Come Dressed in Your Finest 1920s Attire!
JANUARY 24 – 27, 2026
DIE FLEDERMAUS
Libretto by KARL HAFFNER and RICHARD GENÉE
Get ready for a night of glamour, laughter, and irresistible melodies as we bring Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus to life—South Florida style! Inspired by the vibrancy and energy of our city, this production is more than just an opera; it’s a celebration. We’re transforming the grandeur of the Viennese courts into a dazzling spectacle, packed with surprises, special guest appearances, and a party you won’t want to miss.
Step into a world of high society, masked revelry, and mischievous intrigue, where mistaken identities and playful deception set the stage for a whirlwind of comedy and sumptuous Viennese waltzes. At the heart of it all is Dr. Falke’s grand scheme for revenge on his friend Eisenstein—an elaborate prank that unfolds at an extravagant masquerade ball, where champagne flows freely, secrets spill, and the unexpected is always around the corner.
With its soaring arias, effervescent ensembles, and lush orchestral score, Die Fledermaus is pure joy from start to finish. Featuring a brilliant cast, opulent costumes, and an atmosphere infused with South Florida’s dynamic spirit, this production is designed to transport you to a world where the music sparkles, the laughter never stops, and the party never ends! Come dressed in your finest 1920’s inspired gowns and tuxedos!
Sung in German with English and Spanish projected translations.
DIE FLEDERMAUS
by Johann Strauss II
Opera in 3 Acts
Libretto By: Karl Haffner and Richard Genée
First Performed: 1874, Theater an der Wien, Vienna
Last performed at FGO in 1998
Sung in German
MIAMI
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County / Ziff Ballet Opera House
- Jan 24, 2026, at 6:30pm
- Jan 25, 2026, at 3:00pm
- Jan 27, 2026, at 8:00pm
| Director: | Conor Hanratty |
| Conductor: | Pablo Mielgo |
| Scenic Designer: | Benoit Dugardyn |
| Costume Designer: | Ingeborg Bernerth |
| Lighting Designer: | Kendall Smith |
| Projection Designer: | NA |
| Wig and Makeup Designer: | Brittany Rappise |
| Production Stage Manager: | Jon Wangsgard |
| Choreographer: | Rosa Mercedes |
| Dancer Coordinator: | Rosa Mercedes |
| Fight Choreographer: | TBA |
| Chorus Director: | Jared Peroune |
| Assistant Director: | Kali Fong |
| Assistant Conductor: | Felix Jarrar |
| Associate Lighting Designer: | TBA |
| Assistant Wig and Makeup Designer: | TBA |
| Production | Owned by Florida Grand Opera |
| English titles by: | TBA |
| Spanish titles by: | TBA |
| Alfred: | Ricardo Garcia |
| Adele: | Rebecca Nelsen ** |
| Rosalinde: | Esther Tonea |
| Eisenstein: | John Viscardi ** |
| Dr. Blind: | Levi Adkins *** |
| Dr. Falke: | Alex Granito * |
| Frank: | Louis Otey |
| Ida: | Ingrid Kuribayashi *** |
| Prince Orlofsky: | Ginger Costa-Jackson |
| Frosch: | Anthony Laciura |
* FGO Studio Artist
** FGO Debut
*** FGO Studio Artist Debut
ARTISTS
Ricardo Garcia
TENOR
ALFRED
Rebecca Nelsen
SOPRANO
ADELE
Esther Tonea
SOPRANO
ROSALINDE
John Viscardi
TENOR
EISENSTEIN
Levi Adkins
TENOR
DR. BLIND
Alex Granito
BARITONE
DR. FALKE
Louis Otey
BARITONE
FRANK
Ingrid Kuribayashi
SOPRANO
IDA
Ginger Costa-Jackson
MEZZO-SOPRANO
PRINCE ORLOFSKY
Anthony Laciura
SPOKEN
FROSCH
Conor Hanratty
DIRECTOR
Pablo Mielgo
CONDUCTOR
SYNOPSIS
Gabriel von Eisenstein, a Viennese man-about-town, has been sentenced to eight days in prison for insulting an official, partially due to the incompetence of his attorney, Dr. Blind. Adele, Eisenstein’s maid, receives a forged letter, allegedly from her sister who is in the company of the ballet, but actually written by Eisenstein’s friend Falke, inviting her to Prince Orlofsky’s ball. She pretends the letter says that her aunt is very sick, and asks her mistress Rosalinde (Eisenstein’s wife) for an evening off. Falke arrives to invite him to the ball. Together, they recall a practical joke which Eisenstein played on Falke a few years ago, for which Falke is secretly planning a light-hearted revenge in kind. Eisenstein bids farewell to Adele and his wife Rosalinde, pretending he is going to prison but really intending to postpone jail for one day and have fun at the ball.
