33^rd Festival Season - 2011

THE MERRY WIDOW

Music by Franz Lehar

Original German Book and Lyrics by Leo Stein and Victor Leon

English Book and Lyrics by James Stuart

ACT I: The state of Pontevedro, close to bankruptcy, will be ruined if the wealthy widow Hanna Glawari marries a foreigner and yields her fortune to him. Baron Zeta, Pontevedro's ambassador to Paris, schemes to get Pontevedrian Count Danilo to marry the widow, not knowing that he had previously wished to marry her, only to have the match declared unsuitable by his snobbish family. On the rebound, Danilo has been enjoying the high life in Paris, especially at Maxim's. At an embassy party, the dashing Camille de Rosillon is infatuated with the Baron's wife, Valencienne. Hanna is courted by all the men, even by Camille, whom Valencienne wants to see married, for she fears she herself is falling for him. Danilo and Hanna fence verbally, and Danilo promises the Baron that he will try to keep Hanna free from foreign entanglements. He claims the right to dance with her and sweeps her off her feet.

ACT II: The wily Hanna, hosting a party at her villa, takes advantage of the Camille/Valencienne affair in her campaign to snare Danilo. Just as the Baron is about to discover Camille and Valencienne in a summer pavilion rendezvous, Hanna changes places with Valencienne. She is pleased by Danilo's jealously when she announces her engagement to Camille.

ACT III: A party is in progress at Maxim's, with entertainment provided by the grisettes. Left alone with Danilo, Hanna assures him that he cannot be accused of being a fortune hunter if he marries her - by the terms of her late husband's will, she loses all her money upon remarriage. After the relieved Danilo proposes, she reminds him of one more stipulation in the will.