The Bat is a difficult test to each theatre ensemble, both from the points of view of singing and acting. A good production is a concert of actors crowned by wonderful melodies. A critic from Viennese Morgenpost newspaper wrote after the world premiere in 1874: “…sitting in a box in the Theater an der Wien one may get the best seasick, because down in the parterre everything is in the curling and waving motion, accompanied by charming tones played by the orchestra under the conducting baton of Johann Strauss. It all chatters, tunes, sings and warbles, as in the middle of spring.”

Running time: 2 hrs 55 mins with one interval