Champagner hat's verschuldet, was wir heut erduldet

Happy New Year, everyone.




Maryland Public Television used to broadcast a version of Die Fledermaus on New Year's Eve when I was a wee bat pup, and I remember watching it with my dad, who probably spent more time explaining the plot to me than enjoying the music. It didn't help me that the spoken parts were spoken in whatever language the performers felt most comfortable speaking, and that was not usually English.

I can't remember the names of any of the performers now, of course, and while I think I remember it being in black and white that may only be because we had a black-and-white t.v. until I was in high school. It probably sounds very old-fashioned and naive now, but I remember thinking it was a real treat to stay up on New Year's Eve and watch Die Fledermaus on public television with my dad.