OPERA AUSTRALIA. The Merry Widow. By Franz Lehár. Text by Victor Léon and
Leo Stein. English version by Christopher Hassall. By arrangement with ...
OPERA AUSTRALIA • THE JOAN SUTHERLAND COLLECTION •
The Merry Widow Franz Lehár
OPERA AUSTRALIA
The Merry Widow By Franz Lehár Text by Victor Léon and Leo Stein English version by Christopher Hassall By arrangement with Chappell & Intersong Music Group (Australia) Limited, on behalf of Glocken Verlag Ltd London. ‘Love, Live Forever’ from Paganini by Franz Lehár, English version by A.P. Herbert. Overture and Act 3 ballet arranged and orchestrated by Douglas Gamley. Anna Glawari, the young and beautiful widow of a Pontevedrian banker who has left her 50 million francs, has arrived in Paris. Baron Zeta, the Pontevedrian Ambassador in Paris, receives a dispatch from his government advising him of the country’s impending bankruptcy and urgently requesting him to persuade the widow to marry a Pontevedrian in order to ensure that her millions remain in the country. A party is to be held at the Pontevedrian Embassy in honour of the Grand Duke’s birthday. Anna has been invited and Baron Zeta sees this as a brilliant chance to fulfil his country’s request. Zeta selects his First Secretary, Danilo Danilovitch, as the candidate for the marriage which will save the country. Zeta is ignorant of the fact that a previous unhappy affair had taken place between the two when Anna was a poor farmer’s daughter and social pressures forced Danilo to end the association.
Danilo is called to the Embassy from his favourite haunt, Maxim’s Restaurant. Before Baron Zeta can tell him of his new assignment, Danilo and Anna meet again. She reminds him of their old affair, but Danilo tells her that for all her money, she will never hear him say ‘I love you’. Anna takes this as a challenge and resolves to win him. When Danilo is told of his assignment, he flatly refuses to marry Anna, but promises to keep away any non-Pontevedrian suitor. Much confusion occurs involving the affections of Zeta, his wife Valencienne and her would-be lover, Camille de Rosillon, culminating in Anna’s announcement that she will marry Camille. Danilo is tremendously jealous but still will not confess his true feelings. Finally, everybody meets at Maxim’s. Baron Zeta, convinced that his wife has had an affair with Camille, decides to divorce her and, in the name of the nation, he asks for Anna’s hand. Anna tells him that unfortunately, by the will of her late husband, she loses all her money if she marries again. This alters everything, and Danilo can now finally say the three words he had sworn he would never say. And she, triumphant, explains to him that in losing the money, it becomes the sole property of her husband.
Conductor Director Rehearsed by Designer Lighting Designer Choreographer Rehearsed by Resident Director
Richard Bonynge Lotfi Mansouri Stuart Maunder Kristian Fredrikson Roger Barratt Robert Ray Lois Strike Luise Napier
CAST, IN ORDER OF SINGING Baron Mirko Zeta, Pontevedrian, Ambassador in Paris Valencienne, his wife Camille de Rosillon Vicomte Cascada Raoul de St Brioche Kromow, Pontevedrian Consul Olga, his wife Pritschitch, Pontevedrian Consul Praskovia, his wife Bogdanovitch, Pontevedrian Military Attaché Sylviane, his wife Njegus, an Embassy Secretary Anna Glawari Danilo Danilovitch, First Secretary to the Pontevedrian Embassy Maitre d’Hotel Zozo, a grisette
Gordon Wilcock Anne-Maree McDonald Anson Austin Neil Kirkby Christopher Dawes John Germain Irene Cassimatis Donald Solomon Rosina Raisbeck David Brennan Caroline Clack Graeme Ewer Joan Sutherland Ronald Stevens Jonathan Welch Jennifer Bermingham
The Australian Opera Ballet James Huxtable Dance Captain Principle Dancers Lois Strike, Patrick O’Neill, Jenn Andrews, Ian Castednetto, Maria Cauchi, James Huxtable, Giorgina Ciot, Terry Matheson, Jodi Flanagan, Martin Michel, Jacqui Smith, Danny Ottley, Nicole Walmsley, Matthew Smith
Stage Manager Musical Preparation
Brad Jarrett Narelle French
The Australian Opera Chorus Chorus Preparation
Peter Bandy
Elizabethan Sydney Orchestra Concertmaster
George Ermolenko
For Opera Australia General Manager Artistic Director Artistic Administrator Technical Administrator Television/Radio Producer
Donald McDonald Moffatt Oxenbould AM Russell Mitchell Noel Staunton Cheryl Forrest-Smith
076 2749
Produced for television in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Executive Producer Producer Sound Producer
Peter Butler Virginia Lumsden Christopher Lawrence
