who will have to remain masked to protect her identity. The guests decide to stroll in the garden while
awaiting the arrival of the mystery lady, leaving Falke alone in the ballroom.
Rosalinde enters, masked, and asks Falke if what he had written to her is true. He shows her Gabriel in
the garden flirting with Adele, and she swears vengeance. The men reenter, and Gabriel is immediately
taken with the beauty of the “Hungarian countess.” He tells the “Chevalier Chagrin” and Falke to
leave him alone with her and immediately takes out his famous chiming watch. This is his ploy—
promising to give the lady his watch in return for her favours but never delivering. But Rosalinde turns
the tables on him and steals the watch. The guests come back in from the garden and insist that the
“Hungarian countess” unmask. Orlofsky defends her, telling them that in his house a lady may cover
or uncover as much as she wishes. To prove that she is Hungarian, Rosalinde sings a stirring czardas.
Ida then asks Dr. Falke to tell them the story of the bat, as he had promised. Gabriel protests that he
should tell the story, as it was his joke on Falke. He then tells the guests how three years before, he
and Falke had gone to a costume ball dressed, respectively, as a butterfly and a bat. On the way home,
Gabriel got Falke drunk and left him asleep in the park in his bat costume. The next day, Falke had to
walk home in his costume, and ever since, everyone in town has called him the Batty Doctor. After a
special performance by the young dancers, Orlofsky calls for champagne. There is a rousing toast, and
everyone is in the mood for romance and a waltz. But the clock is striking six, and Gabriel and Frank
are due at jail. They rush off drunkenly as the waltz continues.
——— INTERMISSION ———
ACT III – inside the prison
Frosch, the jailer, enters. His pleasant state of intoxication is interrupted by Alfred singing in his prison
cell. Frosch exits just as Frank enters, still inebriated from the evening’s revelries. Adele and Ida arrive.
They think Frank can help Adele break into show business. The bell rings. Frank goes to the window
and, to his horror, sees his friend of last night, the “Marquis de Renard.” Quickly, he tells Frosch to put
the girls somewhere, but the only room free is an empty cell, so Frank tells him to take Ida and Adele
there.
Gabriel enters and asks the “Chevalier” if he has been arrested too. Frank confesses that he is no
chevalier but instead is the warden of the prison. Gabriel then confesses that he is no marquis but is
Herr von Eisenstein, who has come to serve his short jail term. Frank refuses to believe him, as he
himself arrested Herr von Eisenstein the evening before, while he was at home, dining with his wife.
This revelation sobers Gabriel completely. Frosch enters to tell Frank that there is another lady at
the door. Frank exits to see who this mystery lady is, and the bell rings again. Frosch comes back in
with Dr. Blind, whom the imposter “Eisenstein” (Alfred) has sent for. Frosch tells Blind he will bring
Gabriel from his cell. Blind is understandably confused, as he can see Gabriel already there. Gabriel
robs Blind of his wig, spectacles, and robe and pushes him away.
Frosch brings in Alfred, who is annoyed to see no one there. Rosalinde enters, distraught. Alfred
tells her that perhaps the lawyer he has sent for can help them. Gabriel returns disguised as Blind.
He questions the pair about their intimate dinner and then reveals himself. Rosalinde counters his
insinuation that she has been unfaithful by producing his watch. Falke appears with Prince Orlofsky
and all the party guests. The whole situation was a joke: The Revenge of the Bat. Everyone confesses
that they were in on the joke, even if they were not! All is forgiven, and the opera ends with more
champagne and revelry.
OPERATAMPA.ORG • 15
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