Opera Orlando presents Franz Lehár’s effervescent operetta The Merry Widow in an original production directed and choreographed by Michael Jablonski offering a taste of genuine old world glamour, aristocratic reverie, catchy melodies, and of course the can-can.
 
Your wealthy husband just died, leaving you piles of money. The Pontevedrian ambassador in Paris wants to be your matchmaker. And your old boyfriend just appeared out of nowhere. What’s a girl to do? Such is the conundrum facing Hanna Glawari, aka the “merry widow.” Based on a French play from the mid-19th century, The Merry Widow is one of the most successful romances ever written for the operatic stage, a delightful concoction of elegant romance, screwball comedy, and biting social critique, all wrapped up in infinitely hummable melodies and unforgettable dance tunes.
 
As the curtain rises, you will feel as if you are stepping into a grand, splendid celebration. Beautiful Hanna’s late husband has left her a very rich woman. In fact, she’s so rich that the economy of her homeland depends on her marrying a local — so the ambassador springs into action with the help of his wife (a former cancan girl) to find Hanna the right husband. But it’s a tricky affair because the wily widow already has someone in mind: Count Danilo, an old flame, who has no intention of giving up bachelorhood. He’s got a bevy of beauties delighted to keep him happy with no strings attached. Rendezvous are rampant. Complications abound. Hanna ultimately gets her man as Lehár’s unforgettable tunes and waltzes bubble happily along.

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