Opera Orlando presents Franz Lehár’s effervescent operetta The Merry Widow in an original production featuring dancers from the Orlando Ballet with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra in the pit led by conductor Noam Aviel. A star-studded cast is headlined by soprano Sarah Joy Miller who was recently featured in the HBO series The Gilded Age. She sings the title role, joined by her husband, internationally-renowned Il Divo tenor David Miller as Camille and Grammy award-winning baritone Gabriel Preisser as Count Danilo. The Merry Widow offers 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 can-can 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.

Hanna Glawari | Sarah Joy Miller
Count Danilo Danilovitch | Gabriel Preisser
Camille de Rosillon | David Miller
Valencienne | Alexandra Kzeski

CONDUCTOR | Noam Aviel
STAGE DIRECTOR | Grant Preisser

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