‘Fledermaus’ flecked by VIPs, among them Mayor Carlisle

There were no Halloween ghosts and ghouls at Hawaii Opera Theatre’s season opener, but there were charades in abundance, including a large bat (Suzanne B. Engel) that walked and flew through scenes, a flute of champagne in hand.

Apropos of HOT’s first-ever opening in October, director Henry G. Akina chose Johann Strauss II’s "Die Fledermaus" (The Bat), a masquerade of quintessentially Viennese humor that Akina has translated into "local," presenting it in English with references to Hawaii.

Never mind the plot, and don’t read it in advance; it’s more fun to watch it unfold. Like the bat, this tale is nocturnal, taking place between sunset and sunrise.

As in musical theater, operettas use spoken dialogue, requiring actor-singers to "fall out" of the musical world and act without music’s expressive support. HOT’s cast struggled with the transition in spots but delivered wonderful moments both acting and singing. Speaking on stage is especially hard on singing voices, and HOT’s actors were thankfully miked so every word was audible.

Half the fun of "Die Fledermaus" is the charade in which everyone knows everyone: a local audience watching familiar actor-singers playing overblown stereotypes pretending to be someone else. The foyers were filled with the chatter of greeting friends: "Didn’t John sound wonderful tonight?" (John Mount from the University of Hawaii, playing Frank); "Jeremy was terrific!" (Jeremy Blossey, as Alfred); "Isn’t Larry a hoot?" (Larry Paxton, also of UH, playing Frosh — which means "frog"); "Did you see Kaweo/Mary/Moses?" (Kaweo Kanoho as Dr. Blind, Mary Chesnut Hicks as Ida, Moses Goods as Ivan).

To the audience’s delight, local VIPs made their entrance in Act II: Mayor Peter Carlisle, philanthropist Carolyn Berry, Diamond Head Theatre director John Rampage and so on. That bit will likely be different at each performance, and surprise is the point.

There were familiar faces and voices among the leads, as well, including Nancy Allen Lundy (previously "Lucia di Lammermoor") as Adele, and Jamie Offenbach as the Machiavellian Dr. Falke, the looming personification of the bat, manipulating everyone for revenge. Of course, this revenge is as much charade as everything else: empty, but a good excuse for fun.

Three of the leads were new, or virtually new, to Hono­lulu: Barbara Shirvis (Rosalinda), a gracefully lyric soprano who sang beautifully; Richard Troxell (Gabriel von Eisenstein), a warm lyric tenor who melded perfectly into his role; and Brian Asawa as Prince Orlofsky. The prince epitomizes wealthy ennui and is usually sung by a woman, his higher voice intentionally comic, effeminate and droll. In HOT’s production, the prince is sung by a countertenor, a male voice even higher than tenor that is often difficult to control and requires high energy to produce, which lent the role an almost manic energy.

The production showcased the operetta’s musical "numbers," discrete pieces that stop the action to showcase individual singers, most memorably Shirvis’ Hungarian aria in Act II, Offenbach’s Act I aria and Lundy’s "laughing aria" of Act II. Throughout, Akina shifted the tone toward American musical comedy, as with Adele’s accent, a la Lena Lamont of "Singing in the Rain."

Costumer Helen E. Rodgers filled the stage with confection-pastel gowns, and designer Peter Dean Beck created sets of drapes, stairs and chandeliers suffused in pink. Residences never quite captured the opulence of Viennese high society, but the prison scene worked well, its skewed angles and impossible stovepipe reflecting the craziness of the plot.

"Die Fledermaus" has one of the most endearing of overtures, a medley of familiar melodies and waltzes, which conductor Robert Wood lent an American accent — a straightforward reading without that slight oh-so-Viennese rubato hesitation, like pausing at the crest of a wave before plunging down its face. Despite lovely moments, the production’s opening-night timing never quite clicked.

One of the delights of the evening was the HOT chorus, which just kept getting stronger, bringing the whole to a satisfying climax.

More romp than waltz, HOT’s "Fledermaus" was an after-dinner aperitif among friends. Cheers!

Ruth O. Bingham received her doctorate in musicology from Cornell University and has been reviewing the musical arts for more than 20 years.