Overview
Productions
Score
Studio Casts
Demos
Source
Synopsis
Trivia & History
Other Titles
Audio Clips

The Merry Widow

From ChatGPT

"The Merry Widow" is a romantic operetta that was composed by Franz Lehár with a libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein. It premiered in Vienna, Austria, in 1905 and quickly became a global sensation, solidifying its place as one of the most beloved and enduring operettas of all time. The story of "The Merry Widow" revolves around the wealthy widow, Hanna Glawari, who inherits a large fortune. The fictional Balkan nation of Pontevedro is on the verge of bankruptcy, and Hanna's fortune is seen as the solution to their financial woes. Count Danilo Danilovich, a Pontevedrian diplomat, is tasked with wooing and marrying Hanna in order to keep her fortune within the country. However, complications arise as Danilo and Hanna have a history of failed romance and misunderstandings. The operetta's premiere was met with immense success, and it quickly spread to theaters around the world. It made its Broadway debut in 1907 and enjoyed numerous successful productions in various languages. "The Merry Widow" gained particular popularity in the English-speaking world and was embraced by audiences in the United States and Great Britain. One of the reasons for the operetta's success was its charming and melodic score, featuring memorable tunes such as "Vilja Song," "The Merry Widow Waltz," and "You'll Find Me at Maxim's." These melodies captured the spirit of the Belle Époque era and became instantly recognizable. "The Merry Widow" was adapted into several films, including a notable 1934 Hollywood version starring Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier, as well as a 1952 film adaptation featuring Lana Turner and Fernando Lamas. Over the years, "The Merry Widow" has continued to be a staple of the operetta repertoire, regularly performed by opera companies and theater groups worldwide. Its enduring appeal lies in its lighthearted humor, romantic storyline, and enchanting music. "The Merry Widow" remains a beloved classic, delighting audiences with its joyful and captivating tale of love, wealth, and mistaken identities.}

"The Merry Widow" is a romantic operetta that was composed by Franz Lehár with a libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein. It premiered in Vienna, Austria, in 1905 and quickly became a global sensation, solidifying its place as one of the most beloved and enduring operettas of all time.

The story of "The Merry Widow" revolves around the wealthy widow, Hanna Glawari, who inherits a large fortune. The fictional Balkan nation of Pontevedro is on the verge of bankruptcy, and Hanna's fortune is seen as the solution to their financial woes. Count Danilo Danilovich, a Pontevedrian diplomat, is tasked with wooing and marrying Hanna in order to keep her fortune within the country. However, complications arise as Danilo and Hanna have a history of failed romance and misunderstandings.

The operetta's premiere was met with immense success, and it quickly spread to theaters around the world. It made its Broadway debut in 1907 and enjoyed numerous successful productions in various languages. "The Merry Widow" gained particular popularity in the English-speaking world and was embraced by audiences in the United States and Great Britain.

One of the reasons for the operetta's success was its charming and melodic score, featuring memorable tunes such as "Vilja Song," "The Merry Widow Waltz," and "You'll Find Me at Maxim's." These melodies captured the spirit of the Belle Époque era and became instantly recognizable.

"The Merry Widow" was adapted into several films, including a notable 1934 Hollywood version starring Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier, as well as a 1952 film adaptation featuring Lana Turner and Fernando Lamas.

Over the years, "The Merry Widow" has continued to be a staple of the operetta repertoire, regularly performed by opera companies and theater groups worldwide. Its enduring appeal lies in its lighthearted humor, romantic storyline, and enchanting music.

"The Merry Widow" remains a beloved classic, delighting audiences with its joyful and captivating tale of love, wealth, and mistaken identities.

Less

Authors

Original Authors

... Libretto	Viktor Léon Leo Stein
... Music	Franz Lehár
... Source Material	Henri Meilhac

Later Contributors

This list represents writers who contributed to revisions, etc. following the original production.

... Book (translation)	Basil Hood
... Book & Lyrics (English)	Rowland Leigh
... Lyrics (English)	Adrian Ross Lorenz Hart Paul Francis Webster Mel Mandel Norman Sachs Deena Cavalieri Merl Puffer Forman Brown
... New Book (English)	Sidney Sheldon Ben Roberts
... Adaptation	Robert Stolz
... Music (additional)	Henri Wseniawski
... Libretto & Lyrics (English)	Christopher Hassall
... Lyrics (additional)	Edward Gilbert W. Eiger Jan Kiepura Richard Bonynge
... Book (adaptation)	Milton Lazarus
... Translation (Spanish)	Miguel Padilla
... Lyrics (new)	Sheldon Harnick
... English Translation	Jeremy Sams
... New Book	Robert Johanson
... New Lyrics	Albert Evans
... English Version	Ted Puffer Deena Puffer

Genre: Operetta

Production Highlights

See full list

Original London Production (1907)
London, England
Broadway Production (1907)
New York, NY
Australian Production (1908)
Broadway Revival (1921)
New York, NY
Broadway Revival (1929)
New York, NY
Broadway Revival (1931)
New York, NY
Film Version (1934)
Broadway Revival (1942)
New York, NY
Broadway Revival (1943)
New York, NY
Return Engagement (1944)
New York, NY
Film Version (1952)
City Center Revival (1957)
New York, NY
New York City Opera Revival (1957)
New York, NY
London Revival (1958)
London, England
New York City Opera Revival (1958)
New York, NY
Lincoln Center Revival (1964)
New York, NY
Off-Broadway Revival (1974)
New York, NY
Metropolitan Opera Revival (2014)
New York, NY
Radio Production (not listed yet)

There are 29 productions in Ovrtur's database.

