Lehar - Merry Widow / Kenny, Skovhus, Kirchschlager, Turay, Kunzel, San Francisco Opera

Starring:Yvonne Kenny, Bo Skovhus
Studio: BBC / Opus Arte
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
This is Lotfi Mansouri's spectacular last production as General Director of The San Francisco Opera with Yvonne Kenny making her debut in the title role, new dialogue specially commissioned from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein, and an original ballet to set the scene `Chez Maxime' bringing fresh insight into Lehár's classic operetta. This production also features another world premiere, Njegus's song, "Quite Parisian". "It's a wonderfully rich piece of musical theatre, of course gorgeous melodies but also the story touches on some real basic truths about human relationships" -Director Lotfi Mansouri

Description

This is Lotfi Mansouri's spectacular last production as General Director of The San Francisco Opera with Yvonne Kenny making her debut in the title role, new dialogue specially commissioned from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein, and an original ballet to set the scene `Chez Maxime' bringing fresh insight into Lehár's classic operetta. This production also features another world premiere, Njegus's song, "Quite Parisian". "It's a wonderfully rich piece of musical theatre, of course gorgeous melodies but also the story touches on some real basic truths about human relationships" -Director Lotfi Mansouri

SPECIAL FEATURES:
Illustrated Synopsis • Cast Gallery • "Impressions" - Lotfi Mansouri, Yvonne Kenny, Bo Skovhus, Angelika Kirchschlager and Gregory Turay discuss The Merry Widow • Illustrated booklet with an essay by Camille Crittenden examining what insight the Merry Widow gives into women's roles in fin-de-siele Vienna.

Customer Reviews:

One of the greatest of Viennese operettas in an excellent presentation .......2006-12-20

Count Danilo Danilovitch has a simple philosophy, "Make love often; become engaged seldom; and marry never." When Anna Glawari, now a rich widow, comes back into his life Danilo will be forced to rethink things. This wonderful Franz Lehar piece was one of the last great examples of Viennese operetta. It was produced in 1905; nine years later the world came to an end for this kind of belle époque sophistication.

The story is as simple as the music is glorious. Danilo and Anna had been lovers once. He was of Pontenegrian nobility and she was a commoner. His uncle forbad a marriage. Danilo now has become a prized diplomat at his country's embassy in Paris, as well as a gifted lecher and drunkard. Anna simply married an older and very rich man who had the courtesy to die shortly afterwards. Now, Anna has come to Paris and every impoverished noble and rake, often the same thing, are eager to woo her for her money. Pontenegro, however, has fallen on hard economic times. The country is almost bankrupt. So the Pontenegrian ambassador has ordered Danilo to woo and wed Anna so that her riches can be deposited with the state. Got that? Now forget it. The only thing we need to know is that Danilo, without money, will not marry Anna for hers...and that they still love each other. And that we are in Paris.

This 2001 production by the San Francisco Opera is as sumptuous and light as a whipped cream meringue. The sets are beautiful. The costumes are gorgeous, all white-ties-and-tails for the men and lush ball gowns for the women. The actors are attractive and, most importantly, they can sing. Yvonne Kenny who plays Anna is not simply attractive, she can manage to look lovely, lovingly and a bit skeptical all at the same time. Bo Skovhus who plays Danilo is a tall, handsome Dane with a good deal of stage presence. The operetta was staged by Lofti Mansouri with a light touch and appropriate stage business. The Merry Widow is effervescent, worldly and gay. It gives us a time when fidelity was considered as old-fashioned as dumplings, when husbands had their mistresses and wives their paramours, and they all went to Maxim's. Lehar's greatest score brings all this together with music that is deeply romantic and as bubbly as an innocent, or not too innocent, first romance. Like so many operas and operettas which were written for a different type of audience in a different kind of world, the story-line and dialogue cannot always disguise the sound of old, creaking joints. Two things make this aging irrelevant to our pleasure.

First, of course, is Lehar's music. We may not always know the titles, but the melodies, for example, to "I'm Off to Chez Maxim's," "Vilia," "Girls, Girls, Girls" and the Merry Widow waltz are almost instantly recognizable more than a hundred years after they were first heard. Second, is the person of Anna Glawari. She is a woman of the world, wise in the ways of men, love and finance. At a time when married women had few rights and few resources they could call their own, Anna knows what she's doing. She loves Danilo and knows he loves her. She also recognizes his pride that will not permit him to marry for money, or even the appearance of this. Anna's solution is clever, loving and practical. She let's Danilo discover a new philosophy, "Make love often; become engaged seldom; and marry once for life and forever."

This DVD is a filmed performance, but TV director Gary Halvorsun has combined fluid medium shots and close-ups to give us a dynamic presentation. There are no irritating cutaways to the audience. The DVD transfer is excellent, well lit, clear and with great color. Extras include a plot synopsis, a discussion of the opera with cast members and a booklet in the DVD case.

You'd have to have a pocketful of pebbles instead of a heart not to at least enjoy Lehar's score. Romantic? Well, so's sipping Tokay at Maxim's with the woman you love...I mean your wife...I mean...well, you know what I mean.

It was a wonderful experience!.......2006-09-26

Since I was in it, I can say that it was a delightful experience and one that I will treasure all my life, since it was my last performance as a professional opera singer.

I debuted at the Met @ 21, sang all over the world, won a Grammy, and ended my short career (on purpose) @ 32 at the San Fran Opera. Lotfi was wonderful and I'm grateful to San Fran Opera.

Buy this DVD and enjoy every minute of it!

Incomparable!.......2006-08-24

If you don't enjoy this, either you hate opera -- or are chillingly serious about it -- in which case, what are you doing at this location? Yes, Yvonne Kenny does have strain to create anything like a 'soaring tone' which, fortunately, Lehar only occasionally calls for. Still, if you're going to own so much as one 'light opera,' this is the one. I intend to get a Fledermaus one of these days, but no possible version of that could compare to a good M.W. -- let alone, a great one. The second act is beautifully done -- but the third act, beginning with the ballet they added at Maxim's, is even better. Incomparable!

Breathtaking!.......2005-11-16

Not a negative comment can I make! This production is absolutely breathtaking from start to finish; the performances are faultless. The DVD contains some great bonuses, including interviews with the principles. My library is being expanded to include recordings of all the principles in whatever format I can find. Lotfi Mansouri definitely succeeded in going out with a waltz!

Kirchschlagered.......2005-07-31

I bought this after reading Scott Morrison's review. I really am a fan of Angelika Kirchschlager and this was just great. The costuming and dancing, along with the vocals. It just was an excellent opera. I highly recommend it. It is in English.

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