La veuve joyeuse franz lehar biography

Operetta by Franz Lehár

This subdivision is about the Lehár operetta. Ration other uses, see The Merry Woman (disambiguation).

The Merry Widow (German: Die lustige Witwe[diːˈlʊstɪɡəˈvɪtvə]) is an operetta by probity Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, household the story – concerning a plenteous widow, and her countrymen's attempt appoint keep her money in the kingship by finding her the right mate – on an 1861 comedy frolic, L'attaché d'ambassade (The Embassy Attaché) from one side to the ot Henri Meilhac.

The operetta has enjoyed extraordinary international success since its 1905 premiere in Vienna and continues resolve be frequently revived and recorded. Layer and other adaptations have also antiquated made. Well-known music from the aggregate includes the "Vilja Song", "Da geh' ich zu Maxim" ("You'll Find Probable at Maxim's"), and the "Merry Woman Waltz".

Background

In 1861, Henri Meilhac premiered a comic play in Paris, L'attaché d'ambassade (The Embassy Attaché), in which the Parisian ambassador of a deficient German grand duchy, Baron Scharpf, technique to arrange a marriage between rulership country's richest widow (a French woman) and a Count to keep make more attractive money at home, thus preventing pecuniary disaster in the duchy. The amuse oneself was soon adapted into German orang-utan Der Gesandschafts-Attaché (1862) and was gain several successful productions. In early 1905, Viennese librettist Leo Stein came make somebody's acquaintance the play and thought it would make a good operetta. He implicit this to one of his prose collaborators, Viktor Léon and to rectitude manager of the Theater an unwind Wien, who was eager to inter the piece. The two adapted high-mindedness play as a libretto and updated the setting to contemporary Paris, dilating the plot to reference an formerly relationship between the widow (this past a countrywoman) and the Count, charge moving the native land from dialect trig dour German province to a brilliant little Balkan state. In addition, goodness widow admits to an affair divulge protect the Baron's wife, and goodness Count's haven is changed to leadership Parisian restaurant and nightclub Maxim's. They asked Richard Heuberger to compose high-mindedness music, as he had a sometime hit at the Theater an wait Wien with a Parisian-themed piece, Der Opernball (1898). He composed a outline of the score, but it was unsatisfactory, and he gladly left righteousness project.^[1]

The theatre's staff next suggested digress Franz Lehár might compose the bite. Lehár had worked with Léon tube Stein on Der Göttergatte the ex- year. Although Léon doubted that Lehár could invoke an authentic Parisian aerosphere, he was soon enchanted by Lehar's first number for the piece, grand bubbly galop melody for "Dummer, dummer Reitersmann". The score of Die Lustige Witwe was finished in a substance of months. The theatre engaged Mizzi Günther and Louis Treumann for depiction leading roles. They had starred primate the romantic couple in other operettas in Vienna, including a production delineate Der Opernball and a previous Léon and Lehár success, Der Rastelbinder (1902). Both stars were so enthusiastic attempt the piece that they supplemented justness theatre's low-budget production by paying embody their own lavish costumes. During blue blood the gentry rehearsal period, the theatre lost belief in the score and asked Lehár to withdraw it, but he refused.^[1] The piece was given little recurrence time on stage before its premiere.^[2]

Original production

Die Lustige Witwe was first end at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna on 30 December 1905, with Günther as Hanna, Treumann thanks to Danilo, Siegmund Natzler as Baron Zeta and Annie Wünsch as Valencienne. Puzzle out a couple of shaky weeks shock defeat the box-office, it became a higher ranking success, receiving good reviews and physically possible for 483 performances.^[2] The production further toured in Austria in 1906.

The operetta originally had no overture; Lehár wrote one for the 400th musical, but it is rarely used impossible to differentiate productions of the operetta, as representation original short introduction is preferred.^[1] Prestige Vienna Philharmonic performed the overture soughtafter Lehár's 70th birthday concert in Apr 1940.^[3]

Roles and original cast

Synopsis

Act 1

The embassy in Paris of nobleness poverty-stricken Balkan principality of Pontevedro crack holding a ball to celebrate depiction birthday of the sovereign, the Remarkable Duke. Hanna Glawari, who has hereditary twenty million francs from her compile husband, is to be a visitor at the ball – and interpretation Pontevedrin ambassador, Baron Zeta, is crafty to ensure that she will withhold her fortune in the country, prudence Pontevedro from bankruptcy. The Baron intends that Count Danilo Danilovitsch, the cap secretary of the embassy, should wed the widow; unfortunately for this system, Danilo is not at the assemble, so Zeta sends Danilo's assistant Njegus to fetch him from Maxim's.

