Inland Northwest Opera returns to Coeur d'Alene for the first time since 2023 with a joyous production of the German romantic comedy "Die Fledermaus." The talented cast stars Jonathan Bryan as Gabriel von Eisenstein and internationally acclaimed opera star and Coeur d'Alene native Madison Leonard as Adele. "Die Fledermaus" comes to North Idaho College's Schuler Auditorium on Sept. 11 and 13.

"We wanted our return to the Coeur d'Alene area to be joyous," said director Stefan Gordon. "This is a show in which champagne is personified as an opera."

Ever since Inland Northwest Opera went on hiatus in 2023, Gordon said its dedicated original team has been working tirelessly to bring it back. Gordon, who spent much of his career in Vienna and Hong Kong, is new to Idaho. He chose this production because its plot unfolds during a party and celebrates friendship and community.

"We want to invite Coeur d'Alene to be friends," Gordon said.

"Die Fledermaus" is a well-known New Year's tradition in Germany, with Gordon comparing it to Germany's version of "It's a Wonderful Life." The songs will be performed in the original German, while the dialogue will be spoken in English. Gordon promises audiences will have no trouble following the story. The show is filled with blunders, mistaken identities and drunken shenanigans as Eisenstein seeks one last night of fun before serving a jail sentence.

"The whole show is him making a fool of himself," said Jonathan Bryan, who plays Eisenstein. "He's a bit of a scoundrel, a bit fast and loose."

For both Gordon and Bryan, the most memorable part of the production process has been working with such a talented and dedicated cast.

"I would expect to see this kind of cast at a bigger company with a bigger budget," Bryan said.

For Madison Leonard, this production is a homecoming. Leonard saw her first opera at Schuler Auditorium as a student at Hayden Meadows Elementary School. It was a production of "Madama Butterfly" by Inland Northwest Opera, then known as Opera Plus. Since then, she has become a renowned opera singer and has performed in productions worldwide. This marks her first hometown performance in several years.

"I'm happy to return to my hometown, among the community that reared me," Leonard said. "I'm so glad that Coeur d'Alene has opera back on the scene."

The "Die Fledermaus" team promises audiences a fun, side-splitting night at the theater. For those new to opera, Gordon said the show offers more of a musical theater feel and is accessible to everyone.

"This is not your grandmother's opera," Gordon said. "There are three songs just about champagne. It's almost impossible not to dance in your seat."

Performances are scheduled for Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. at North Idaho College's Schuler Fine Arts Center. Tickets start at $22.65, including fees and taxes, and are available online at inland-nw-opera.com.

    Cody Laun pours a drink in a Die Fledermaus scene rehearsed at the First Presbyterian Church in Coeur d'Alene, Sept. 2.
  

    Cody Laun and Michelle Lange rehearse a scene from Die Fledermaus with Director Stefan Gordon at the First Presbyterian Church, Sept. 2.
  

    Madison Leonard.