THE MERRY WIDOW – REVIEW OF TORONTO OPERETTA THEATRE PRODUCTION

Reviewed by James Karas

When April is almost ended, when the weather is getting warm and the birds are singing merrily and the flowers begin to bloom and spring is in the air and there is no construction or traffic jams in Toronto, it is time to think of the pleasures of operetta and turn your attention to the Toronto Operetta Theatre. As you approach the Jane Mallett Theatre in the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts look up (at your peril) and don’t trip over or fall under the construction equipment that is actually not there.

 

Gregory Finney (Baron Mirko Zeta) with Male Ensemble 

But what is there is a production of Franz Lehar’s effervescent operetta, The Merry Widow for a paltry four performances. Yes, there were four performances.

Recent economic history, especially the less fiscally prudent countries of the European Union, have taught us that a country can tumble over into bankruptcy. That was the fate of the small but wonderful Balkan nation of Pontevedro at the beginning of the 20^th century. Without a European Central Bank or IMF, its fate seemed inevitable.

But wait. Anna Glawari has a big bundle of money and if we can only convince her to marry a Pontevedrian and her money stays in the fatherland the country will be saved. Now you know what The Merry Widow is all about.

Now for the essentials. Our merry widow, Madame Glawari has to be attractive, vivacious, well-voiced, with comic talent. How about Italian-Canadian soprano Lucia Cesaroni? Darn good choice. Lehar is generally not stingy with wonderful melodies but the merry widow is especially well served including the beautiful “Vilja” that Cesaroni executes well.

A rich widow deserves a suitor worthy of her. There is a small lineup of them in the Pontevedrian embassy in Paris but none as eligible as the attaché Count Danilo (Michael Nyby). He is a dashing and carefree playboy with no money and Nyby convinces us that he is worthy of Anna Glawari on all points but we care mostly about vocal ability and acting talent and if he saves the fatherland in the bargain, so much the better.

A foreign embassy in Paris is bound to attract a number of muckety mucks and Pontevedro’s   legation is no exception. De Rosillon (tenor Matt Chittick), de St. Brioche (tenor Joshua Clemenger), de Cascada (baritone Austin Larusson) are there fulfilling their roles. The wives are more interesting especially the vivacious Valencienne (Daniela Agostino), the wife of Baron Zeta (Gregory Finney), the Pontevedrian Ambassador no less. Valencienne is very naughty, has a fan with writing on it and is in danger of being compromised. Agostino can do all of that in the role and sing very nicely.  

 Lucia Cesaroni (Anna Glawari)

Finney’s Zeta is more of a comic role than making great vocal demands. As the ambassador he has to worry about his job, his country, his wife and all those guests that keep him comically busy. His sidekick Njegus (Sean Curran), the Secretary at the Embassy, is even funnier. Curran has natural comic talent and Director Guillermo Silva-Marin makes good use of his talents.

Silva-Marin takes liberties with the libretto bringing in Premier Doug Ford, the IMF and the like. We expect it and he delivers it.

The Merry Widow is set in the Pontevedrian Embassy, in Mme. Glawari’s residence and at Maxim’s. Silva-Marin designs the lighting and set décor admittedly with meagre resources. The Embassy has a few leather chairs and some furnishings but it looks like the fiscal crisis has already has had its effect. Anna Glawari may have struck it rich quite recently because she simply has not had time to furnish her apartment. Maxim’s has a few tables but that’s about all and you should be looking at the girls in any event.

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The Merry Widow by Franz Lehár was performed four times between April 24 and 28,  2019 at the Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front Street East, Toronto, Ontario. Tel:  (416) 922-2912. www.torontooperetta.com

James Karas is the Senior Editor – Culture of The Greek Press. www.greekpress.ca