Alberta Vocal Arts presents 'Die Fledermaus' in weekend performances

This is the second year that Alberta Vocal Arts will present Die Fledermaus, an operetta written by Johann Strauss II.

Artistic and executive director Kathleen Morrison says they're hoping to make a presentation of the operetta an annual tradition.

"In Germany, it is the New Year's tradition," said Morrison. "It's in line with The Nutcracker and The Christmas Carol, and I always loved that you knew what the story was, you knew what you were going to see and it's so much fun on stage that we need that in January in Calgary."

"It's cold, it's a little bit sad after Christmastime, so to have this and to make this a tradition is going to be great."

Morrison assembled the same cast as last year's show and says that's important because not only was it a hit with the audience, but the performers only have days of rehearsal time before the Jan. 10 and 11 performances.

"I want to bring opera to the people," she said. "That is my main goal, and I want to make it less intimidating, more approachable and really fun, because I love this music so much and I want other people to love it too."

Morrison started Alberta Vocal Arts in 2023 with the aim of giving mid-level singers their turn in the spotlight.

"These are the (singers) that you've seen doing small roles with Calgary Opera, Vancouver Opera, the Toronto Canadian Opera Company," she said.

"(We) let them do the leading roles and to give them an opportunity to actually be close to the people and get the stuff on their resume so they can go get hired."

Vancouver performer Jason Cook plays Doctor Falke in the production.

"My character is good friends with the lead of the show," he said. "They go off on a drunken night, and because they're both so inebriated, Doctor Falke - at the suggestion of his good friend – decides to jump off a balcony as a bat. It's a costume party and they're dressed as bats. They jump off the balcony, they land in the tree and thus the tail of a bat is birthed, it's just a fun show, there's no deaths, there's no love triangles, it's just having fun."

Cook is grateful for the opportunities that Morrison is creating for local performers.

"There aren't as many places in Canada to do this type of performance as you would find in the United States or Europe," said Cook. "Ultimately, every opportunity and every friendship and working group that you can find within the country is just a benefit to your career and to your livelihood."

Elizabeth Fast, from Calgary, says her desire to perform in this medium came from her parents.

"I was exposed to classical singing all through my life," she said. "My parents are both classical singers as well, and I was interested in different things but then something changed when I was in my mid-teens and I realized I really, really want to be a singer."

Fast says while the songs are in German, the dialogue between them is in English to help the audience follow along.

"As a young artist coming from Calgary, it feels really special to have the opportunity to sing a role like this," she said. "Like an important, great, beautiful role in my hometown – it's great."

Morrison says the ticket prices for the shows are affordable enough for the whole family to experience an operetta and create a new holiday tradition.

"The goal of Alberta Vocal Arts is to get opera to the people," she said. "And to do that, we need to make sure that the ticket prices aren't crazy, so our general tickets to both of these concerts are only $30."

Learn more about the operetta here: www.albertavocalarts.com