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 luxurious world of pleasure and intrigue, where desires of the heart, ambitions 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 delicate interplay between love and society’s expectations. This production highlights how the world of high society can become a trap, where wealth and obligations begin to limit a person’s choices. The heroine, Hanna, becomes a symbol of independence, using her financial freedom to preserve her private life despite society’s demands. This prompts us to consider whether wealth truly grants 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 honours the charm of the original work while adding contemporary touches,” says the production’s director, Viktorija Streiča.

The premiere of F. Lehár’s operetta The Merry Widow took place 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 on several continents. The Merry Widow has retained its charm for more than 120 years: an unpretentious, delightfully intriguing plot; melodies that became world-famous hits and wash over the soul with intoxicating violin sounds; passionate Hungarian dances—and warmed hearts in the audience!

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