After Eisenstein leaves, Rosalinde is visited by her former lover, the singing teacher Alfred, who serenades her. Frank, the governor of the prison, arrives to take Eisenstein to jail, and finds Alfred instead. In order not to compromise Rosalinde, Alfred agrees to pretend to be Eisenstein and to accompany Frank.
It transpires that Falke, with Prince Orlofsky’s permission, is using the ball as a way of getting revenge on Eisenstein. Some time before, after a costume-party, Eisenstein had abandoned Falke, very drunk and dressed in a bat-costume, in the center of town, exposing him to ridicule the next day. As part of his scheme, Falke has invited Frank, Adele, and Rosalinde to come the ball, all concealing their identities as well. Rosalinde pretends to be a masked Hungarian countess, Eisenstein goes by the name “Marquis Renard”, Frank is “Chevalier Chagrin”, and Adele, who has borrowed one of Rosalinde’s dresses without permission, pretends she is an actress.
The ball is in progress and the Prince welcomes his guests. Eisenstein is introduced to Adele, but is confused as to who she really is because of her striking resemblance to his maid. Frank arrives. He and Eisenstein, who are both posing as Frenchmen, attempt to conceal their identities by repeating common French phrases to each other, to Orlofsky’s great amusement. Since neither actually knows French, both are fooled. As the party progresses, they both experience alcohol-induced good-feeling and manly camaraderie for each other.
Then Falke introduces the masked Rosalinde to the company. She convinces everyone that she is Hungarian by singing the “Czardas”, a sentimental dancing-song. During an amorous tête-à-tête, Eisenstein tries unsuccessfully to persuade the mystery-woman to unmask. She succeeds in extracting a valuable watch from her husband’s pocket, something which she can use in the future as evidence of his impropriety. In a rousing finale, Orlofsky makes a toast to champagne, and the company celebrates. Eisenstein and Frank dash off as the clock strikes six in the morning.
The next morning they all find themselves at the prison where the confusion increases and is compounded by the jailer, Frosch, who has profited by Warden Frank’s absence to become gloriously drunk. Alfred, still in jail in Eisenstein’s place, irritates the other prisoners by singing operatic arias.
Adele arrives to ask the Chevalier Chagrin (actually Frank) to sponsor her career as an actress, but Frank is not wealthy enough to do this. Meanwhile, Alfred asks Frosch to summon Dr. Blind to help get him released; Frank agrees to allow this and Dr. Blind arrives. Eisenstein enters and says he has come to serve his sentence. He is surprised when Frank tells him that his cell is already occupied by a man who claims to be Eisenstein and whom Frank had arrested in Eisenstein’s apartment. Frank further tells Eisenstein that the man he arrested was singing amorous songs to Rosalinde at the time of his arrest, and warmly kissed her goodbye. Enraged, Eisenstein takes Dr. Blind’s wig and glasses in order to disguise himself and confront the impersonator Alfred, who Eisenstein now believes has cuckolded him. Rosalinde enters. Eisenstein takes off his disguise and accuses her of being unfaithful to him with Alfred. Eisenstein, Rosalinde, and Alfred sing a trio in which Eisenstein angrily claims the right of vengeance. However, Rosalinde produces his watch, and he realizes that the Hungarian mystery-woman he tried to seduce at Orlofsky’s party was actually Rosalinde in disguise and that he, not she, is at fault.
Falke enters with all the guests from the party and explains that the whole thing was payback for Eisenstein’s practical joke on him three years before. Eisenstein is delighted by the prank, and he begs Rosalinde to forgive him for his attempted infidelity. Rosalinde refuses at first and threatens to divorce him, but Eisenstein tells her that his misbehavior was caused by the champagne. She accepts this explanation and immediately forgives him unconditionally. Orlofsky promises to finance Adele’s acting career, and the company joyfully reprises the “Champagne song” from act 2.
DIRECTOR'S NOTES
Notes by Conor Hanratty
PENDING