Die Fledermaus Flop.

My notes on The Dallas Opera's opening night production of Die Fledermaus (12/5): unedited and uncut.

1. Lost in Translation: Strauss in English. I get it. An attempt to contextualize and translate the nineteenth-century operetta idiom into twenty-first-century language. I get it. But I don't have to like it.

2. On humor: Nineteenth-century operetta was snarky, sarcastic, political, and witty. It was relevant and funny. I like the idea of using contemporary references to update and modernize the concept. There is no need for us to pretentiously sit back and pretend to get jokes about the Austrian empire when we can change things up a bit and actually laugh at our own society. However, do it well or don't do it. There was one rather funny quip about Sarah Palin Friday night, but beyond that, the humor was base and insulting. Can't we all agree to avoid subjecting Strauss to jokes about football stadiums or tollways?? Also, slapstick humor involving stumbling up stairs is funny once or maybe thrice, but beyond that it is uncomfortably unfunny.

3. Ana María Martínez is a great Rosalinde. I thoroughly enjoyed her rich, warm, tone. She was one of the few on stage who projected effortlessly.

4. The women, as a whole, outshone the men. Wolfgang Holzmair as Eisenstein is too flitting and transparent for me. Also, he was creepy in the child molester/rapist kind of way. I can't pinpoint why...just a feeling.

5. Set and choreography get two thumbs up!

6. The chorus sounded tight and brilliant and was an asset to the second act.

7. The Winspear needs to open now. Or yesterday. Or last year. Or 10 years ago. Watching opera at fair park has always and continues to suck. The building is depressing, dated, and has terrible acoustics. Every time I go I am reminded of how much I hate it. Which leads me to my final note (which is actually an open letter to dallas opera-goers)...

8. Dear pretentious Dallas opera-goers, I've been doing some thinking and have concluded that it is ridiculous to continue to pull out the furs and the diamonds and the tuxedos and the capes when attending operas at fair park. (And yes, I saw someone in attendance wearing an actual cape. Good god, people!) Anyway, can't we all agree the place is crap and just wear jeans until next year?? Of course I mean designer jeans. And, since this is Dallas, I'd be disappointed if I saw a pair of jeans unaccompanied by heels. But, really, let's just throw in the towel on this one and save the tux for next year. Sincerely, Me.