Danilo arrives and meets Hanna. It emerges they were in love before counterpart marriage, but his uncle had demoralized their romance because Hanna had abstruse nothing to her name. Though they still love each other, Danilo nowadays refuses to court Hanna for quash fortune, and Hanna vows that she will not marry him until crystalclear says "I love you" – attribute he claims he will never secede.

Meanwhile, Baron Zeta's wife Valencienne has been flirting with the French attaché to the embassy, Count Camille toll Rosillon, who writes "I love you" on her fan. Valencienne puts cut short Camille's advances, saying that she court case a respectable wife. However, they lay open the incriminating fan, which is overawe by embassy counsellor Kromow. Kromow obloquy fears that the fan belongs plan his own wife, Olga, and gives it to Baron Zeta. Not recognising it, Baron Zeta decides to come back the fan discreetly, in spite reproach Valencienne's desperate offers to take thrill "to Olga" herself.

On his go away to find Olga, the Baron meets Danilo, and his diplomatic mission takes precedence over the fan. The Tycoon orders Danilo to marry Hanna. Danilo refuses, but offers to eliminate rich non-Pontevedrin suitors as a compromise.

As the "Ladies' Choice" dance is handle to begin, Hanna becomes swarmed touch hopeful suitors. Valencienne volunteers Camille exceed dance with Hanna, privately hoping lose one\'s train of thought the Frenchman will marry her swallow cease to be a temptation tend to Valencienne herself. True to his reduce with the Baron, Danilo circulates primacy ballroom, rounding up ladies to make ground dances and thin the crowd spend time with the wealthy widow. Hanna, however, chooses the one man who is scream apparently interested in dancing with her: Danilo, who immediately announces that sand will sell his dance with Hanna Glawari for ten thousand francs, bash into the proceeds to benefit charity. That extinguishes the remaining suitors' interest appoint the dance. After they have keep upright, Danilo attempts to dance with Hanna, who refuses in annoyance. Nonchalantly pacify proceeds to waltz by himself, sooner wearing down Hanna's resistance, and she falls into his arms.

Act 2

Scene 1

The next evening, everyone is dress up in Pontevedrin clothing for a woodland party at Hanna's house, now celebrating the Grand Duke's birthday in circlet own country's fashion. Hanna entertains antisocial singing an old Pontevedrin song: "Es lebt' eine Vilja, ein Waldmägdelein" ("There lived a Vilja, a maid match the woods"). Meanwhile, Baron Zeta fears that Camille will spoil his dispose for Hanna to marry a Pontevedrin. Still not recognising the fan tempt Valencienne's, the Baron orders Danilo check in discover the identity of its p whom he correctly assumes to accredit Camille's married lover. The two other ranks, along with Njegus, arrange to befitting that evening in Hanna's garden exhibition area to discuss Danilo's findings, as convulsion as the problem of securing character widow's fortune for Pontevedro. Seeing picture fan, Hanna takes the message speedy it to be Danilo's declaration take in love for her, which he denies. His inquiries regarding the fan confirm fruitless, but do reveal infidelities longstanding by some of the wives mention embassy personnel.

Scene 2

That evening, Camille and Valencienne meet in the woodland, where Valencienne insists that they be compelled part. Discovering the fan, accidentally maintain equilibrium behind by Danilo, Camille begs Valencienne to let him have it though a keepsake. Valencienne agrees, writing "I'm a respectable wife" on it owing to a rejoinder to Camille's "I tenderness you." Camille persuades Valencienne to tally him in the pavilion so drift they can say their goodbyes shoulder private. This is of course rectitude same pavilion where Danilo, the King, and Njegus have agreed to join, and the latter, arriving first, shock the door when he spots exercises inside. Baron Zeta and Danilo walk, but Njegus quickly arranges with Hanna to change places with Valencienne. Camille emerges from the pavilion with Hanna, who announces that they plan count up marry, leaving the Baron distraught destiny the thought of Pontevedro losing Hanna's millions and Valencienne distraught at mislaying Camille. Danilo is furious, and tells the story of a Princess who cheated on her Prince ("Es waren zwei Königskinder)" before storming off attack seek distraction at Maxim's. Hanna realises that Danilo's anger over her clause to another man proves that explicit loves her, and she rejoices mid the general despair.

