Operettas by Franz Lehár

The Merry Widow (1905) Der Graf von Luxemburg (1909) The Land of Smiles (1929) Giuditta (1934) Lehár Franz Lehár (30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austrian composer of Hungarian descent, mainly known for his operettas. ... photograph of Lehar, from an old picture postcard File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Der Graf von Luxemburg (The Count of Luxembourg) is an operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár. ... The Land of Smiles (Das Land des Lächelns) is a romantic operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár. ... Giuditta is an operatic Muikalische Komödie in five acts scenes by Franz Lehár. ...

For the ballet, see The Merry Widow (ballet).

For the film versions, see The Merry Widow (films).

For the article of clothing, see corselet: Merry widow.

The Merry Widow (German: Die lustige Witwe) is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story — concerning a rich widow, Hanna Glawari, and her attempt to find a husband—on an 1861 comedy play, L'attaché d'ambassade (The Embassy Attaché) by Henri Meilhac. Australian ballet star Sir Robert Helpmann obtained permission from the Léhar Estate to create a ballet based on The Merry Widow operetta. ... There have been three major film versions of The Merry Widow, all in English, and all produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. ... A corselet is a bra, girdle and panty all in one sometimes with laces in front or back. ... A corselet is a bra, girdle and panty all in one sometimes with laces in front or back. ... Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... Lehár Franz Lehár (30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austrian composer of Hungarian descent, mainly known for his operettas. ... Antonio Ghislanzoni, nineteenth century Italian librettist. ... Leo Stein (born Leo Rosenstein in Lemberg, Poland on 25 March 1861, † 28 July 1921 in Vienna, Austria) was a playwright and librettist of operettas in the latter part of the 19th and early 20th Centuries, including works adapted for a number of Broadway productions. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Henri Meilhac (February 21, 1831 - 1897), French dramatist, was born in Paris. ...

The operetta was first performed at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna on 30 December 1905 with Mizzi Günther as Hanna, Louis Treumann as Danilo, Siegmund Natzler as Baron Zeta and Annie Wünsch as Valencienne. It was Lehár's first major success, becoming internationally the best-known operetta of its era. Lehár subsequently made changes for productions in London and Berlin but the version heard today is essentially that of the original production. The Theater an der Wien is a historic theatre in Vienna. ... For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ... is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1905 (disambiguation). ... Mizzi Günther (born Varnsdorf, Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic) 8 February 1879 - died Vienna 18 March 1961 was a Bohemian-Viennese operetta soprano. ...

Well-known music from the score includes the "Vilja Song", "Da geh' ich zu Maxim" ("You'll Find Me at Maxim's"), and the "Merry Widow Waltz".

Adaptations for London and Broadway

In its English adaptation by Basil Hood, with lyrics by Adrian Ross, the show became a sensation in London in 1907, starring Lily Elsie and opened a few months later on Broadway for a very successful run. Thereafter, it was played frequently in America and throughout the English speaking world, and is still frequently revived in English. Basil Charles Hood (April 5, 1864 – August 7, 1917) was a British librettist and lyricist, perhaps best known for his libretti of a half dozen Savoy Operas. ... Arthur Reed Ropes (December 23, 1859 – September 10, 1933) was better known under the psuedonym Adrian Ross a lyricist of British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th century. ... Lily Elsie Lily Elsie (nee Elsie Bullough, 1886-1962) was a popular English actress during the Edwardian era, best known for her starring role in the London premier of Franz Lehars operetta The Merry Widow (1907). ...

Roles

This article is about the singing voice part. ... Mizzi Günther (born Varnsdorf, Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic) 8 February 1879 - died Vienna 18 March 1961 was a Bohemian-Viennese operetta soprano. ... This article is about Tenor vocalists in music. ... Baritone (French: ; German: ; Italian: ) is most commonly the type of male voice that lies between bass and tenor. ... A mezzo-soprano (meaning medium soprano in Italian) is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker (or lower) vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that...

Synopsis

Lily Elsie in London, 1907

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 384 × 598 pixelsFull resolution (700 × 1091 pixels, file size: 103 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Source: http://www. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 384 × 598 pixelsFull resolution (700 × 1091 pixels, file size: 103 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Source: http://www. ... Lily Elsie Lily Elsie (nee Elsie Bullough, 1886-1962) was a popular English actress during the Edwardian era, best known for her starring role in the London premier of Franz Lehars operetta The Merry Widow (1907). ...

