Die Fledermaus

"Die Fledermaus" was composed by Johann Strauss II, often called the Waltz King, with a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée. It premiered in 1874 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna and remains the most celebrated operetta in the classical repertoire.

The plot revolves around a practical revenge joke orchestrated by Gabriel von Eisenstein against his friend Dr. Falke, stemming from a past incident where Falke was left drunk in a bat costume. The story unfolds during a lavish masquerade ball hosted by the Russian Prince Orlofsky.

While originally composed in German, "Die Fledermaus" is frequently performed in English translations by opera companies in the UK and US. The Metropolitan Opera traditionally performs it in English as part of its famous New Year's Eve celebrations.

Prince Orlofsky is a wealthy, bored Russian aristocrat who throws the extravagant ball where most of the operetta's action takes place. He is famously played by a mezzo-soprano as a "trouser role," complete with a signature, dismissive laugh.