Johann Strauss's operetta follows the wealthy Baron Eisenstein, who is tricked by his friend Dr. Falke into attending a lavish ball hosted by Prince Orlofsky instead of serving a short prison sentence. Disguises, mix-ups, flirtation and champagne lead to a string of comic situations, until every misunderstanding is cleared up in the prison the next morning.
Stefan Herheim's staging goes well beyond a traditional operetta. It draws on the history of Vienna, Austria's political past and other operas, especially Beethoven's Fidelio. The production moves between different time periods, including 1938 and 2025, and explores themes such as identity, repression, freedom and memory.
- Eisenstein: Thomas Blondelle
- Rosalinde: Hulkar Sabirova
- Adele: Alina Wunderlin
- Dr. Falke: Leon Kosavic
- Alfred: David Fischer
- Prince Orlofsky: Jana Kurucová
- Conductor: Petr Popelka