Act I

The Embassy in Paris of the poverty-stricken Grand Duchy of Pontevedro is holding a ball to celebrate the birthday of the sovereign, the Grand Duke. Hanna Glawari, who has inherited twenty million francs from her late husband, is to be a guest at the ball and the ambassador, Baron Zeta, wants to ensure that she will marry another Pontevedrian and keep her fortune in the country, so that Pontevedro would be saved from bankruptcy. Baron Zeta has in mind Count Danilo Danilovitsch, the First Secretary of the embassy, but his plans are not going well. Danilo is not at the party, so Zeta sends Njegus, the embassy secretary, to fetch him from Maxim's. A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one nation state present in another nation state to represent the sending state in the receiving State. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... A grand duchy is a territory whose head of state is a Grand Duke or Grand Duchess. ... For other uses, see Ball (disambiguation). ... The title of Grand Duke (Latin, Magnus Dux; German, Großherzog, Russian, Великий князь) used in Slavic, Baltic, and Germanic countries, is ranked in honour below King but higher than a sovereign Duke (Herzog) or Prince (Fürst). ... For other uses, see Baron (disambiguation). ... Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, put into administration—see text) in the United Kingdom. ... This article is about the style or title of nobility. ... The system of diplomatic rank has over time been formalised on an international basis. ... The facade of Maxims Restaurant Maxims is the name of a restaurant in Paris, France, located on the rue Royale. ...

Danilo finally arrives and meets Hanna. It emerges that they were in love before her marriage, but his uncle interrupted their romance because Hanna had absolutely nothing to her name. Although they still love each other, Danilo refuses to court Hanna because of her fortune and Hanna vows she will not marry him until he says "I love you".

Meanwhile, Baron Zeta's wife Valencienne has been flirting with the French attaché to the embassy, Count Camille de Rosillon, who writes "I love you" on her fan. Valencienne puts off Camille's advances, saying that she is a respectable wife. However, they lose the incriminating fan, which is found by Kromow (who jealously fears that the fan belongs to his wife, Olga), who then gives the fan to Baron Zeta. Not recognising Valencienne's fan, Baron Zeta decides to return the fan to Olga, in spite of Valencienne's desperate offers to take the fan and return it, herself. An attaché is a person who is assigned to the staff of a diplomatic mission and often has special responsibilities or expertise. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ...

On his way to see Olga, the Baron meets Danilo, and his diplomatic mission takes precedence over the fan. The Baron orders Danilo to marry Hanna. Refusing to concede to the Baron's demands, Danilo offers to eliminate any non-Pontevedrian suitors as a compromise.

The "Ladies' Choice" dance is about to start, and all the men are hovering around Hanna, hoping to be her choice of partner for the dance. Valencienne has decided to get Camille to marry Hanna so that he will no be a temptation, and therefore volunteers Camille as a partner to Hanna for her "Ladies' Choice" dance. Danilo goes to the ballroom to round up some of the other ladies to claim dances with the hopeful suitors of Hanna. Even after the ladies have made their choices, there are still some suitors left behind. Hanna chooses the one man who is apparently not interested in dancing with her — Danilo. Danilo refuses to dance, but claims the dance anyway. He puts the dance up for sale for ten thousand francs, with the proceeds of the sale to go to charity. This eliminates the interest of the would-be suitors in the dance. After the suitors have left, Danilo attempts to dance with Hanna. Hanna, annoyed at his treatment of her choice of him for the "Ladies' Choice", refuses to dance with him. Nonchalantly, Danilo begins to Waltz by himself, eventually wearing down Hanna's resistance, and she falls into his arms.

