United Kingdom Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow: Soloists, The Glyndebourne Refrain, London Philharmonic Orchestra / John Wilson (conductor). Filmed (directed by Rhodri Huw) on the Glyndebourne Opera Home and broadcast on BBC 4 on 25.12.2024 and obtainable on iPlayer. (JPr)
Just a bit little bit of background first about The Merry Widow: it relies on Henri Meilhac’s 1861 French comedy L’attaché d’ambassade (The Embassy Attaché). The play has Baron Scharpf, the Parisian ambassador of an impoverished German duchy, needing to rearrange a wedding between his nation’s richest widow, Madeline von Palmer, and embassy attaché Depend Prachs to stave off financial catastrophe of their homeland. The unique Paris manufacturing on the Théâtre du Vaudeville lasted solely 15 performances although a German adaptation (Der Gesandschafts-Attaché) was acquired higher and revived sometimes. In early 1905 it got here to the eye of librettist Leo Stein who thought of it might be the supply of a profitable operetta, and he took it to his occasional collaborator Victor Léon.
Vienna’s Theater an der Wien had not had a fantastic hit for a while and theatre supervisor Wilhelm Karczag was searching for one thing new with a Parisian setting, and a musical model of Der Gesandschafts–Attaché appeared like a good suggestion. In need of funds the administration stored their funding in Die lustige Witwe, because the operetta was now known as, to a minimal by reusing previous units and costumes. Attributing it to Meilhac’s authentic play would have meant paying rights charges so it was initially described as ‘partly primarily based on a overseas supply’. The second-hand manufacturing had a first-rate forged nonetheless. Veteran operetta performers, Mizzi Günther and Louis Treumann have been Hanna Glawari and her as soon as and future lover, Depend Danilo. Just like the composer, the 2 stars firmly believed Die lustige Witwe would succeed. Certainly, Treumann went so far as ordering a pricey duplicate of an actual prince’s costume uniform for himself. He was Crown Prince Danilo of Montenegro who had impressed his character’s identify and whose nation had been the mannequin for the impoverished Balkan state the librettists renamed ‘Pontevedro’.
Die lustige Witwe did ultimately premiere on 30 December 1905 and was a fantastic success. Gustav and Alma Mahler loved it, and he or she reminisces that after they noticed it the primary time, they ‘danced collectively after we obtained house and performed Lehár’s waltz from reminiscence; however the precise passage defied our utmost efforts’. Claiming they have been too ‘intellectual’ to purchase the precise music they went to a well-known music store in Vienna and whereas Mahler requested concerning the sale of his compositions Alma ‘turned the pages of the varied piano editions of The Merry Widow and located the passage I needed. I sang it as quickly as we have been on the street in case it slipped my reminiscence a second time.’
Undoubtedly operetta may be an old school night, but it surely will also be a diversion from actual life by drawing you right into a fantasy world of romantic comedy and stealing your coronary heart away. I’ve memorably seen operetta on the Vienna Volksoper and a few years in the past with English Nationwide Opera (of their golden years) and the way a lot had the artistic crew behind this Merry Widow truly seen and heard, I ponder? To be carried out accurately it wants ample artists of appreciable performing expertise, private charisma and vocal magnificence to convey these hackneyed but well-loved previous tunes to life. The combination – and undoubtedly the tone – was simply not utterly proper right here. As given its first ever performances by Glyndebourne Competition Opera it will have had Gustav and Alma Mahler spinning of their Grinzing graves somewhat than waltzing.
John Wilson’s pre-eminence in ‘lighter music’ is well-known and – when let off the leash by director Cal McCrystal – his conducting of the exemplary-sounding London Philharmonic Orchestra appeared to be overemphasising the music somewhat an excessive amount of. In operetta, the phrases being sung inform the story and the music simply underlines the emotional ambiance. Right here unnecessarily grand statements seemed to be tried and there was too little of the real Viennese schwung I’ve skilled in different performances. However ‘You’ll Discover me Chez Maxim’s’, ‘Vilja Music’ (complement by a small onstage band), ‘Merry Widow Waltz’ and the ‘Can-Can’ all made appreciable influence.
