Die Fledermaus - Bruderlein, Bruderlein und Schwesterlein

[sonola1]

Very many thanks for uploading this gem. I remember watching the live broadcast on that particular New Years eve. My Favorite operetta with some of my favorite singers (Kiri, Prey, LUXON) and conducted by DOMINGO - who got to sing a couple of bars of "Celeste Aida" as he "corrected" the imprisoned "Alfred" (Denis O'Niell). I was drunk before I'd had a drink that night. For me, it was - and is - PERFECT. Thanks again.

[pucciniverdi777]

Ah, Ben Luxon. So wonderful in this excerpt from Rosenkavalier! But then he was always wonderful!

[tommytimp]

Is this Covent Garden? It's great.

[bellabellabelladance]

Which one is Adele?

[thecelticinme]

@bellabellabelladance

The one with the yellow/golden dress.

[onegin76]

And Benjamin is 47 years at this point, great performance!

[Agorante]

Can't watch this. When the Bruderlein starts my eyes tear up and I can't breathe.

I was singing Marmaduke in Sorcerer with a local G&S company. This was playing on TV the night of our New Years party.

Sorry. Had to blow my nose. Give me a chance to get a hold on myself.

[shaun20483]

If there's no real tenor singing Eisenstein, the top tenor-line is missing and then the ensemble lacks some exitement

[eroth82]

Why doesn't Orlofsky sing the first line of the fugue? Strange choice....

[montallio]

Fantastic Benjamin Luxon here. Great lyricism, fine baritone.

[bassfanne45]

@montallio It's good to see someone else who appreciates Banjamin Luxon. He has such a wonderful voice; elegant and with such beauty of vocal tone!

[arpeggio1358]

@montallio Benjamin Luxon had, IMHO, the most beautiful baritone voice ever. It's so sad that his career was cut short. But ataleast we have his recordings...and many of them are on YouTube.

[penseur99]

comme des frères et des soeurs... même si c'est comique, c'est sublime.

du... du... du...

[Bozzyworth]

Anyone know what year this is? Really enjoyable... thanks to whomever put it up.

[thecelticinme]

from 1984.

And you're welcome ;)

[omenschbewein09]

This scene is so touching. That equality of the "du"...something we still haven't realized.

[monicadumitre]

I remember Aznavour was a guest star, among others. I loved Prey since then, not in Figaro, when younger. Placidissimo, the director.

[thechinadesk]

Strictly speaking, Die Fledermaus is not an "opera," it is an "operetta."

That is not meant as a pejorative. I love operettas, which are "lighter" than opera.

But if we love something, we ought to call it by its proper name.

[thecelticinme]

Thanks for enlighten us all. But I believe most people know this is an operetta, my favourite by the way.

[thechinadesk]

Dear thecelticinme,

Didn't mean to direct it at you.

But a couple of other of our fellow classical music lovers repeatedly referred to it as an "opera," and I felt it the distinction was important enough not to ignore.

It's one of my two favorites as well. The other as you can probably guess, is Lehar's Die Lustige Witwe.

These two operettas are of course the two main warhorses.

[Mapman923]

@thechinadesk Thanks. An operetta has gotten a backwards rep. If you want to sing Patience, but can't sing Fille du Regiment, get thee to a keyboard. And learn to f***ing act. You need MORE voice to sing operetta than opera, and you really need to mean every word you sing and not blame it on the text...or I, as a director, will force you to repeat EVERY important discussion you had that day.

[Mapman923]

@thechinadesk Thanks. An operetta has gotten a backwards rep. If you want to sing Patience, but can't sing Fille du Regiment, get thee to a keyboard. And learn to f***ing act. You need MORE voice to sing operetta than opera, and you really need to mean every word you sing and not blame it on the text...or I, as a director, will force you to repeat EVERY important discussion you had that day.

[thechinadesk]

@Mapman923

Agree. The subject matter of operettas may be lighter than opera, but the technical demands are not really any less.

As you say, they might even be greater in some respects, such as stage acting.

Many opera singers with great voices get away with standing robotically while singing beautifully.

In a operetta they may be called upon to do all sorts of things, such as dance and flirt. Do these badly and you will look pretty silly.

[grinpisu]

Best production ever!

[BeEarnest]

I am so happy to have found a recording of this unique performance online!

[otfried]

Prey and Luxon are not only good singers but also excellent actors. Bravi!

[bcugirl09]

We did this last year in English and I just oved this part of the opera the most!!

[gmmix]

This is my favorite part of the opera. Absolutely gorgeous and inspired composition.

Splendid rendition.

Thank you for this delightful video.

[nornsnornsnorns]

This was such a lovely production, and has many happy memories for me Thanks for posting

[Salamon2]

Wonderful to see a professional clip of this aria! I sang Falke last year in a college production, so I am quite glad to hear this.

[traducnor]

Thank you to thecelticinme for such a nice Christmas gift. I've seen all the clips from this delightful Covent Garden version, they're great. There were several requests made and you complied with them. Would it be too much to ask for the part where Adele sings at the jail? Thanks in advance.