Die lustige Witwe

Operetta by Franz Lehár | libretto by Victor Léon and Leo Stein after Henri Meilhac | in German with German surtitles

Duration: 3 hours | 1 intermission | ages 15 and up

Once they were separated by the nonsensical difference in status, now by the annoying money: Hanna Glawari and Count Danilo were very much in love, but were not allowed to be together at the time. Through another marriage to a man from Pontevedro, Hanna has since become rich and entered high society, but after a short marriage she is already a widow. She is now to marry someone from Pontevedro again so that her money does not leave the country - this is the wish of the envoy Baron Zeta. What a conflict! For who will attend the ball organized by Zeta as a potential marriage candidate? Danilo, who has been having fun with other women recently in an attempt to quench his lovesickness. The feelings are still there for him and Hanna. But how can Danilo prove his love without looking like he only wants Hanna's money?

"The Merry Widow" is one of Franz Lehár's best-known operettas and is considered a prime example of the second great operetta era after 1900. With well-known numbers such as the Vilja song and the rousing ball scenes, the operetta, which was first performed at the Theater an der Wien in 1905, continues to enchant audiences worldwide to this day.