‘Die Fledermaus’ in English, Mostly

Directors of opera usually have their hands full and lack the time or inclination to take on a second job. But Heinz Blankenburg not only will direct the UCI production of Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” this weekend at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, but also has translated the original German into English.

“It was desirable to make the language a little bit more updated,” Blankenburg explained recently. “I try to retain the spirit of Johann Strauss and try to accommodate modern ears. The problem wasn’t making the translation, but not thinking in German.”

He was forced, however, to throw in the towel when he came face-to-face with translating the “Bruderlein” ensemble in Act III. Here, the chorus extols the woozy familiarity everyone starts feeling after drinking lots of champagne at the party in this act.

“That’s one of the most familiar and famous ensembles that the German musical theater has to offer us, and it revolves around (the word) Du, “ Blankenburg said.

“That concept of Du is very difficult to translate into English. We don’t have that in this country--the difference between Sie (which is formal) and Du (which is intimate).

“Just calling it ‘you’ doesn’t do it. ‘Brotherhood’ and ‘Sisterhood’ also sound dumb. I spent a lost week trying to figure that out. I couldn’t forget my German. So they will sing this in German.”

Otherwise, Blankenburg feels the changes are minimal, despite trimming the dialogue some. He did not cut any of the music.

He based the production mainly on what he remembers from a work he did during his still-current 40-year career as an opera singer in Europe and the United States. “Fledermaus” was one of his staples.

In addition to changing the language, Blankenburg also shifted the action from the 1870s to the 1930s.

“It’s a little refreshing to take it out of period, but not too out of period, not get too modern,” he said. “I liked the notion of pulling it toward our time, as well.”

He chose the ‘30s, as part of a group decision involving the set and costumes designers, partly because of “a budget crunch here in the California schools.

“It’s a lot easier and less expensive to build costumes and sets that are in the ‘30s,” he said. “You can rent tuxedos, for instance. Also, in the back of my mind, I think young singers feel more comfortable in an age more close to them.”

For some people, however, the ‘30s will suggest the Depression more than waltz-mad Vienna, the work’s original setting.

“I never thought about that,” Blankenburg said. “Depression. Hmm. I never thought about that.

“I wanted to take this production and not make anything super wild out of it. I didn’t want to do too much a ‘directional conception,’ a new conception. I didn’t want anybody gnashing their teeth. I just wanted everybody to have some fun.”