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Die Lustige Witwe

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The Merry Widow
Based On

Henri Meilhac's comedy "L'attaché d'ambassade"

Company
San Francisco Opera Association
Location
San Francisco, CA
Venue
War Memorial Opera House
Season
2001-2002
Language
English

Creative/Crew

Conductor
Production
Set Designer(s)
Costume Designer(s)
Lighting Designer
Sound Designer
Chorus Director
Choreographer
Musical Preparation
Prompter
Assistant Stage Director(s)
Stage Manager(s)
Theresa Ganley(11/27, 29, 30; 12/2, 5, 6, 8)
Rachel Henneberry(1/11, 13, 15, 17, 19)

Cast

Baron Mirko Zeta, Pontevedrian Ambassador
Valencienne, his wife
Angelika Kirchschlager(11/27, 29, 30; 12/2, 5, 6, 8)
Isabel Bayrakdarian(1/11, 13, 15, 17, 19)
Camille de Rosillon, a Parisian gentleman
Vicomte Cascada, a Latin diplomat
Raoul de St. Brioche, a French diplomat
Kromow, Pontevedrian Military Councillor
Olga, his wife
Pritschitch, Pontevedrian consul
Praskowia, his wife
Bogdanovitch, Pontevedrian military attaché
Sylviane, his wife
Njegus, an embassy secretary
Anna Glawari, the merry widow
Yvonne Kenny(11/27, 29, 30; 12/2, 5, 8)
Nicolle Foland(1/13, 15, 17, 19)
Count Danilo Danilovitch, first secretary to Baron Zeta
Bo Skovhus(11/27, 29, 30; 12/2, 5, 6, 8)
Rodney Gilfry(1/11, 13, 15, 17, 19)
Lady Guest
Maitre d'hotel
Sugar Mama
Claudia Siefer(1/11, 13, 15, 17, 19)
Sugar Daddy
James Croom(1/11, 13, 15, 17, 19)
Lolo (grisette)
Dodo (grisette)
Jou-jou (grisette)
Frou-frou (grisette)
Clo-clo (grisette)
Margot (grisette)
Solo Dancer(s)

Show Dates

Time and Place

Early twentieth-century Paris

Scenes

Act I -- The Pontevedrian Embassy, Paris
Act II -- The garden of Anna Glawari's mansion
Act III -- At Maxim's

Media

Sponsors

This production is made possible, in part, by a generous gift from Mrs. Gorham B. Knowles. 

Corporate support generously provided by Andersen.

The performance of December 5 is sponsored by American Express, proud sponsor of San Francisco Opera's BRAVO! Club.

The performance of December 6 is sponsored by American Airlines.

The performance of January 11 is sponsored by the San Francisco Opera Guild, East Bay Chapter.

The performance of January 17 is sponsored by Bank of America.

Acknowledgements

Educational activities associated with this production are sponsored, in part, by generous support from the Koret Foundation. 

Supertitles made possible by a generous grant from The Stanley S. Langendorf Foundation.

Notes

English translation of lyrics by Christopher Hassall

"Love, Live Forever" from "Paganini" -- Music by Franz Lehár. Book and lyrics by Paul Knepler and Bela Jenbach

Additional lyrics by Ted and Deena Puffer

Dialogue script by Wendy Wasserstein. Script commissioned by San Francisco Opera.

Scenery, props, costumes and wigs constructed in the San Francisco Opera workshops

The performances of December 2, 5 and 8 are being taped for a future telecast. Lighting will be slightly augmented.

This production of "The Merry Widow" is being produced for telecast by San Francisco Opera, KQED/San Francisco,
BBC Worldwide, Opus Arte and Thirteen/WNET New York. It will be broadcast on PBS by Thirteen/WNET, New York's
performing arts series GREAT PERFORMANCES.

GREAT PERFORMANCES is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the National Endowment for the Arts,
public television viewers and PBS.

Corporate funding is provided by Ernst & Young.