Die Fledermaus

Little dove that got away, hear how I have missed you

Little dove who said you'd stay, all those times I kissed you

Little dove, your tender charms I shall now recapture

Fly back now into my arms, Rosalinde - oh rapture!

Here's a note from my sister Ida, the chorus girl

"We're guests at a villa...

"Where preparations are in full swing

"Prince Orlofsky is throwing a big party here this evening

"Borrow one of the Mistress's dresses

"And thus elegantly presented

"I'll launch you into high society

"Free yourself for the night, I warrant we'll enjoy ourselves

"No one tires of that place"

So writes Ida...

I'm certain of it, I have no doubt

But it won't be easy, if I only I knew how to get away

If I were that little dove, I could fly hither and thither

And in bliss and pleasure

Sail through the ether!

Why did nature make me a mere chambermaid?

Adele!

The dulcet tones of my mistress

Night and day it condemns me to perpetual slavery

I'll get rid of him, Ma'am

Go somewhere else! There'll be no doves flying this coop today!

Rosalinde? That's no street-singer - it's an admirer

Not of me but of the mistress

There's only an Adele here, no Rosalinde, at least not for you

Clear off back to the local choral society!

I should have known that this all-too-audible skeleton in my closet...

Would return to haunt me

Only a reckless man could sing tenor like that...

And only a tenor could sing so recklessly!

He dares to stand outside compromising my reputation with his high As!

That's got rid of him

It's the mistress!

He clearly thinks he can rekindle the past

Maybe I can act my way into an evening off

I have remained absolutely faithful to my husband

Ma'am, my poor aunt is sick

I loved Alfred for his beautiful instrument...

Ma'am!

Though my husband's is serviceable, too

Ma'am, my aunt is sick...

But why, after disappearing from Vienna

Does he suddenly turn up here

My poor, poor, poor...

Maybe he never forgot me

Maybe he doesn't know I've given up performing

To become respectable

- Who's sick? - My aunt

Your aunt?

- Yes, Ma'am, my poor, poor... - Why are you telling me this?

She's not expected to last the night, and lies bedridden crying out my name

What a pity

I know the master might go to gaol tonight

But I think I should go and ease her passage

- Please may I have the evening off? - Impossible

- Ma'am... - Impossible, I said

He is appealing against the conviction but nobody holds out any hope

- But should he get off... - You still won't!

Now, my clothes need pressing

My poor aunt!

Will I never see you again?

O aunt of aunts

An aunt like this

As charming a relative

As a niece could ever know!

- Ah, I may not go to you - No, you may not go to her

Even though she calls out helplessly for her beloved niece

- No, you may not go - It's a very sad situation

Why did nature make me a mere chambermaid?

Yes, why did nature

Make you a lady's chambermaid?

How lucky is the old aunt to have such an attentive niece!

I, of course, don't believe a word of it

What she lacks in brilliance, she's made up for with enthusiasm

She needs to be a better actress to get one over an old pro like me

Alfred!

I used to make you cry out my name with more ecstasy than that!

I'm married

I'm not bothered

- If my husband should come in... - I'm not bothered

I hear he's to take the cure

At one of our less high-toned local establishments...

Do you delight in another man's misfortune?

Doing so is one of life's great pleasures

- Do you delight in mine? - Your misfortune?

My misfortune was to love someone

Who deserted me for a wealthy and ill-tempered burgher of this town

It wasn't you I loved, but your tenor voice

Your top notes transported me to a place of pleasure

Unknown with any other vocalist

And it was you who deserted me

Which is what I would like you to do now!

Only on the condition that you let me come back

- When your husband's behind bars - Never!

- Then I'll stay - As you wish

- Throat lozenge? - No, thank you.

If you have any feelings left for me, I beg you to leave

Swear you'll see me when your husband's inside

I didn't have a choice

So be it!

- I swear - Very well, I'll go

If only he wouldn't sing!

I can resist his dialogue

But I melt whenever he hits his high B

My only hope is the court verdict

If my husband gets off, I'm in the clear

It's him. Not a good sign

With a lawyer like him, I was a lost cause

- Be patient - He only made things worse

It's all his fault

- Whose fault is it? - His fault? Could it be his fault?

It's all his fault

- The counsel? - That's not true

- Soon you will see - What has happened? Explain!

Listen to me

- First let me defend myself - Save yourself the trouble. It's indefensible!

- Do you want to insult me? - Calm down, why so furious?

- My learned counsel babbled! - Herr von Eisenstein screamed!

- You're stuttering with every word! - You're insulting me!

- You're crowing like cock! - You're a boor!

- You're an oaf! - You're an imbecile!

- You're quite inhumane - You're turning like a weathercock

You'll strain your instrument! That's quite enough

The Doctor should leave before there's a scandal

- She's right. You must leave! - Leave this house!

Calm down

The verdict is in

Make the best of it and in five days

It'll all be over

Five days?

Now it's up to eight They have added three

Thanks to him!

If I don't give myself up today, they'll drag me off

That's rather harsh, I must say

Isn't it?

My poor husband! Must it then be today?

What consolation can I offer?

How shall I bear it?

With a lawyer like him, it was a lost cause

And whose fault is it?

- Whose fault is it? - It's all your fault

It's all your fault

When you're out again, we'll make a fresh start

- Then I'll show you what I can do - What can you do?

I'll appeal, subvert, review, object

Prescribe, subvert, devolve, involve

Devolve, protest, resume, deflect...

Stop! Enough!

Exculpate, formulate, abrogate, perorate...

You'll only make a fool of yourself. Get out or I'll throw you out!

With a lawyer like him, I was a lost cause

And one loses patience

Instead of coming to an end things have got worse

And only he is to be blamed for that!

Have they extended the sentence from five to eight days?

Justice is meant to be blind, but this is ridiculous!

Your misbehaviour incensed the judge

And rattled me

I won't hold it against you

And if they want to put you in jail again I'll represent you again

- For an increased fee - Shocking!

I want compensation for defamation, abuse both mental and physical

Broken office furniture, the loss of my secretary...

And finally I want danger money!

If you'll write out a cheque for our cashier

I'll cashier you!

I'll send the bill by special delivery

- Leave! - With pleasure!

My poor Gabriel!

Eight long days, eight long nights... this very day!

They wanted to gaol me on the spot...

But I swung a few extra hours' liberty for dinner

But what does this mean?

You've been crying... surely not for me?

My poor aunt

The woman's on her deathbed

On her deathbed

I just saw her riding a donkey up the market

So she's that sick, is she?

Maybe the doctor prescribed her a donkey-cure

Run to The Golden Lion and order us a nice expensive dinner

Tonight is my Last Supper

Doctor Fledermaus... Sorry, Falke!

Congratulations, dear lady, on being rid of the tyrant for eight days

My compliments to you too

Those three extra days were an achievement

- How are you, my dear Gabriel? - Really bad

Send up for some wine to dull the man's sarcasm

No more teasing, doctor. Our convict needs cheering up

I'll fetch something to lubricate that tenor of his

So you've still not told her you're not a tenor!

She's obsessed with the upper reaches of the human voice

I didn't get anywhere with her...

Until I lowered the pitch of her piano to get access to her... heart

And what's wrong with a baritone with a notable extension?

That was never a problem for me

You were a great Don Giovanni before you married