The sixty-third classical recording: #390 Johan Strauss II - Fledermaus
It’s always better - though not always feasible - to see operas and ballets live. Even when they’re in German with French subtitles, the performance adds enough to draw you in. The youthful performance from the French national opera that we saw in Paris did so. I have some knowledge of both languages - enough to keep up with the main plot through both - and enjoyed myself.
Fledermaus is a lighter operetta, with a lot of humour written into the libretto and more opportunities for the performers to show off. The music isn’t as whimsical, but the at times bombastic score sets the tone quite well. The waltzes are instantly familiar and it’s amazing to see how many of them are pieces we knew. It sounded amazing, and the younger performers’ energy is what suits it perfectly.