Act II

Act II is set at a party in the garden at Hanna's house, to celebrate the birthday of the Grand Duke in Pontevedrian fashion, and everybody is dressed in Pontevedrian clothing. Hanna entertains by singing an old Ponteverdian song, the famous "Vilja Song". Meanwhile, Baron Zeta fears that Camille is a threat to his plan for Hanna to marry a Pontevedrian. Still not recognising the fan as Valencienne's, the Baron orders Danilo to find out the identity of its owner, whom he assumes to be Camille's married lover. A meeting is arranged between Zeta, Danilo and Njegus, to discuss the identity of the owner of the fan and also the problem with regard to the widow, with the meeting to be held that evening in Hanna's garden pavilion. Hanna sees the fan, and thinks the message on it is Danilo's declaration of love for her, which he denies. Danilo's inquiries about the identity of the owner of the fan result in revelations of the details of the infidelities of some of the wives of Embassy personnel, but do not reveal the identity of the owner of the fan. A free-standing garden pavilion, Hofgarten in Munich, Bavaria In architecture a pavilion (from French, pavillon) has two main significations. ...

That evening, Camille and Valencienne meet in the garden. Valencienne continues to resist Camille's advances, declaring that they must part. Camille begs for a keepsake, and discovers the fan, which Danilo had accidentally left behind, after his inquiries. Camille begs Valencienne to let him keep the fan as the keepsake, and Valencienne agrees, after writing "I'm a highly respectable wife" on the fan in response to Camille's earlier written declaration of "I love you". Camille persuades Valencienne to enter the same pavilion in which Danilo, the Baron and Njegus had arranged to meet with him, so that they can say their goodbyes in private. Njegus, who arrives first for the meeting, discovers that Camille is in the pavilion with Valencienne. Njegus locks the door to the pavilion when Danilo and Baron Zeta arrive, and delays their entry to the pavilion. The Baron peeps through the keyhole, and is upset when he recognises his own wife. Njegus arranges with Hanna to change places with Valencienne. Camille leaves the pavilion followed by Hanna, confounding the Baron when they appear. Hanna announces that she is to marry Camille, leaving the Baron distraught at the thought of losing the Pontevedrian millions and Valencienne distraught at losing Camille. Danilo is furious and tells the story of a Princess who cheated on her Prince and then storms off to seek the distractions at Maxim's. Hanna realises that his anger at the announcement of her engagement shows that Danilo loves her and rejoices among the general despair. “Engaged” redirects here. ...

Act III

Act III is set at a theme party in Hanna's ballroom, which she has decorated as Maxim's, complete with Maxim's grisettes (can-can dancers). Valencienne, who has dressed herself as a grisette, entertains the guests. When Danilo arrives, having found the real Maxim's empty, he tells Hanna to give up Camille for the sake of the country. Much to Danilo's delight, Hanna tells him that she was never engaged to Camiille, but that she was protecting the reputation of a married woman. Danilo is ready to declare his love for Hanna, and is on the point of doing so when he remembers her money, and stops himself. When Njegus produces the fan, which he had picked up earlier, Baron Zeta suddenly remembers that the fan belongs to Valencienne. Baron Zeta swears to divorce his wife and marry the widow himself, but Hanna tells him that she loses her fortune if she remarries. Hearing this, Danilo confesses his love for her and asks Hanna to marry him, and Hanna triumphantly points out that she will lose her fortune only because it will become the property of her husband. Valencienne produces the fan and assures Baron Zeta of her fidelity by reading out what she had replied to Camille's declaration: "I'm a highly respectable wife"; and all ends happily. A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated puprose of which is holding dances (balls). ... The Can-can (also spelt Cancan, Can Can) is regarded today primarily as a music hall dance, perfomed by a chorus line of female dancers who wear costumes with long skirts, petticoats, and black stockings, harking back to the fashions of the 1890s. ... Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse. ...

Adapted versions

Chappell and Glocken

Lily Elsie in Act III, London, 1907

Die lustige Witwe was subjected to many revisions during translation and adaptation in the early 1900s. For instance, the 1907 London production with a libretto written by Adrian Ross, out of diplomacy, renamed many of the characters partly to avoid offense to Montenegro, where the royal family's surname was Njegus, the crown prince named Danilo, and Zeta was the principal founding state. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Lily Elsie Lily Elsie (nee Elsie Bullough, 1886-1962) was a popular English actress during the Edwardian era, best known for her starring role in the London premier of Franz Lehars operetta The Merry Widow (1907). ... // Public flight demonstration of an airplane by Alberto Santos-Dumont in Paris, November 12, 1906. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Arthur Reed Ropes (December 23, 1859 – September 10, 1933) was better known under the psuedonym Adrian Ross a lyricist of British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th century. ... This article is about the country in Europe. ... Zeta was one of the first Montenegrin states in the Middle Ages. ...

