Just in time for the Strauss anniversary, the queen of operetta celebrated its premiere last Saturday at the venue where it was first performed: Die Fledermaus.

On 5 April 1874, the curtain rose on today's Linken Wienzeile for a world premiere that would forever change the genre of operetta, the life of composer Johann Strauss and the history of the Theater an der Wien. A work full of melodies that became immortal and still touch hearts today, more than 150 years later.

Director Stefan Herheim was responsible for both the direction and the set design, giving Die Fledermaus a new, modern look. 

The audience thanked the entire ensemble with sustained applause: Thomas Blondelle (Eisenstein), Hulkar Sabirova (Rosalinde), Alina Wunderlin (Adele), Leon Košavić (Dr. Falke), Krešimir Stražanac (Frank), David Fischer (Alfred), Jana Kurucová (Prince Orlofsky), Alexander Strobele (Frosch), Alexander Kaimbacher (Dr. Blind), Ines Hengl-Pirker (Ida) as well as the Arnold Schoenberg Choir and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra under the musical direction of Petr Popelka.