51st Season
2006–2007
Music by Franz Lehár
Libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein
Based on the play L’Attache d’ambassade by Henri Meilhac
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51st Season 2006–2007 |
Music by Franz Lehár Libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein Based on the play L’Attache d’ambassade by Henri Meilhac |
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Act I
The Pontevedrian Embassy in Paris. The annual ball celebrating the birthday of the country’s ruler, the Grand Duke, is underway. Valencienne, the beautiful wife of Baron Zeta, the Pontevedrian ambassador, is in love with a young French aristocrat, Camille de Rosillon. Valencienne’s unsuspecting husband is dealing with a matter of state: Hanna Glawari, the widow of the old Pontevedrian court banker, who has left her 50 million, has just arrived in Paris. If she marries a Frenchman, her millions will be lost to Pontevedro, pushing the Fatherland into bankrupcy. The ambassador is determined to get Hanna, the Merry Widow, married off to a Pontevedrian husband. He has selected the first secretary of the embassy, Count Danilo Danilovitch, as the ideal bridegroom.
But the ambassador is worried. The handsome Danilo has not yet appeared at the party. Hanna Glawari arrives, escorted by a constellation of hopefuls. The Merry Widow sweeps into the ballroom, cunningly observing that her suitors may actually be in love with her millions, rather than with her. Count Danilo, who has been found at Maxim’s, arrives. He hasn't slept for several nights, so he decides to take a nap.
Fleeing her insistent suitors for a while, Hanna walks into the room and awakens the sleeping Danilo. The two meet — again. Years ago Danilo had wanted to marry Hanna, but she was the daughter of a farmer, and his aristocratic family would not consent; thus Hanna married the old Glawari. She reminds Danilo of their tender affair, but he tells her that, despite all her money, he will never propose. When ladies’ choice is announced, all the men hope to dance with the widow, but she chooses Danilo.
Act II
The following evening, Hanna throws a real Pontevedrian garden party at her house. She sings the famous “Vilia,” about an alluring forest sprite. After various complications, including the misappropriation of Valencienne’s fan, on which Camille has written “I love you,” Hanna announces her engagement to Camille. Danilo, unable to disguise his jealousy, storms off to Maxim’s, and Hanna realizes at last that he still loves her
Act III
Everybody meets at Maxim’s, where the grisettes perform their famous dances. By now, Ambassador Zeta, convinced that his wife is having an affair with Camille, decides to divorce her, and in the name of the Fatherland ask for Hanna’s hand. She tells him that unfortunately, by the will of her late husband, she loses all her money if she remarries. Danilo interrupts her: if she loses everything, he can now propose. She accepts and triumphantly explains that when she loses the money, it becomes her husband’s property. All rejoice!
