The Flying Fox (1998)

Music: Johann Strauss

Prince Orlofsky, the fabulously wealthy gender-bending aristocrat, is holding a party for all the playboys in town to meet the girls from the touring ballet. Dr. Falke uses the occasion to wreak his revenge on his friend Eisenstein for the infamous joke of the Flying Fox.

With a lovesick tenor, a wronged wife, a rebellious parlourmaid and a whole host of other characters, Johann Strauss created one of the most ebullient, hilarious, preposterous and best-loved pieces of music theatre ever.

Tête à Tête blows the cobwebs from this much abused piece in a new translation capturing the sizzling wit and Viennese charm of the original, and a new orchestration for an Anglo-Viennese quartet, introducing newcomers to the thrill of lyric theatre while satisfying the most ardent connoisseur with a production full of surprises, where voyeurs chez Eisenstein become guests at Orlofsky’s party and inmates of Frank’s prison.

Director/Translation: Bill Bankes-Jones

Musical Director/Arrangement: Orlando Jopling

Choreographer: Tomorr Kokona

Designer: Roger Butlin

Lighting Designer: Mark Doubleday

Singers:
Kevin Loe/Chris Ovenden
Natalie Raybould/Melissa Milne
Hilary Dolamore/Maria Piazza
Andrew MacNair/Chris Ovenden
Philip Bell
Damian Thantrey/John Ward
Devon Harrison/Andrew Mullen
Gillian Crichton/Siobhain Gibson
Will Beer
Tom Butlin

Supported by Hochriegl Champagne, The Leche Trust, The Paul Hamlyn Foundation, The Nicholas John Trust, The Concordia Foundation

“Surely someone should sponsor a transfer of this splendid work which, like the champagne they sing so much about, is cool, fizzy and deliciously intoxicating”
Time Out