The Merry Widow

Franz Lehár
THE MERRY WIDOW
Operetta in 2 acts
Libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein
Premiere: 27 March 2025

“This story takes us into a lavish world of pleasure and intrigue, where the desires of the heart, ambition and humorous surprises intertwine. When life offers a second chance, is it possible to turn it down? The characters in the operetta—noble, charming and a little reckless—seek an answer to this question. The operetta weaves together themes of wealth, independence and the subtle interplay between love and social expectations. This production highlights how the world of high society can become a trap, in which wealth and obligations begin to limit a person’s choices. The heroine, Hanna, having become a symbol of independence, uses her financial freedom to preserve her personal life despite society’s demands. This prompts us to consider whether wealth really brings freedom or makes a person its hostage. Full of romance, satire and striking imagery, this production of The Merry Widow offers a fresh interpretation that pays tribute to the charm of the original work while adding contemporary touches,” says the production’s director, Viktorija Streiča.

F. Lehár’s operetta The Merry Widow premiered in Vienna in 1905. It immediately became one of the most successful and most frequently staged operettas of all time. In its first years on stage, it conquered European theatres and captivated audiences at musical theatres across several continents. The Merry Widow has lost none of its charm in more than 120 years: an uncomplicated, delightfully intriguing plot; melodies that became internationally renowned hits and wash over the soul with intoxicating violin sounds; passionate Hungarian dances—and the audience’s hearts are warmed!

The operetta tells the story of the wealthy widow Hanna Glawari, who has come to Paris for a change of scene. Her compatriots are worried because, if the wealthy widow remarries, their small country’s indebted government will be left without its main source of capital. Count Danilo is tasked with marrying the rich widow and keeping her millions in the homeland. But this is not so simple, because Hanna and Danilo’s paths crossed once before… After a series of intrigues, comic situations and the tangled quarrels between characters that are essential to an operetta plot, love triumphs and “the homeland is saved.”