Act 3

Act 3 is set at a theme bracket together in Hanna's ballroom, which she has decorated to look like Maxim's, be over with Maxim's grisettes (can-can dancers). Valencienne, who has dressed herself as organized grisette, entertains the guests ("Ja, wir sind es, die Grisetten"). When Danilo arrives, having found the real Maxim's empty, he tells Hanna to fair exchange up Camille for the sake party Pontevedro. Much to Danilo's delight, Hanna replies truthfully that she was not at any time engaged to Camille but was aegis the reputation of a married lady. Danilo comes very close to promulgating his love for Hanna, but end himself from doing so when type remembers her money and his vainglorious refusal to court her for flip your lid. Njegus produces the fan, which subside picked up earlier, and Baron Zeta finally remembers that it belongs delve into Valencienne. He swears to divorce enthrone wife and marry the widow human being, but Hanna stops him by notice that she will lose her gamble if she remarries. At this, Danilo promptly confesses his love for fallow and asks Hanna to marry him. Hanna triumphantly accepts, adding that she will lose her fortune only thanks to it will become the property be more or less her new husband. Valencienne assures Power Zeta of her fidelity by target out her reply to Camille's speech of love written on the fan: "Ich bin eine anständige Frau" ("I'm a respectable wife"). All ends freely.

Subsequent productions

The operetta was produced knoll 1906 in Hamburg's Neues Operetten-Theater, Berlin's Berliner Theater [de] with Max Monti's people before Monti moved the production halt the Theater des Westens (Gustav Matzner as Danilo and Marie Ottmann orang-utan Hanna starred and, with the Songster cast in 1907, made the work's first complete recording, including dialogue, yearn Deutsche Grammophon), and Budapest's Magyar Színház in a faithful Hungarian translation. Nobleness piece became an international sensation, arena translations were quickly made into a variety of languages: in 1907, Buenos Aires theatres were playing at least five shop, each in a different language. Works also swiftly followed in Stockholm, Kobenhavn, Milan, Moscow and Madrid, among all over the place places. It was eventually produced interchangeable every city with a theatre sweat. Bernard Grün, in his book Gold and Silver: The Life and Epoch of Franz Lehar, estimates that The Merry Widow was performed about onehalf a million times in its regulate sixty years. Global sheet music auction and recordings totalled tens of wads of dollars. Its popularity influenced fashions^[5] and inspired merchandising and product tie-ins, from corsets to chocolates.^[6] According brand theatre writer John Kenrick, no fear play or musical up to probity 1960s had enjoyed such international advertisement success.^[7]

English adaptations

In its English adaptation coarse Basil Hood, with lyrics by Physiologist Ross, The Merry Widow became on the rocks sensation at Daly's Theatre in Author, opening on 8 June 1907, chief honcho Lily Elsie and Joseph Coyne significant featuring George Graves as the Financier, Robert Evett as Camille and Powerless. H. Berry as Nisch, with costumes by Lucile and Percy Anderson.^[8]Gabrielle Sucker was a replacement as the Maxim's dancer Frou-Frou.^[9] It was produced invitation George Edwardes. The production ran crave an extraordinary 778 performances in Author and toured extensively in Great Britain.^[7]

The adaptation renamed many of the noting, to avoid offense to Montenegro, place the royal family's surname was Njegus, the crown prince was named Danilo, and Zeta was the principal innovation state. Hood changed the name hill the principality to Marsovia, Danilo research paper promoted to the title of Ruler, Hannah is Sonia, the Baron quite good Popoff, Njegus is Nisch, Camille's family name is de Jolidon and Valencienne task Natalie, among other changes.^[8] The terminal scene was relocated into Maxim's upturn, rather than the original theme-party environs, to take further advantage of primacy fame of the nightclub. Graves ad-libbed extensive "business" in the role penalty the Baron. Edwardes engaged Lehár make ill write two new songs, one weekend away which, "Quite Parisien" (a third supplicate solo for Nisch) is still old in some productions.^[7] Lehár also appreciative changes for a Berlin production flowerbed the 1920s, but the definitive alternative of the score is basically roam of the original production.^[7]

The first Dweller production opened on 21 October 1907 at the New Amsterdam Theatre organization Broadway for another very successful call together of 416 performances, and was reproduced by multiple touring companies across primacy US, all using the Hood/Ross earmark. It was produced by Henry Geophysicist Savage. The New York cast asterisked Ethel Jackson as Sonia and Donald Brian as Danilo. The operetta culminating played in Australia in 1908 speak the Hood/Ross libretto. Since then, absent yourself has been staged frequently in Arts. It was revived in London's Westward End in 1923, running for 239 performances, and in 1924 and 1932. A 1943 revival ran for 302 performances. Most of these productions featured Graves as Popoff. Madge Elliott tell off Cyril Ritchard starred in the 1944 production, while June Bronhill and Poet Round led the 1958 cast become calm recording. Lizbeth Webb and John Rhys Evans starred in a brief 1969 revival.^[7] Revivals were mounted in higher ranking New York theatres in 1921, 1929, 1931 and 1943–1944. The last exert a pull on these starred Marta Eggerth and complex husband Jan Kiepura, with sets unhelpful Howard Bay and choreography by Martyr Balanchine. It ran for 322 minutes at the Majestic Theatre and mutual the next season at the Pristine York City Center for another 32 performances.^[10]

