We were very pleased to present our first “2nd stage” production, The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar. This first of what we
hope will become the “Hans Wolf Memorial Operetta Series” was staged for two
performances at Town Hall in Seattle, on February 23 and 25, 2007. Jon Palmason
was the Producer, Glenda Williams Music Director, Chris Nardine Stage
Director and Choreographer, and Nathan Rodda Set Designer.
Hans Wolf, former Chorus Master and Associate Conductor of the Seattle Opera was
a long time friend of Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan. Many of our singers performed
in Hans’ productions. Soon after he retired from Seattle Opera, Hans decided to
establish the “Neglected Operetta Masterpieces”. He took great delight in
bringing the lesser known operettas by Lehar, Offenbach, Strauss, and Kalman to
Seattle audiences. He was always at our performances each summer looking for new
talent for his own production. Hans passed away in August of 2005. We are
honored that his dear sister Elsbeth has asked that we continue to recognize his
contribution to the Seattle arts community by establishing this 2nd Stage in his
honor.
Merry Widow Plot Summary
Before the opera begins: The year is 1905. The small country of Pontevedro is
in a difficult situation. Its wealthiest citizen, the elderly Stefan Glawari,
has died suddenly, leaving Hanna, his young and beautiful wife (of one week!)
his entire fortune. The "Merry Widow" has moved to Paris, taking her money with
her. The ruler of Pontevedro has sent an urgent message to his ambassador to
Paris, Baron Zeta: "Hanna Glawari must marry a Pontevedrian and bring back the
money!"
Act I takes place in Paris at the home of Baron Zeta, where a party is in
progress in honor of the Pontevedrian ruler. A second plot is introduced: Baron
Zeta's young wife, Valencienne, is having an affair with a Parisian gentleman,
Camille de Rosillon. Hanna Glawari is to be the guest-of-honor; she arrives and
all the men flock around her. She accuses them of finding only her money
attractive. Zeta explains to his aide Njegus that he plans to have his attaché
Count Danilo become the Merry Widow's new husband, thus keeping her fortune in
Pontevedrian hands. Danilo arrives after an evening of wine, women, and song at
Maxim's, a famous Paris nightclub. It soon becomes apparent that Hanna and
Danilo are former lovers--they would have married, but Danilo's family bundled
him off to Paris, as Hanna was too low on the social scale for him. She in turn
married the wealthy, elderly Glawari. And now they are face to face, and a
battle of wits ensues. Hanna chooses Danilo to be her partner in a "ladies'
choice" dance. Danilo in turn auctions off his dance with Hanna to Camille, for
the sum of 10,000 francs to go to charity. He then claims a dance with Hanna as
his reward. Over her protests, they waltz together as the act ends.
Act II takes place the next evening. Hanna is hosting a reception for her fellow
Pontevedrians. She sings a traditional Pontevedrian folksong, "Vilja." Danilo
arrives, and Zeta informs him that the Frenchman Camille is in love with Hanna.
Danilo is more jealous than he wants to admit; Zeta is terrified that the
Pontevedrian millions will fall into French hands. Hanna enters and she and
Danilo continue their skirmishing. She exits and all the men join Danilo in a
song about the puzzling behavior of women. Hanna and Danilo have a moment
together, in which she tells him she plans to marry. He tells her he plans to
leave Paris immediately, and the two dance a waltz together, as a "last dance."
Valencienne and Camille enter and sing a duet about their love--to Camille's
dismay, Valencienne intends to remain a "respectable wife." Nonetheless, they
wind up together in the garden pavilion. Confusion follows as Zeta and Njegus
enter and nearly discover the lovers--but Hanna and Njegus conspire to protect
Valencienne, and by trickery Hanna is discovered in the pavilion with Camille.
Danilo is furious! To top it off, Hanna announces her engagement to Camille. The
scene ends with Danilo storming offstage--a sure sign to Hanna that he loves her
still.
The scene is shifted as Hanna explains that she has invited the "Grisettes"
(whom we might call dancehall girls) from Maxim's to her party: she wants Count
Danilo "feel at home." Valencienne (a former Grisette herself) joins the girls
for a cancan. The whole party joins in. As the girls leave, Danilo decides to
confront Hanna with logic: she must not marry the Frenchman Camille and bankrupt
her country. Hanna explains that she has no intention of marrying Camille, and
as the orchestra plays a haunting waltz tune, the two confess their love for one
another. As everyone returns, Hanna explains that she will forfeit her fortune
if she remarries--and Danilo proposes immediately! Hanna accepts immediately,
and then announces that by the terms of her late husband's will, the money will
go to her new husband, and thus back to Pontevedro when she marries Danilo. An d
so all is in place for a happy ending!
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