L. A. Opera's production of Franz Lehar's "The Merry Widow"
has elegant sets and costumes that put us squarely in turn of the
century Paris. It's a tuneful affair that deals with love lost, love
found, and it's gloriously entertaining. There are a lot of large
groups of people that are moved effortlessly around the stage. A lot
of fine dancing, and a top rate cast led by Carol Vaness and Rodney Gilfry.
It's the Baron's birthday, and it seems like all the married women at
the Pontevedrian Embassy are having affairs. Valencienne, the Baron's
wife is flirting with Camille. He goes to kiss her and she puts her
fan between their faces and smiles coyly. Anna Glawari makes her
grand entrance in a bright red gown with a big red feathery hat.
She's young, beautiful, recently widowed, and has 50 million for an
inheritance, which is most of the wealth of Pontevedro. The Baron
needs to keep her from marrying a foreigner and transferring the
wealth out of the country.
Carol Vaness is a star of the first order, but she has never struck
me as having the presence she does in this. She's absolutely
captivating. She has an assurance and smoothness and effortless
velvety voice. All the men are after her, and when they crowd around
to dance, she tosses her program into the air and tells them to sign
it. She and Danilo had an affair once, and they recount it. She mocks
him and says she'll have a laugh when he says he loves her. He
retorts with "That's one laugh you won't have." When she
throws down her glove he says "Ahh! A declaration of war."
Rodney Gilfry's Danilo is a smug, smooth playboy. He says he just doesn't like
work....you can't like everything. When we first meet him he makes a
grand entrance at the top of the staircase. He's been partying at Maxim's and
staggers drunk down the stairs. He's got almost as many girls hanging on him
as Anna has guys around her. As much as he says he wants nothing to do with
Anna, you know they were meant for each other.
Act 2 is night in the courtyard at the Pontevedrian Embassy. There are brightly
colored revelers native Pontevedrians, which seem a cross of Eastern Europe
and Middle East. The Corps de Ballet do a lively folk dance, spinning, clapping,
and lifting the ladies high. Jason Graae's Njegus is the perfect foil for the
Baron. He's witty, wise, loud, and smug. He mimics the Baron and anyone else,
and hides behind a swing taking notes as Danilo questions the women to find
out which one is having an affair with Camille. He manages to get each one to
tell who they are having an affair with, and they're both incredulous. All of
the men get together in an outrageous octet singing about "Why are Women
Such a Problem?" with a wink, a smile, or a glance. A man doesn't stand
a chance." It's a hilarious, high-kicking chorus line as they come back
for a slapstick encore while the audience claps in time.
Danilo and Anna do a Pontevedrian folk dance that they did when they were young.
He tells how he's jealous of all the old women for the all fun they'd had, and
all the young women for all the fun they're about to have.
The Third Act is at Maxim's. It's red, with mirrors for the side walls that
are sensuous but not lewd. The Maitre d'hotel does a little jump step when he
walks. By this point in the show, everyone's overacting and it's getting quite
out of hand, but a lot of fun. Njegus murders the French language and flirts
with a girl. He tells her he likes her can-can, and maybe later she will-will.
She slaps him. He's got his five back up, boys who do a two step. The Grisettes
do a great can-can as they sing of how they capture men.
Danilo appears and all the Grisettes jump on him, flirting. He wants
to be alone with Anna, and she with him. She bribes the Maitre'd to
clear the place out. Then he and the Baron secretly add to the bribe.
Anna and Danilo sing of their loves but he still can't do it because
of her 50 million between them. The Baron proposes to her and she
says she must forfeit all her money if she remarries. Danilo jumps in
and now he can love her now that she's broke. She says if she
remarries all her money belongs to her husband and he lets out a Yee
Ha! as this frothy episode comes to it's climax.
John Demain leads the orchestra in Lotfi Mansouri's hugely entertaining "The Merry Widow" at The L. A. Opera.
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