OHP. The Merry Widow

This updated staging places the opera into a 1950’s setting in a New York apartment, richly decorated with fine oil paintings and sumptuous furnishing. Here the designers must be congratulated on the wonderful set built at the back of the stage, with a sweeping front to place the performers next to the audience. In between is the orchestra pit which lends an immediacy to the audience so they can feel a close connection with the music.    The story centres around a Mafia godfather, Don Zeta (Henry Waddington) and a recently widowed Hanna Glawari (Paula Sides), whose inheritance of a $20 Million dollar lemon grove is something the Don would dearly like to add to his fortune. Only one man will do; Danilo (Alex Otterburn) his trusted consigliere. He will marry the widow and acquire the lemon grove and hence the fortune for the Don. The operetta style is spoken to convey the story of the Dons 5oth birthday. The first act has witty asides like the Dons cement mixer present and Hannas many suitors played to perfection as exaggerated Mafiosi gangsters. The singing has touching arias sung by Valentina (Rhian Lois), as the Dons wife, and her lover the French jazz singer, Camille de Rosillon (William Morgan). The first act closes with Danilo and Hanna dancing together without doubt rekindling an old love they shared many years ago.

 

Set in the garden of a Sicilian villa surrounded by Lemon trees the cast gather to continue the business of romancing the Hanna and her fortune. In this setting Hanna sings the beautiful the aria, ‘Vilja’ a story of unrequited love between a wood nymph and a hunter; which serves to remind Danilo of his previous missed opportunity of love with Hanna.  Meanwhile to avoid the Dons anger Camille has to pretend to marry Hanna so as to avoid suspicion of his real paramour Valetina.  Danilo is distraught and decides to find solace at Maxims nightclub in New York.

 

The entire set has to be rotated in three sections to portray a wonderfully atmospheric version of Maxims with great subdued lighting. Here at Maxims Danilo is in despair and drunk but finally knows truth; that Hanna does love him and it was all a ruse to avoid the Don discovering his wife’s infidelity with Camille. The final scenes have Camille ask Danilo to read his note written on Valentina’s fan as proof of his love for her. However, the note serves only to state her love for the Don all along. All ends well for Danilo and Hanna and Don Zeta and Valentina.

 

This is a lovely version of the great opera with strong performances from Alex Otterburn whose crisp baritone is resonant.  Also, Paula Sides, with a sweet controlled soprano sings lovely delicate version of ‘Vilja’. All in all this production is a success with great sets, a fine supporting cast of singers and a gloriously funny story played with style by the cast. A resounding success for Opera Holland park, Scottish Opera and D’Oyly Carte opera.

Joint production with Scottish Opera and D’Oyly Carte Opera

Mike Aburrow Photo M. Bodlovic