Different versions of the score have been published by two different publishing companies. One is the Dover edition of the 1907 Chappell & Co., London score, with character and place-names altered from their names in the original German. Dover Publications is a book publisher founded in 1941. ...

The other, Glocken Verlag Ltd, London, published two different English translation editions in 1958. One English-language libretto is by Phil Park, which was adapted and arranged by Ronald Hanmer. The other English-language libretto, by Christoper Hassall, was based on the edition by Ludwig Doblinger, Vienna. The former edition is said to be a "new version" with "orchestration carefully arranged" for modest or large orchestras. The 1958 version is one whole-tone lower. In the 1907 edition, Camille sings a high C in the "Rosebud Romance", instead of B flat. Actually singing the high notes excludes casting a baritone. The Danilo and Sonia/Hanna/Anna humming of the waltz theme becomes a chorus number in the 1958 score, and the 1907 ending of the "Rosebud Romance" is sung mostly in unison rather than as a conversation. In the Glocken versions, Hanna is usually known as Anna. Jan. ... Ronald Hanmer (2 February 1917 – 23 May 1994) was a British composer and arranger of light music, who spent his latter years in Australia. ... Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble) or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium. ... For the song titled Orchestra, see The Servant (band). ... The musical interval of a major second — also called a whole-tone — is the relationship between the first note (the root or tonic) and the second note in a major scale (and also a minor scale). ... The first C located above the treble cleff staff. ... This article is about music. ... A waltz (German: , Italian: , French: , Spanish: , Catalan: ) is a ballroom and folk dance in   time, done primarily in closed position. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Unison (disambiguation). ...

In the Hassall version, the action of Act Three differs greatly from the original libretto:

The Act takes place at Maxim's. Valencienne, and the other Embassy wives arrive to seek out Danilo and convince him to return to Hanna, closely followed by their husbands, seeking to achieve the same purpose. Njegus also arrives, but he is more interested in having a good time. The Grisettes, Parisian cabaret girls, make a grand entrance, lead by the voluptuous Zuzu. Zeta finds the brokenhearted Danilo, and as they argue, Hanna enters. Hanna, Danilo and Zeta separately bribe the Maitre'd to clear the room so Hanna and Danilo can be alone. Danilo sets aside his pride and asks Hanna to give up Camille for the sake of the country. Much to Danilo's delight, Hanna tells him that she was never engaged to Camille, but that she was protecting the reputation of a married woman. Danilo is ready to declare his love for Hanna, and is on the point of doing so when he remembers her money, and stops himself. When Njegus produces the fan, which he had picked up earlier, Baron Zeta suddenly realizes that the fan belongs to Valencienne. Baron Zeta swears to divorce his wife and marry the widow himself, but Hanna tells him that she loses her fortune if she remarries. Hearing this, Danilo confesses his love for her and asks Hanna to marry him, and Hanna triumphantly points out that she will lose her fortune only because it will become the property of her husband. Valencienne produces the fan and assures Baron Zeta of her fidelity by reading out what she had replied to Camille's declaration: "I'm a highly respectable wife". All ends happily.

German and French

The original German version and the French version differ. Act III of the German version is as described here, where Hanna sets up a version of Maxim's at her home. Act III of the French version is set in the actual Maxim's. Best-known as Danilo in the German version is actor Johannes Heesters who played the part thousands of times and for over thirty years. Johannes Heesters (born December 5, 1903) is a Dutch actor, singer, and entertainer who can look back on an 85-year career, almost exclusively in the German-speaking world. ...

Operettvilág Ensemble

The Operettvilág Ensemble of Budapest, Hungary, which specialises in presenting operetta in its most authentic form and language, made an international tour in 2003 with a traditional production of the operetta in the original German. For other uses, see Budapest (disambiguation). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Essgee Entertainment

Essgee Entertainment staged productions of The Merry Widow in capital cities around Australia during 1998 and 1999. A special prologue was added, featuring a narrative, and ballet dancers in silhouette in the roles of the younger Anna (the Glocken translation, where Anna was the widow's name, was used for this production) and Danilo, as an introduction to their earlier romance. The narration was by Jon English. Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ... A prologue (Greek πρόλογος, from προ~, pro~ - fore~, and lógos, word), or rarely prolog, is a prefatory piece of writing, usually composed to introduce a drama. ... For other uses, see Silhouette (disambiguation). ... Jon English. ...