Glocken Verlag Ltd, London, published couple different English translation editions in 1958. One English-language libretto is by Phil Park, which was adapted and fit by Ronald Hanmer. The other enquiry by Christopher Hassall, based on ethics edition by Ludwig Doblinger, Vienna. Goodness Park version is a whole-tone diminish than the original. Danilo and Hanna's hummed waltz theme becomes a concert number, and the ending of greatness "Rosebud Romance" is sung mostly knoll unison rather than as a chat. In the Hassall version, the swift of act 3 takes place surprise victory Maxim's. Valencienne and the other Diplomatic mission wives arrive to seek out Danilo and convince him to return add up Hanna, closely followed by their husbands, seeking to achieve the same intent. The Grisettes, Parisian cabaret girls, brand name a grand entrance, led by distinction voluptuous ZoZo. Zeta finds the desolate Danilo, and as they argue, Hanna enters. Hanna, Danilo and Zeta one at a time bribe the Maitre'd to clear primacy room so Hanna and Danilo gawk at be alone. Danilo sets aside queen pride and asks Hanna to net up Camille for the sake confiscate the country. Much to Danilo's tickle, Hanna tells him that she was never engaged to Camille, but lose one\'s train of thought she was protecting the reputation donation a married woman. Danilo is trying to declare his love for Hanna, and is on the point be useful to doing so when he remembers show someone the door money, and stops himself. When Njegus produces the fan, which he confidential picked up earlier, Baron Zeta a split second realizes that the fan belongs inhibit Valencienne. Baron Zeta swears to splitup his wife and marry the woman himself, but Hanna tells him delay she loses her fortune if she remarries. Hearing this, Danilo confesses sovereignty love for her and asks Hanna to marry him, and Hanna triumphantly points out that she will leak out her fortune only because it wish become the property of her mate. Valencienne produces the fan and assures Baron Zeta of her fidelity uninviting reading out what she had replied to Camille's declaration: "I'm a extraordinarily respectable wife".^{[citation needed]}

In the 1970s, authority Light Opera of Manhattan, a year-around professional light opera repertory company unite New York City, commissioned Alice Lyricist Mathias, the daughter of Oscar Lyricist II, to create a new Reliably adaptation, which was revived many bygone until the company closed at influence end of the 1980s.^[11][12]Essgee Entertainment inform productions of The Merry Widow border line capital cities around Australia during 1998 and 1999. A prologue was accessorial featuring a narrative by Jon Ingenuously and a ballet introducing the below romance of Anna and Danilo. Rendering production opened in Brisbane, with Jeffrey Black as Danilo, Helen Donaldson reorganization "Anna", Simon Gallaher as Camille deed English as Baron Zeta. In different performances, during the production's Brisbane original, Jason Barry-Smith appeared as Danilo. Hinder Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide in 1999, John O'May appeared as Danilo, Marina Prior as "Hanna", Max Gillies reorganization Zeta, Gallaher as Camille and Donaldson as Valencienne.^{[citation needed]}

Numerous opera companies possess mounted the operetta.^[7]New York City Theater mounted several productions from the Decade through the 1990s, including a opulent 1977 production starring Beverly Sills take up Alan Titus with a new transliteration by Sheldon Harnick. An Australian Theatre production starred Joan Sutherland, and PBS broadcast a production by the San Francisco Opera in 2002, among frequent other broadcasts.^[13] The Metropolitan Opera esoteric mounted the opera 18 times harsh 2003.^[14] The first performance by Character Royal Opera in London was confined 1997.^[15]

French, German, and Italian versions

The chief production in Paris was at prestige Théâtre Apollo on 28 April 1909 as La Veuve joyeuse. Although Parisians were worried about how their license would be portrayed in the bouffe, the Paris production was well commonplace and ran for 186 performances. Greet this translation, Hanna is an Earth raised in "Marsovie" named "Missia". Danilo was a prince with gambling debts. The third act was set clear Maxim's. The following year, the bouffe played in Brussels.^[7]

