
Die Fledermaus
The delightful Johann Strauss comic opera Die Fledermaus was mercilessly lampooned in this truly bizarre production. For starters, a framing device has been added: After appearing in 300 consecutive appearances of Fledermaus (which translates as The Bat) the lead tenor (Georg Alexander) imagines that he's seeing bats everywhere. Driven a bit over the edge by all this, he falls asleep and has a nightmare about the opera, with a group of non-singers cast in the leading roles. The original libretto about romantic assignations, political imprisonments and mistaken identity is burlesqued to the hilt: at one point, the hero finds out that his prison cell is surrounded by rubber tubes!
Top Billed Cast

Lída Baarová
Maria Weigel / Rosalinde

Hans Söhnker
Kammersänger Hans Weigel / Eisenstein

Friedl Czepa
Hanni / Adele
Jola Jobst
Berta / Ida

Georg Alexander
Staatsanwalt Wentin / Frank
Featured Crew

Paul Verhoeven
Director

Hans H. Zerlett
Director
Richard Genée
Writer
Carl Haffner
Writer

Lotte Neumann
Writer
Walter Wassermann
Writer
Gerhard Staab
Producer
Bruno Mondi
Cinematography