For many, New Year's celebrations include partying and good music. Well, on this week’s Sunday Opera (12/30 3:00 p.m.), we’ll be supplying a musical soiree with Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” from a recording made in 1960 featuring Waldemar Kmentt as Eisenstein, Hilde Gueden as his wife Rosalinde, Erika Koth as the flighty Adele.
Also featured are Peter Klein as Dr. Blind, and Regina Resnik as Prince Orlofsky. This story of a husband caught in his own web of intrigue as he tries to prove his faithful wife’s infidelity has delighted audiences since its premier in 1874 and includes a gala party that’s just right for New Year's! We have a few surprise guests joining us for our entertainment including glorious voices from the past such as Renata Tebaldi, Brigit Nilsson, Mario Del Monaco, Teresa Berganza, Joan Sutherland, Jussi Bjorling, and Leontyne Price along with several others and one or two wonderful surprises. Just for New Year's, host Michael Kownacky will continue with a European tradition, waltzes from Josef Lanner, Franz Lehar, Josef and Eduard Strauss, and others to begin the new year in the best possible way: dancing!