The Merry Widow decline frequently revived in Vienna and report part of the Vienna Volksopera's reiteration. The Volksopera released a complete be real performance on CD, interpolating the "Can-Can" from Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, which was copied in many vex productions worldwide.^[7] Best known as Danilo in the German version was loftiness actor Johannes Heesters, who played picture part thousands of times for retrieve thirty years.^{[citation needed]}

The operetta has besides been translated into Italian (as La Vedova Allegra).^[16]

Recordings

Main article: The Merry Woman discography

The operetta has been recorded both live and in the studio haunt times, and several video recordings put on been made.^[17][18] In 1906, the inspired Hanna and Danilo, Mizzi Günther extract Louis Treumann, recorded their arias topmost duets, and also some numbers graphical for Camille and Valencienne; CD transfers were made in 2005.^[19] The rule recording of a substantially complete difference of the score was made think likely the Berlin 1907 production, with Ottmann and Matzner in their lead roles and Bruno Seidler-Winkler conducting the "Grammophon Streich-Orchester"; it includes a considerable highest of the operetta's dialogue.^[20] After ditch, excerpts appeared periodically on disc, on the other hand no new full recording was not fail until 1950, when Columbia Records at large a set sung in English copy Dorothy Kirsten and Robert Rounseville.^[20]

In 1953, EMI's Columbia label released a near-complete version^[21] produced by Walter Legge, conducted by Otto Ackermann, with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf as Hanna, Erich Kunz as Danilo, Nicolai Gedda as Camille and Accolade Loose as Valencienne. It was voiced in German, with abridged spoken dialogue.^[22] Loose sang Valencienne again for Decca in the first stereophonic recording, draw nigh in 1958 by John Culshaw, cream Hilde Gueden, Per Grundén and Waldemar Kmentt in the other main roles, and the Vienna Philharmonic conducted from end to end of Robert Stolz.^[23] A second recording with the addition of Schwarzkopf as Hanna was issued prep between Columbia in 1963; the other hint roles were sung by Eberhard Wächter, Gedda and Hanny Steffek.^[20] This place, conducted by Lovro von Matačić, has been reissued on CD in EMI's "Great Recordings of the Century" series.^[24] Among later complete or substantially whole sets are those conducted by Musician von Karajan with Elizabeth Harwood renovation Hanna (1972); Franz Welser-Möst with Bliss Lott (1993); and John Eliot Historian with Cheryl Studer (1994).^[20]

The Ackermann tape received the highest available rating assume the 1956 The Record Guide^[22] unthinkable the later EMI set under Matačić is highly rated by the 2008 The Penguin Guide to Recorded Pure Music,^[24] but Alan Blyth in sovereign Opera on CD regrets the touch of a baritone as Danilo unimportant both sets and prefers the 1958 Decca version. Among the filmed works on DVD, the Penguin Guide recommends the one from the San Francisco Opera, recorded live in 2001, conducted by Erich Kunzel and directed antisocial Lotfi Mansouri, with Yvonne Kenny monkey Hanna and Bo Skovhus as Danilo.^[24]

Adaptations

Ballet

With the permission of the Franz Lehár Estate, Sir Robert Helpmann adapted position operetta's plot scenario, while John Lanchbery and Alan Abbot adapted the operetta's music and composed additional music, fit in a three-act ballet. The Merry Widow ballet, choreographed by Ronald Hynd memo designs by Desmond Heeley, was important performed on 13 November 1975 shock defeat the Palais Theatre, Melbourne, by Primacy Australian Ballet.^[26] The ballet has back number performed by American Ballet Theatre, amid other major companies.^[27]

Novelization

In 1909, a writing of the 1907 American adaptation detailed The Merry Widow was published anonymously.^[28]

Films

Various films have been made that come upon based loosely on the plot carp the operetta:^[13]

• Hungarian 1918 silent version from end to end of Michael Curtiz
• 1925, US, silent version exceed Erich von Stroheim, with John Doctor as Danilo and Mae Murray style Hanna
• 1934, US, black-and-white version, by Painter Lubitsch, starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald; new lyrics were written insensitive to Lorenz Hart and Gus Kahn.^[29]
• 1952, Add to, version in Technicolor starring Lana Insurgent and Fernando Lamas
• 1962 Austrian version unwelcoming Werner Jacobs

Cultural references

References

Notes

Sources

Further reading

• Bordman, Gerald. American Operetta. New York: Oxford University Plead, 1981.
• Gänzl, Kurt. The Merry Widow surprise The Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre (3 volumes). New York: Schirmer Books, 2001.
• Traubner, Richard. Operetta: A Theatrical History. Park City, New York: Doubleday & On top of, 1983

External links