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Opera Synopses
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The Merry WidowBy Franz LehárOriginal Libretto by Victor Leon and Leo Stein ACT IThe mythical Eastern European country of Pontevedro is on the verge of bankruptcy. The only money which is keeping the treasury secure belongs to Hanna Glawari, whose banker husband died and left her a widow and an heiress to several million francs. It is believed that if Hanna marries anyone but a Pontevedrian, her money will leave the country with her, and the Pontevedro's finances will collapse. Years before the story takes place, Hanna and the young prince Danilo were romantically engaged. However, as Hanna was a commoner, Danilo's aristocratic uncle refused to allow them to be married. The affair ended in rancor, and Hanna and Danilo haven't seen each other in years. The operetta begins iat the Pontevedrian embassy in Paris, with a birthday party for the absent Prince of Pontevedrio. Baron Zeta is the host. His wife, Valencienne, has been having a flirtation with the Frenchman, Camille de Rosillion. Oblivious to this, Zeta is concerned only that Hanna Glawari not marry a foreigner during her sojourn in Paris. Camille protests the seriousness of his love to Valencienne, and writes the words "I love you" on her fan. Zeta welcomes Hanna, who is quite aware of everyone's interest in her money. Next to arrive is Count Danilo Danilovich, who, after a hard day's work on behalf of his country, spends his evenings at the fashionable restaurant Maxim's, where he flirts with the women in the can-can chorus. He meets Hanna at the ball, and she arouses his jealousy when she hints that she might re-marry, even though every man she meets is only in love with her money. Danilo swears that he will never make such a declaration. Zeta tells Danilo to try to keep the men away from Hanna. Valencienne's fan is found, with the words "I love you" written on it, which Danilo recognizes as de Rosillion's handwriting. Fearing Hanna may be interested in the Frenchman, Zeta asks Danilo to help find out to whom the fan belongs. The last dance of the evening is a "Ladies' choice", and both the opportunists Cascada and St. Brioche hope Hanna will ask them to dance. However, Hanna asks Danilo, who offers to sell his turn as Hanna's partner for 10,000 francs, to be donated to charity. So much money for a dance scares the other men away. Alone with Hanna, Danilo offers to dance with her, which she at first refuses, but then resigns herself and they waltz together. ACT IIThe evening of the next day, guests are gathered in the garden of Hanna's Parisian home, where she hosts a Pontevedrian party. She interrupts the folksinging and dancing to sing the ballad of Vilja, a forest nymph who fell in love with a mortal. Danilo arrives and Zeta asks him to find out who is de Rosillion's secret lover. Danilo interviews the diplomat's wives, but fails to find out who owns the fan. Hanna tests Danilo's interest by asking if she should feel free to marry the man of her choice. Valencienne reluctantly tries to persuade Camille to propose to Hanna. Camille asks that they say goodbye in the summerhouse. When Zeta appears for the conference, Njegus — having seen the lovers enter the summerhouse — rescues Valencienne through the back door. Zeta thinks he saw his wife in there, although Hanna has taken her place — to the jealous Danilo's annoyance, since he assumes she is having a tryst with Camille. Camille repeats his protestations of love to keep up the pretense. Hanna announces her engagement to Camille. At first Danilo pretends nonchalance, but as rage gets the better of him, he recites a warning fable about a princess who ruined herself to spite her lover, then heads for Maxim's to forget his troubles. ACT IIIHanna has engaged Maxim's for the evening, and invited the entire embassy. The famous grisette can-can girls perform with Valencienne. Zeta tries to get Danilo to realize that he really does love Hanna, who arrives last of all. Admitting his love, he waltzes with her. But the inheritance still is in question. Under her late husband's will, Hanna cautions, she will lose her fortune if she remarries. Delighted, Danilo proposes to marry her, but she adds that she will lose it because it will pass to her new husband. Laughingly, he resigns himself to his fate, saving the fortunes of his country at the same time. Valencienne's standing with her husband is restored by her inscription on the fan — "I am a respectable wife" — and all ends with a recapitulation of the men's ode to the delightful enigma that is woman. Return to the Opera Synopses page. |
