone-hued color palette, the team designed eight new ballgowns for this show, in addition to other costumes.
“I am most excited to see all the ballgowns on stage during the dance scene,” Schaefer said. “I absolutely love to see the skirts swirl and twirl as the performers are moving. There will be so many sequins on stage that the audience may need sunglasses!”
Milan Hale (’26 vocal music education) is performing one of the lead roles, Rosalinda von Eisenstein, on Nov. 7 and 9. Hale wants audiences to know that opera can be fun for everyone.
“It is not all dark tragedy and is not something that only a niche audience can enjoy, but something that encompasses many different styles of music, art, people, and stories and can be an exciting and entertaining art form for all,” Hale said. “This show, in particular, would be a great first show for anyone trying to dip their toes into the wonderful world of opera.”
And above all else, come for the “gorgeous singing,” Sonka said.
“We really chopped ‘Die Fledermaus’ down to its bare essentials,” Sonka said. “We realize people are coming to this for the music, so we kept the talking to a minimum and the singing to a maximum.”
Tickets, showtimes
“Die Fledermaus” runs in Fisher Theater on Nov. 7, 8, and 9 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance on Nov. 10 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 general admission and free for youth and Iowa State students.
Tickets can be purchased at the door, through the Iowa State Center Ticket Office, or any Ticketmaster. Free Iowa State University student tickets can be obtained at each of these locations, except Ticketmaster.