Feb. 4-5, 10-12, 8:30 p.m.

Dunster House Dining Hall

Directed by Matt A. Aucoin ’12 & Matthew C. Stone ’11

Produced by Chappell L.W. Sargent ’12 & Julian B. Gewirtz ’13

Love, revenge, and drunken joy return to Dunster House Dining Hall’s ‘stage’ in February. The Dunster House Opera (DHO) will once again present “Die Fledermaus” (The Bat), a show first performed at Harvard 16 years ago. “It’s not just the best operetta. It’s ‘the’ operetta,” says music director Matt A. Aucoin ’12.

Johann Strauss’s operetta tells the tale of Gabriel von Eisenstein (Benjamin J. Nelson ’11), who decides to attend his friend’s costume ball despite being sentenced to eight days in jail. His wife Rosalinde (Bridget P. Haile ’11), believing her husband to be incarcerated, seizes the opportunity to partake in the festivities, and chaos ensues before a Viennese backdrop of glittering waltzes and spirited drinking songs.

“This show has something that we can all sort of relate to,” says stage director Matthew C. Stone ’11, a Crimson arts editor. “Every character has a streak of capriciousness and indulgence, and as much as they might try to resist, there’s a part of them that will give in—something that we all do.”

In this respect, Stone and Aucoin believe “Die Fledermaus” truly reflects DHO’s goal to make opera accessible to everyone at Harvard. The music is also perfect for undergraduates to sing and to enjoy. As Aucoin explains, “Every instant has a tune that you cannot get out of your head. Each number can stand alone.”

“I’ve been astounded with the quality of singers and performers and directors involved in this production,” says producer Julian B. Gewirtz ’13. All of these collective talents are working toward one goal: to move and inspire their audience.

“I hope they’ll laugh and cry and dance and go home feeling uplifted and sad the way these characters constantly are,” says Aucoin.