See full list

Score

Click on the title for info on the song.

Original score

Now Ladies and Gentlemen
- aka Oh, I'm Unaccustomed to Speaking [no note]
- aka Opening Chorus: Now Ladies and Gentlemen [no note]
- aka Opening Chorus: Pontevedro in Paris [no note]
- aka Pontevedro in Paris [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 1 [no note]
Ball-Music
- aka Ballroom Music [no note]
- aka [TMW] No la [no note]
A Dutiful Wife
- aka A Highly Respectable Wife [no note]
- aka I Am a Virtuous Wife [no note]
- aka We Are Alone [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 2 [no note]
In Marsovia
- aka Entrance Song: In Marsovia [no note]
- aka Gentlemen, No More! [no note]
- aka Hannah's Entrance [no note]
- aka I'm Still a Pontevedrian [no note]
- aka If Widows are Rich [no note]
- aka Marriage in Marsovia [no note]
- aka Widows are Gay [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 3 [no note]
Maxim's
- aka I'm Off to Chez Maxime [no note]
- aka Maxim's (Girls, Girls, Girls) [no note]
- aka The Problems of a Prince [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 4 [no note]
Home
- aka All's One to All Men Where There's Gold [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 5 [no note]
Ladies' Choice
- aka [TMW] No 6 [no note]
Oh, Come Away
- aka Come Away to the Ball [no note]
- aka Melody of Laughter [no note]
- aka Surrender to the Waltz [no note]
- aka The Melody of Paris [no note]
- aka The Waltz is a Lovely Invitation [no note]
- aka We'll Go to Cafe Paree [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 6 [no note]
Down in Dear Marsovia
- aka Dance [no note]
- aka Heia-Ho! [no note]
- aka Mi velimo dase [no note]
- aka Russian Dance [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 7 [no note]
Vilia
- aka Gypsies in the Courtyard [no note]
- aka Gypsy Music [no note]
- aka Vilia-Song [no note]
- aka Vilja [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 7 [no note]
The Cavalier
- aka Jogging in a One-Horse Gig [no note]
- aka Silly Cavalier [no note]
- aka Soldier Boy [no note]
- aka Such a Silly Soldier Boy [no note]
- aka The Pavilion [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 8 [no note]
Women
- aka Courting Girls [no note]
- aka The Women [no note]
- aka You're Back Where You First Began [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 9 [no note]
He'll Take You to Maxim's Where Fun and Frolic Beam
- aka A Lady's Fan [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 10 [no note]
Oh, Say No More!
- aka Dear Friend, Be Calm! [no note]
- aka Enough, Camille! [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 11 [no note]
Love in My Heart
- aka Life Was Devoid of Meaning [no note]
- aka Love in My Heart Was Dying [no note]
- aka Red as a Rose in Maytime [no note]
- aka Tonight Will Teach Me to Forget [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 11 [no note]
Come to the Little Arbor Here
- aka Look Where a Leafy Bower Lies [no note]
- aka Night [no note]
- aka See! There's a Small Pavilion Near [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 11 [no note]
Well, Gentlemen, What Is Your Will?
- aka Do You Have Something on Your Mind? [no note]
- aka Girls, Girls, Girls [no note]
- aka I Wonder What It Is They Want [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 12 [no note]
I Am Free, So, Tra-la-la-la-la-la!
- aka I Need Your Passion, Tra-la-la-la-la-la [no note]
- aka My Marriage Will Be One Arranged [no note]
- aka Oh, How Splendid, Tral-la-la-la-la-la [no note]
- aka Quite a la Mode Paree [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 12 [no note]
There Once Were Two Princes' Children
- aka There Once Lived a Prince and Princess [no note]
- aka There Once Were Two Royal Children [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 12 [no note]
Cakewalk
- aka The Cakewalk [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 13 [no note]
The Girls at Maxim's
- aka Can-Can [no note]
- aka Eh, Voila Les Belles Grisettes [no note]
- aka Grisettes [no note]
- aka Mademoiselles at Maxim's [no note]
- aka Ritantou Ritantirelle [no note]
- aka We're the Famous Maxim's Playgirls [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 14 [no note]
Butterflies
- aka Kuiawiak [no note]
- aka Kujawiak [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 15 [no note]
Quite Parisian
- aka [TMW] No 16 [no note]
I Love You So
- aka Love Unspoken [no note]
- aka Merry Widow Waltz [no note]
- aka The Love of Long Ago [no note]
- aka The Merry Widow Waltz [no note]
- aka [TMW] No 17 [no note]

Written for the 1934 film version

Interpolated into the 1952 film version

Auld Lang Syne

Studio Cast Recordings

Recordings listed here were done in the studio specifically to release as recordings. They do not represent cast recordings of a particular production.

