The bat, it could be said, will be fluttering back to the Saigon Opera House for a single display on Sunday, October 28.

“The bat” is the English translation of the German title “Die Fledermaus”, literally the flying-mouse. It’s an operetta previously seen several times in Ho Chi Minh City in this spectacular production.

Many patrons who’ve seen it before will want to renew their acquaintance with one of the best-loved performances of the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO). And those who have never seen it should certainly take this opportunity to do so.

Accoriding to organisers, it is a fully-staged production, with scenery, costumes, and the HBSO symphony orchestra playing live throughout. Costumes are by the well-known and widely admired fashion designer Quynh Paris.

The production was originally master-minded by the European theater director David Hermann, also responsible for Mozart’s Die Zauberflote (The magic flute) and the recent Die Freischutz (The marksman) for HBSO.

The cast will be the same as previously, with Cho Hae Ryong as the frustrated housewife Rosalinde, Phan Huu Trung Kiet as her husband Eisenstein, Pham Trang as her former lover Alfred, Pham Khanh Ngoc as her maid Adele, and Dao Mac as the lawyer Doctor Falke.

The plot centers round a ball due to be staged by the rich Prince Orlofsky. Einstein would love to attend but has been sentenced to eight days in prison for some minor offence. He nonetheless manages to attend in disguise, much to the surprise of Rosalinde./.

VNF