The Merry Widow

The Merry Widow or Die Lustige Witwe is one of the world’s most beloved comic operettas. Performed in three acts with the score by Franz Lehár (libretto in German by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein), it premiered on December 30, 1905.

Hanna Glavari is a wealthy young widow who Baron Zeta would prefer to marry a Pontevedrian, not a Frenchman, to keep her money in the country. The obvious choice is Count Danilo, but there is a problem. They are exes, and he is too proud to marry her because of her fortune.

Misunderstandings and comic intrigue abound when it transpires that the Baron’s wife, Valencienne, is having an affair with Camille de Rosillon so Hanna steps in to save the married lady’s reputation.  How will it end? Will Hanna get her man or won’t she?

Graeme Murphy’s sparkling re-imagination of The Merry Widow has just enough modern-day relevance to keep us laughing while still paying reverence to the original.

Shifting the setting to the 1920s is a stroke of genius and gives Maxim’s Nightclub a more decadent feel. Thanks to Michael Scott-Mitchell’s design, the set is at times grand, at times Monet-like and other times high class. Jennifer Irwin’s costumes are true to the period, from the creams of an afternoon in the country to the evening dinner suits and figure-hugging satin gowns made famous by movie star Jean Harlow.

Completing the look and feel is Damien Cooper’s evocative lighting and Graeme Murphy and Shane Placentino’s sometimes gliding, sometimes cheeky choreography.

The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Wyn Davies is, as always, in full flight, giving us the martial sounds and sweeping strings of Lehar’s iconic score.

The role of Hanna was made famous by the late, great June Bronhill. She was a close friend of mine who performed many renditions of the famous ‘Vilja’ for me. Naturally, I was keen to hear this song by a different performer in a very different setting. I wasn’t disappointed. Antoinette Halloran’s presence and soprano voice captures every nuance of the role (including the famous ‘Vilja’). She is truly a widow we can fall in love with.

Alexander Lewis’ Count Danilo Danilovich gives us the whole package. His character ranges from a drunken playboy, plagued by a lost love, to a suitor torn by his principles and feelings for Hanna. He is a consummate singer and actor who can high kick with the best of them.

Andrew Turner’s Baron Mirko Zeto has just the right amount of bumbling coupled with devotion to his wife and the right touch of pathos at the end. He keeps the story moving and never lets the pace drag.

Desiree Frahn is a delicious Valencienne, torn between the allure of de Rosillon and her devotion to her husband. She floats across the stage looking a million dollars and using her soaring soprano voice to its best advantage.

John Longmuir’s Camille de Rosillon gives us the hopelessness of a man who loves a woman he can never have. His duet with Valencienne by the summerhouse is a triumph; an outstanding tenor voice.

As Raoul de St Brioche and Viscount Nicolas Cascada, Adam Goodburn and Shaun Brown play their duo roles to the hilt, pushing the comedy to its limits while never descending into melodrama.

Nicholas Cannon, Norbert Hohl, Deborah Caddy, Sarah-Jane Pattichis, Joshua Rowe and Catherine Campbell all contribute essential support to the story and have their own moments to shine (especially Campbell’s hysterical scene with Danilo).

The State Opera chorus round out an exceptional cast, framing the action and vocals.

Mark Oates gives one of his best performances as Njegus, the dry, acidic Embassy Secretary. In this role he is the master of the one-liner while still being the voice of sensibility and wisdom. His song in Act 3 is a highlight.

My only slight reservation is this otherwise perfect operetta is with the revised lyrics by Justin Fleming. While his version of the script is witty and clever, I found his version of the lyrics simplistic at times, but this is a minor criticism.

The Merry Widow is a glittering jewel in the State Opera SA repertoire. In a world of depressing politics, it is an oasis of elegance and mirth.

Barry Hill

Photographer: Darren Williams