Studio Cast (1940)
Donald Richards , Elaine Malbin , Nino Ventura
Studio Cast (December 20, 1943)
Kitty Carlisle , Wilbur Evans , Felix Knight , Lisette Verea
Studio Cast (1949)
Risë Stevens , Dennis Morgan
Studio Cast (1952)
Dorothy Kirsten , Robert Rounseville , Genevieve Warner , Clifford Harvout , Wesley Dalton
Studio Cast (1962)
Lisa Della Casa , John Reardon , Laurel Hurley , Charles K. L. Davis , Paul Franke
Studio Cast (1965)
Mary Thomas (ii) , Jamie Phillips , John McNally , Mike Sammes Singers
Studio Cast (1968)
June Bronhill , Jeremy Brett , Ann Howard , David Hughes (iii) , Neil Howlett
Studio Cast (8888)
Jacqueline Delman , John Wakefield , RobertÂ Bowman , David Price , John Larsen
Studio Cast (8888)
Gordon MacRae , Lucille Norman
Studio Cast (8888)
Alberta Hopkins , Norma Cleary , Eddy Ruhl , Fred Weidner
Studio Cast (8888)
Senator Singers
Studio Cast (not listed yet)
Anna Moffo , Mary Ellen Pracht , William Lewis , Arthur Rubin , Robert Nagy

Demos & Pre-Production Recordings

No demo recordings listed yet.

From ChatGPT

"The Merry Widow" is a romantic operetta that was composed by Franz Lehár with a libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein. It premiered in Vienna, Austria, in 1905 and quickly became a global sensation, solidifying its place as one of the most beloved and enduring operettas of all time.

The story of "The Merry Widow" revolves around the wealthy widow, Hanna Glawari, who inherits a large fortune. The fictional Balkan nation of Pontevedro is on the verge of bankruptcy, and Hanna's fortune is seen as the solution to their financial woes. Count Danilo Danilovich, a Pontevedrian diplomat, is tasked with wooing and marrying Hanna in order to keep her fortune within the country. However, complications arise as Danilo and Hanna have a history of failed romance and misunderstandings.

The operetta's premiere was met with immense success, and it quickly spread to theaters around the world. It made its Broadway debut in 1907 and enjoyed numerous successful productions in various languages. "The Merry Widow" gained particular popularity in the English-speaking world and was embraced by audiences in the United States and Great Britain.

One of the reasons for the operetta's success was its charming and melodic score, featuring memorable tunes such as "Vilja Song," "The Merry Widow Waltz," and "You'll Find Me at Maxim's." These melodies captured the spirit of the Belle Époque era and became instantly recognizable.

"The Merry Widow" was adapted into several films, including a notable 1934 Hollywood version starring Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier, as well as a 1952 film adaptation featuring Lana Turner and Fernando Lamas.

Over the years, "The Merry Widow" has continued to be a staple of the operetta repertoire, regularly performed by opera companies and theater groups worldwide. Its enduring appeal lies in its lighthearted humor, romantic storyline, and enchanting music.

"The Merry Widow" remains a beloved classic, delighting audiences with its joyful and captivating tale of love, wealth, and mistaken identities.

Less

Authors

Original Authors

... Libretto	Viktor Léon Leo Stein
... Music	Franz Lehár
... Source Material	Henri Meilhac

Later Contributors

This list represents writers who contributed to revisions, etc. following the original production.

... Book (translation)	Basil Hood
... Book & Lyrics (English)	Rowland Leigh
... Lyrics (English)	Adrian Ross Lorenz Hart Paul Francis Webster Mel Mandel Norman Sachs Deena Cavalieri Merl Puffer Forman Brown
... New Book (English)	Sidney Sheldon Ben Roberts
... Adaptation	Robert Stolz
... Music (additional)	Henri Wseniawski
... Libretto & Lyrics (English)	Christopher Hassall
... Lyrics (additional)	Edward Gilbert W. Eiger Jan Kiepura Richard Bonynge
... Book (adaptation)	Milton Lazarus
... Translation (Spanish)	Miguel Padilla
... Lyrics (new)	Sheldon Harnick
... English Translation	Jeremy Sams
... New Book	Robert Johanson
... New Lyrics	Albert Evans
... English Version	Ted Puffer Deena Puffer

Genre: Operetta

Source

Translation of the Viennese operetta Die Lustige Witwe which was based on the 1861 comedy L'Attaché d'ambassade by Henri Meilhac

Synopsis

No synopsis listed.

Trivia & History

Die Lustige Witwe toured Austria following its successful run in Vienna. In 1906, there were productions in Hamburg at Neues Operetten-Theater, in Berlin at Berliner Theater and Budapest's Magyar Szinhaz.

Other Titles

Die Lustige Witwe (German title)

Audio Clips

No audio yet.