Opera is about to trade its powdered wigs for a fashionable edge as Opera UCT brings Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus into the now, styled by award-winning fashion designer, Gavin Rajah.
Running from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 October at the Baxter Theatre, this mischievous operetta of mistaken identities, love triangles and midnight parties will be dressed for the 21st century in a wardrobe that fuses sustainable couture with street-smart swagger.
This production bursting with couture, comedy and charisma celebrates both the composer’s 200th birthday and World Opera Day.
Directed by Christine Crouse, this isn’t your grandmother’s operetta.
With bold costumes, cheeky storytelling and Strauss’s unforgettable waltzes and arias — including the famous “Mein Herr Marquis” (The Laughing Song) — the production promises a feast for the senses.
The show’s centrepiece, a lavish party scene in Act 2, sets the stage for a night of theatrical revelry.
In true Fledermaus fashion, audiences are encouraged to dress the part — especially on Gala Night, Saturday 25 October.
Masks are optional but absolutely encouraged, so channel your inner masquerader and join Cape Town’s fashionistas and opera glitterati for an evening of mischief and elegance.
Perfect introduction
For the uninitiated, an operetta is opera’s lighter, flirtier cousin — packed with humour, dance, and dazzling music. It’s a perfect introduction for newcomers, and a delight for seasoned operagoers.
Celebrated fashion designer Gavin Rajah brings theatrical flair to the stage with daring, contemporary silhouettes and clever bat-inspired motifs (a nod to the title — Die Fledermaus means “The Bat” in German), perfectly paired with Allegra Bernacchioni’s fresh and stylish set design.
Visual feast
Rajah’s look is cosmopolitan and youthful, shaped by contemporary silhouettes with clean lines, subtle cut-outs and airy layering that allow singers to move and breathe.
“Opera thrives when it speaks the language of its time,” says Rajah. “We’ve upcycled couture, slashed seams, layered street silhouettes with salon tailoring, and built costumes to move as easily at an after-party as on the stage.
Musical direction is by Jeremy Silver, head of Opera UCT, who says:
“Fledermaus is pure, fizzy fun, but vocally and theatrically demanding. The cast has risen to the challenge in spectacular fashion.”
It’s a visual feast, a night out, a fashion show and party disguised as opera. It’s your chance to get dressed up and turn up. Whether you’re into street fashion, nightlife, theatre, or just want to try something new – this is the moment to say yes to opera.
Tickets range from R100 to R500 and are available at Webtickets. Under-18s attend free but must book to secure seats.
You must be logged in to post a comment.