DIE FLEDERMAUS Presented at Town Hall Theater, 8/8-8/9

Middlebury College is famous for its "total immersion" summer language program, in which students are required to speak, read and even think in the language they're studying for the length of their stay.

The German for Singers program takes this a step further, combining music and vocal instruction with the traditional language curriculum. This year the school will feature its talented young singers in Johann Strauss' famous operetta, Die Fledermaus, which will play two performances at Middlebury's Town Hall Theater on August 8 and 9.

Die Fledermaus (The Bat) is a mischievous delight, a tale of revenge and mistaken identity with inspired silliness and a luscious score by Strauss. This very Viennese plot is bathed in some of Strauss' most famous music, a whole bouquet of musical idioms that perfectly capture the Austro-Hungarian Empire in late 19th Century.

The production is directed by Bettina Matthias with Stephan Boving. The musical director is Stefan Rutter. The production is in German with no supertitles, but there will be a pre-performance talk in English at 7:30 pm.

Curtain is at 8 pm. The main section of the theater is reserved for language school students, but seats in the balcony will be made available to anyone in the community for $15. Tickets may be purchased at www.townhalltheater.org, 802 382-9222, at the THT Box Office (daily except Sunday, Noon-5 pm) and at the door, if available.