Die Fledermaus - Krypta der Peterskirche - 2026

Krypta der Peterskirche, Wien

Start the new year with a musical extravaganza: The Oper@Tee ensemble, Austria’s specialists in Viennese operetta, will perform “Die Fledermaus” in its original full-length piano version—because some pleasures simply shouldn’t be cut short.

Deep beneath Vienna’s St. Peter’s Church, one of the city’s most extraordinary cultural venues awaits you. As Austria’s smallest theater, the KRYPTA offers musical experiences so intimate that you’ll almost feel like you’re part of Prince Orlofsky’s entourage.

In the unique atmosphere of the KRYPTA, “Die Fledermaus” unfolds with sparkling wit, rousing melodies, and musical brilliance. Look forward to top-notch entertainment, charming mix-ups, and an evening full of joie de vivre—entirely in the spirit of the Waltz King!

The KRYPTA is pleasantly temperate in every season—only the atmosphere is allowed to regularly boil over here.

Plot:

Act I

Gabriel von Eisenstein is supposed to spend the night in jail for insulting a government official. Instead, he decides to follow his friend Falke’s advice to have some fun with Prince Orlofsky first. But in reality, Falke has other plans. Eisenstein once played a humiliating prank on him, and now it’s time for revenge.

When Eisenstein bids farewell to go to what he believes will be a night in jail, his wife Rosalinde gladly lets him go. She also grants permission to the maid Adele, who asks to visit a sick relative, to leave. No sooner have they all left the house than Rosalinde’s former lover, Alfred, arrives for a secret tête-à-tête. However, the two are interrupted by prison warden Frank, who is supposed to escort Eisenstein to prison. To save face and avoid offending Rosalinde, Alfred pretends to be her husband and allows himself to be arrested.

Act II

At the young Prince Orlofsky’s ball, Falke assures him that a cruel prank at Eisenstein’s expense will take place that very evening. Eisenstein promptly appears and pretends to be “Marquis Renard.” Adele, who is also invited, is introduced as the artist Olga. When Eisenstein accuses her of being his chambermaid, she rejects this with feigned indignation.

Prison warden Frank attends the party as “Chevalier Chagrin,” and finally, the masked Rosalinde also arrives, disguised as a Hungarian countess, since Falke had guaranteed her that she would meet her husband at the ball. Eisenstein is captivated by the “unknown” beauty. Rosalinde, however, manages to get hold of his pocket watch so she can later prove his infidelity.

In a tipsy mood, Eisenstein recounts to the illustrious gathering how he once humiliated Falke by leaving him, drunk and dressed as a bat, in a market square on Ash Wednesday and exposing him to the ridicule of the street urchins.

Act III

At dawn, the prison warden—suffering from a severe hangover—is about to begin his shift. Suddenly, Adele and her sister Ida appear. They have followed the supposed “Chevalier” and now reveal who they really are. Still believing she has found a patron, Adele asks Frank to finance her acting training.

When Eisenstein enters the prison to begin serving his sentence, he learns from Frosch that he had already been arrested the night before. To Eisenstein’s astonishment, the prisoner turns out to be Alfred. When Rosalinde, who wants to visit Alfred in prison, also shows up, Eisenstein realizes what is going on. His anger quickly fizzles out, however, when she presents the pocket watch and reminds him of his flirtation with the “Hungarian countess.”

In the end, the entire ball party—including Prince Orlofsky and Falke—arrives at the prison and demands an explanation: this was the infamous revenge plot of “The Bat” Falke. Finally, the good-humored prince promises Adele that he will be her patron from now on.