Glyndebourne’s Merry Widow is (freely) tailored from the unique libretto by Stephen Plaice and Marcia Bellamy who’ve turned it right into a musical pantomime as true to Leon and Stein as any Christmas Peter Pan is to J. M. Barrie’s authentic play, which isn’t a lot. It appears to be like like no expense has been spare getting it to the Glyndebourne stage. Designer Gary McCann’s ballroom for the Pontevedrian Embassy is gilded and purplish with false proscenium arches and an enormous, curved staircase at its centre down which Danilo spectacularly tumbles for his first entrance and later Hanna sweeps down from high to backside passing the male refrain typically in high hats and tails lined up on it. Certainly, the costumes are glamorous all through this Merry Widow for the boys and the ladies. There’s a distinct Golden Age of Broadway – and even Hollywood – to what we see. Certainly, it resembled the Marx Brothers’ opening scene of their 1933 Duck Soup, the essential premise of which additionally entails a bankrupt state and a dowager millionairess.
Sadly, the humour now’s extra that of Seventies and 80s sitcoms, end-of-the pier selection reveals or pantos than Marx Brothers’ wit. McCrystal has a great monitor file with Gilbert and Sullivan at ENO, Rossini at Garsington, One Man, Two Guvnors within the West Finish and far else. Nonetheless along with the adapters of this Merry Widow they appear to be followers of the Carry On movies and The Play That Goes Unsuitable. Wit is commonly changed by a number of ho-hum jokes, innuendo and far slapstick humour. There’s additionally some breaking of the fourth wall in a Frankie Howerd ‘Oh, please your self, then’-type of manner. Quickly after the beginning when a joke falls flat Sir Thomas Allen’s Baron Zita turns to the viewers and remarks they’re a ‘Robust crowd’. Not lengthy after Tom Edden’s nearly ever-present, tiresome Njegus, the ambassador’s secretary, get an pointless – woeful and prolonged – joke concerning the confusion between the identify ‘Yvette’ and ‘a vet’ earlier than commenting on some overacting by Michael Wallace as Kromov by exclaiming ‘He’s obtained his agent in!’ As for innuendo even the Carry Ons may need thought twice about Melissa Gregory’s Praskovia commenting about Soraya Mafi’s Valencienne ‘That lady spreads her fan for anybody.’
The tune lyrics should not a lot better and depend on rhymes like these of Sir Tim Rice at his greatest (!) with an early assignation between the Camille de Rosillon (Michael McDermott) and Valencienne (Baron Zita’s spouse) being a great instance: (Valencienne) ‘We are able to’t postpone this dialog.’ / (Camille) ‘I’ve spent all day in anticipation.’ At this level Camille spins her round and he or she twirls straight into the wings. This couple of illicit lovers get most of The Play That Goes Unsuitable moments. Within the second act Camille struggles to drag a rose from a trellis after which steps on Valencienne’s costume earlier than they point out the pavilion the place they may have their romantic encounter by pointing a method whereas it’s pushed on from the opposite facet of the stage. There follows a lot acrobatic shadowplay involving a blowup intercourse doll which is humorous in its manner however somewhat inappropriate for such a powerful work as Merry Widow. Camille is the picture of René Artois the central character of the Nineteen Eighties BBC sitcom ‘Allo ‘Allo! and each he and Valencienne have dodgy French accents recognisable from that present.
