216. The Merry Widow 1943
Operetta in Three Acts
- Music
Music by Franz Lehár (produced 1905). New musical version by Robert Stolz. Lyrics by Adrian Ross. Special lyrics by Robert Gilbert. New book by Sidney Sheldon and Ben Roberts
- Choreography
George Balanchine
- Production
Produced by Yolanda Mero-Irion. Directed by Felix Brentano. Scenery by Howard Bay. Costumes by Walter Florell. Scenery built by William Kellam Company and painted by Centre Studios; costumes executed by Eaves and Brooks Costume Companies
- Premiere
August 4, 1943, New Opera Company, Majestic Theatre, New York. Conductor: Robert Stolz
- Cast
Sonia Sadoya, Marta Eggerth; Prince Danilo, Jan Kiepura; Popoff, Melville Cooper; Jolidon, Robert Field; Natalie, Ruth Matteson; Clo-Clo, Lisette Verea; and others. Premières Danseuses, Lubov Roudenko, Milada Mladova; Premiers Danseurs, Chris Volkoff, James Starbuck; 6 female dancers, 5 male dancers.
PROLOGUE: Several dance couples are seen moving behind scrim to ‘Merry Widow Waltz.’
POLKA [‘BROOM DANCE’] (Act I): Lubov Roudenko, James Starbuck.
MARSOVIAN DANCE (Act II): Milada Mladova, Chris Volkoff, corps de ballet.
THE WOMEN (Act II): A. Melville Cooper, male septet (singers); B. the above with 2 female dancers; C. 6 female singers.
I LOVE YOU SO [‘MERRY WIDOW WALTZ’] (Act II): Sung by Marta Eggerth and Jan Kiepurae; danced by Mladova, Volkoff, corps de ballet.
THE GIRLS AT MAXIM’S [CAN-CAN] (Act III): sung by Lisette Verea; danced by Roudenko, 6 ballet girls.
Performance Type
Operetta
Note
354 performances and 10 years on the road. Additional music, not in the original score, was interpolated for dance numbers, including Lehár’s ‘Gold and Silver Waltz.’
Additional Productions
Other Productions by Balanchine Companies
April 10, 1957, New York City Center Light Opera Company, New York City Center of Music and Drama (‘Choreography by George Balanchine. Dances by Edward Brinkman’). Balanchine was not personally involved with this production, although it appears that his choreography was generally retained.
Balanchine, George Dorris, Stanley Zompakos
