The Merry Widow

The Merry Widow dates from 1905, and is of course filled with well-known melodies, not least of which is the delightful Vilja. This GOC production updated the plot to the 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, so that, for example, the ball in Act 1 is to celebrate a meeting on trade and investment, rather than the birthday of the Prince of Pontevedro.

Guildford is very lucky to have this fine venue, housed in a former electric power station bang in the centre of town, with its tiered seating and spacious bar.

The programme was informative with a piece on the composer, a good synopsis, a page on the directors, a good Director’s Note, and cast profiles of the main protagonists. What I found especially refreshing was a page of numbered photos of the other cast members with their names.

The set design by Graham Vincent was admirable. It portrayed the rich widow’s garden in Paris. An arch through the back garden wall gave onto the Paris skyline complete with Eiffel Tower. The flats represented her house on the one side, and a summer house and arched window on the other, above which rose some exquisite stylised trees.  The back wall sported swags of white roses, and, I think, a couple of pink standard roses that were cleverly placed and cleverly lit so they stood out from the wall and intrigued me throughout. Few props were needed, a couple of garden benches, café tables, champagne glasses. There was also a fan, a very important fan, central to the plot. Lighting was used effectively and sensitively throughout.

I had feared, when I read of the 1990s setting, that costumes might be utilitarian and boring, but on the contrary, they were a delight! Marvellous gowns of all the colours one could think of, many of them nice and bright. Men wore evening dress. National costumes, and can-can outfits were also there.

The people of Guildford are extremely lucky to have Guildford Opera Company. GOC is extremely fortunate to have Lewis Gaston, an international conductor with a busy schedule, as their Musical Director. The music this fine team produces is quite phenomenal. The balance of 7-piece orchestra and voices was exactly right. All the soloists were in fine voice, and the chorus filled the space with, how shall I put it, an exquisite sound, rousing and joyful, or tender and wistful. Marvellous!

This production was sumptuous, with its emphasis on stunning costumes and set. It was humorous, with opportunities for fun from some of the smaller yet important roles like Njegus, the General Factotum (Howard Rose), crucial to the plot; Cascada and St Brioche (Ed Bellett-Travers and Graham Fisher respectively); various diplomats and their wives; and the gorgeous chorus girls from Maxim’s.

All sang very well, and played their roles with great gusto and a twinkle in their eyes. Zeta, the ambassador, (Peter Melville) was unsuspecting and trusting, just not able to believe his wife Valencienne (Ramani Langley) might be tempted by the attentions of another man, at first that is.

Ramani Langley made a very good ‘faithful wife’, determined to stay on the straight and narrow, yet nevertheless tempted by the flattering persistence of her would-be lover Rosillon, played by the excellent Richard Johnson. Elizabeth Slade cut a glamorous figure as the Merry Widow, haughty, teasing, playing with the situation she found herself in, and hiding her own fondness for the First Secretary Danilo right until the end. Very strong performances from these 3 soloists.

However, the casting of Richard Gun-Cuninghame as Danilo was brilliant. He was jaunty, funny, he sparkled, he commanded the stage throughout, one couldn’t wait for him to reappear on the stage. His comic timing and facial expressions were spot on, and he was in fine voice too. A star performance.

And then, of course, the jolly chorus girls from Maxim’s, the Grisettes, with their songs and dances brightened up the stage. Great fun!

The chorus and soloists gave us some fine ensemble pieces, with the subtle accompaniment of the orchestra, marvellous musical moments to savour. So many of the well-known melodies from the Merry Widow, especially Vilja, oh Vilja, are still spinning round in my head! A very enjoyable evening.

 

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