For Act II we glance to be on the rear of Hanna’s home, although calling it that’s an insult as a result of we might be within the gardens of Versailles with the palace within the background with a staircase down from an higher stage. We study that Hanna has ended her yr of mourning and seems to be celebrating that within the grandest model. Ostensibly it’s marking the Pontevedrian Grand Duke’s birthday, whose portrait in Act I regarded suspiciously like Gus Christie, Glyndebourne’s government chairman and husband of Danielle de Niese singing Hanna. There are flamboyant costumes, repeated ‘Tra-la-la-la-la-la-la’-ing and far dancing particularly by Hanna whom choreographer Carrie-Anne Ingrouille by no means permits to face nonetheless. Danilo refuses to do his obligation and marry Hanna who he had a relationship with after they have been a lot youthful, as a result of he says, ‘I’ll do something for my nation besides marry’ and within the subsequent act ‘I gained’t change love for cash’. Hanna actually agrees to marry Camille to avoid wasting Valencienne from dishonour making out it was her within the pavilion making out.
Maxim’s is a riot of crimson and it’s Hanna right here and never Valencienne who entertains the gang together with six can-canning grisettes. Njegus is often a non-singing position (and disgrace it wasn’t right here too) however he will get a frantic routine with the grisettes which is repeated twice (why?) and sings about being ‘a homosexual Parisienne’. Hanna is aware of Danilo nonetheless loves her and a cheerful ending is assured. Hanna reveals that on remarrying she loses her complete fortune however ‘all of it goes to my new husband’ and so the cash will keep in Pontevedro. With a dig on the beleaguered ENO, it’s steered they might construct an opera home (the Pontevedrian Nationwide Opera’ although – at one other pointed reference to Glyndebourne – Hanna (or chatelaine Danielle de Niese) suggests ‘Simply don’t put the theatre too close to the home!’
I feel Lehár’s The Merry Widow has far more depth to it and doesn’t should be only a light-hearted farce. Consequently, Danielle de Niese didn’t seem be fully proper for Hanna Glawari; she is an impeccable light-comedian however maybe there ought to have been extra world-weariness and presumably cynicism about love and loss. De Niese’s soprano voice – wealthy in nuance and colors – improved as this Merry Widow went on however was often too ‘operatic’. Her Danilo was baritone Germán Olvera, who, for me, was the one one of many forged to seize the true essence of the vocal model wanted for an operetta like this. (He jogged my memory a lot of Desi Arnaz of I Love Lucy, in the event you bear in mind him.) In a effective ensemble of soloists, refrain and dancers, lovers Soraya Mafi (Valencienne) and Michael McDermott (Camille) sang delightfully and impassively endured all of the indignities Cal McCrystal foisted on them. I imagine Sir Thomas Allen held off retiring from opera to seem as Baron Zita earlier than stepping away instantly after the run of performances final July. I first noticed him sing 50 years in the past (assist!) as Demetrius in Britten’s A Midsummer Evening’s Dream. Allen had nice enjoyable because the harassed– and sometimes confused – Ambassador and it was a becoming method to convey the curtain down on such an illustrious profession.
Jim Pritchard
Featured Picture: Danielle de Niese (Hanna Glawari) and dancers in The Merry Widow Act III © Tristram Kenton
Creatives:
Librettist – Viktor Leon and Leo Stein
E-book and Lyrics – Stephen Plaice
Lyrics and Vocal setting – Marcia Bellamy
Director – Cal McCrystal
Designer – Gary McCann
Lighting Designer – Ben Cracknell
Choreographer – Carrie-Anne Ingrouille
Refrain director – Aidan Oliver
Forged:
Vicomte Cascada – Alex Otterburn
Baron Mirko Zeta – Thomas Allen
Raoul de St Brioche – Harmless Masuku
Kromov – Michael Wallace
Valencienne – Soraya Mafi
Comte Camille de Rosillon – Michael McDermott
Njegus – Tom Edden
Bogdanovitsch – Adam Marsden
Pritschitsch – John Mackenzie-Lavansch
Hanna Glawari – Danielle de Niese
Praskovia – Melissa Gregory
Sylviana – Emily Hodkinson
Olga – Rachel Taylor
Depend Danilo Danilovitsch – Germán Olvera
Dancers – Erin Baig, Wednesday Houghton, Jaide Jeffrey, Phoebe Jones, Helen Rose Katie Whitcombe
