Austrian-born Max Reinhardt (1873-1943) became Germany's most influential figure in the Expressionist movement of the early twentieth century. If the internationally-acclaimed director had one special gift, it was his eclecticism. He was, quite possibly, the most versatile director the theatre has ever seen. He embraced realism, symbolism, and expressionism, combining them in a perfect mixture for each play he directed. Reinhardt shared composer Richard Wagner’s aesthetic theory that it was the responsibility of the modern stage to recreate a perfect mixture of music, poetry, dance, and song in order to appeal to the senses and the feelings. In brief, that made him the perfect person to helm this Théâtre Pigalle production of Wagner’s classic operetta, “La Chauve Souris,” or “Der Fledermaus,” as it was originally titled. This “d’après Colin” design advertises the musical diversion with a breezy, sophisticated élan lifted directly from Prince Orloffsky’s second act ball.
literature: PAI-XXXIX, 246