The Essgee Entertainment production opened in Brisbane in 1998, with Jeffrey Black as "Danilo", Helen Donaldson as "Anna", Simon Gallaher as "Camille", and Susan Dunn as "Valencienne". In some performances, during the production's Brisbane run, Jason Barry-Smith appeared as "Danilo". In Melbourne in 1999, John O'May appeared as "Danilo", Marina Prior as "Hanna", Simon Gallaher as "Camille" and Helen Donaldson as "Valencienne". The productions in Brisbane and Melbourne used two different English translations. For other uses, see Brisbane (disambiguation). ... Jeffrey Black (born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia), is an internationally acclaimed opera singer. ... Helen Donaldson (born on March 14, 1968 in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia) is an Australian-born, American-based opera singer. ... Jason Barry-Smith is an accomplished opera singer, vocal coach and choreographer, who works with organisations such as Opera Queensland and the Queensland Youth Choir. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ... EssGee poster for The Merry Widow Marina Prior (born in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea) is a famous Australian opera singer. ...

Light Opera of Manhattan

Also, in the 1970s, the Light Opera of Manhattan, a year-round professional light opera repertory company in New York City, commissioned Alice Hammerstein Mathias, the daughter of Oscar Hammerstein II, to create a new English adaptation, which was extremely successful for that company in its many revivals of the production until the company closed at the end of the 1980s. Light Opera of Manhattan was an Off-Broadway repertory theatre company that produced light operas, principally the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, 52 weeks per year, in New York City between 1968 and 1989. ... Comic opera, or light opera, denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... For work done with Richard Rodgers, see Rodgers and Hammerstein Oscar Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was a New-York born writer, producer, and (usually uncredited) director of musicals for almost forty years. ...

Ballet version

Main article: The Merry Widow (ballet)

With the permission of the Franz Lehár Estate, Sir Robert Helpmann adapted the operetta's plot scenario in creating his three act ballet, while John Lanchbery and Alan Abbot adapted the operetta's music, as well as composing other music, for the ballet. The Merry Widow, was first performed in 1975 by the Australian Ballet Company. Australian ballet star Sir Robert Helpmann obtained permission from the Léhar Estate to create a ballet based on The Merry Widow operetta. ... Sir Robert Murray Helpmann CBE (April 9, 1909 – September 28, 1986) was an Australian dancer, actor, director and choreographer, Born Robert Murray Helpman he added the extra n to avoid there being 13 letters in his name. ... A scenario (from the Italian, that which is pinned to the scenery) is a brief description of an event or a series of events. ... For other uses, see Ballet (disambiguation). ... John Lanchbery (May 15, 1923–February 27, 2003) was an English composer, famous for his ballet arrangements. ... Australian ballet star Sir Robert Helpmann obtained permission from the Léhar Estate to create a ballet based on The Merry Widow operetta. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Australian Ballet was founded in 1962. ...

Films and television

Film versions

Main article: The Merry Widow (films)

Various films (made in 1925, 1934 and 1952), have been made, which were based (very loosely) on the plot of the operetta.

For information click onto the above title.

There have been three major film versions of The Merry Widow, all in English, and all produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. ...

Television series

A French television series has also been made, which was based (again very loosely) on the plot of the operetta.

References

• The Merry Widow: A Brief History
• Comprehensive site celebrating centenary of the work, edited by Andrew Lamb
• Ganzl, Kurt. The Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre (3 Volumes). New York: Schirmer Books, 2001.
• Grun, Bernard. Gold and Silver: The Life and Times of Franz Lehar. New York: David McKay Co., 1970.
• Traubner, Richard. Operetta: A Theatrical History. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1983
• Bordman, Gerald. American Operetta. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.

External links

• Information about the operetta
• Josef Weinberger: Die Lustige Witwe centenary
• The Merry Widow synopsis — Brussels Light Opera Company
• IMDb search page for "Merry Widow"
• List of theatre runs showing the number of performances of The Merry Widow and Die Lustige Witwe in each major run