Orpheum Theatre
601 Smithe Street
Vancouver.

Thursday, May 15, 2008
Time: 2 pm

Buy tickets online

The final Tea & Trumpets concert of the season features the concert version of composer Johann Strauss Jr.’s most popular piece Die Fledermaus. Conducted by Maestro Bramwell Tovey, narrated by Christopher Gaze, and performed by the UBC Opera Ensemble, this matinee performance takes place on Thursday, May 15th at the Orpheum Theatre.

Bramwell Tovey conductor
Christopher  Gaze Narrator
UBC Opera Ensemble ensemble

The VSO presents the concert version of Die Fledermaus, beloved composer Johann Strauss Jr.'s most popular piece.

Visit the UBC Opera Ensemble online at www2.music.ubc.ca/opera

Created in 1995 by Professor Nancy Hermiston, the UBC Opera Ensemble draws its performers from advanced students in the UBC School of Music and young professionals. The ensemble tours regularly throughout Canada and Europe allowing its students to gain international experience. Having performed excerpts from The Merry Widow together in the 2006-2007 season, the VSO is delighted to be collaborating once again with this ensemble.

The Pacific Arbour Tea & Trumpets series presents six matinee concerts throughout the Season, all on Thursday afternoons at the Orpheum. These concerts feature light classical repertoire with host/narrator Christopher Gaze of Bard on the Beach fame, and are social events in themselves: a small army of VSO volunteers coordinates the serving of tea and cookies an hour before each concert throughout the Orpheum lobby for 2,500+ people each concert. A great way to spend Thursday afternoons, the Tea & Trumpets series has been one of the VSO’s most successful series concepts of the last twenty years.

A Synopsis of Die Fledermaus:
Gabriel von Eisenstein has been sentenced to a week's imprisonment for a minor offense. Before he goes to jail, his friend Dr. Falke persuades him to go to a ball being given by Prince Orlofsky. Three years earlier, Falke, dressed as a bat for a fancy-dress ball, was made to walk home in broad daylight as a joke by Eisenstein. Ever since that incident, he has been plotting his revenge. Rosalinda believes her husband is leaving for prison and invites her lover, Alfred, over for a rendezvous. The prison governor soon arrives to arrest Eisenstein and assumes Alfred to be him. Alfred allows himself to be taken off to prison as Eisenstein in order to protect Rosalinda’s reputation.

At the ball given by Prince Orlofsky, Rosalinda’s maid, Adele, wearing one of her mistress's gowns, has arrived. Eisenstein flirts outrageously with her, watched by his wife, whom Falke has disguised as a Hungarian Countess. Eisenstein then turns his attentions to the mysterious Countess, who manages to get a hold of his watch during their amorous tête-à-tête. The ball ends in praise of champagne and swearing of eternal friendship. The clock strikes six in the morning and Eisenstein begins his journey to prison.

Eisenstein arrives at the prison to begin his prison sentence. He is shocked to find he is being impersonated by Alfred and becomes infuriated when he realizes his wife has a lover. Rosalinda counters with the watch the 'Countess' obtained at the ball and his flirting with their maid Adele. Falke arrives just in time to explain it was all a joke in order to get his long awaited revenge. Champagne is blamed for the confusion and they all drink to celebrate reconciliation.

The UBC Opera Ensemble
The UBC Opera Ensemble, under the direction of UBC Voice and Opera Division Head Nancy Hermiston, draws its performers from advanced students and young professionals. The ensemble tours regularly throughout Canada and Europe, produces two fully staged and costumed productions at the beautiful Chan Centre, as well as the lively and informative Opera Tea Series and the David Spencer Endowment Encouragement Fund Concert. Students participate in all aspects of the productions alongside professional singers, conductors, musicians, designers and technicians.

This year's productions include Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers, Puccini's La Bohème, and Bach's Johannes Passion (St. John's Passion). In addition to its regular productions, the Ensemble is a frequent collaborator of such organizations as Bard on the Beach, Vancouver Opera, and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.