Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society

Next Production

 The Merry Widow - October 2008

Our next production will be "The Merry Widow", which will run from 6th to 11th October 2008 at the Octagon Theatre Yeovil, 7.30pm nightly with a matinee on 11th October at 2.30pm.  The show is under the Direction of Ray Jeffery and Musical Direction is by Jean Rudd.

Ticket prices are £14 for centre tier and £12 for side tier, with 1st night and matinee tickets at £10 for all seats.  A 24 hour ticket Hotline will operate from 28th August to 5th September Tel 01935 412282.  Tickets will be on sale at the Octagon Theatre from Monday 15th September Tel 01935 422884 or online.  For  addition to the YAOS advance Mailing list for ticket purchase in advance of public sale, please contact Pam Price on Tel 01935 479633

SHOW SYNOPSIS

The Merry Widow is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár, based the story concerning a rich widow, Hanna Glavari, and her attempt to find a husband.


Act One opens with the Pontevedrian Embassy in Paris celebrating the birthday of its sovereign. The Ambassador, Baron Zeta has invited heiress Anna Glavari to the ball, in the hope that she will marry another Pontevedrian thereby keeping her fortune in the country thus saving it from bankruptcy. Zeta has Count Danilo Danilovitsch in mind as a suitor and has sent Secretary Njegus to fetch him from Maxim’s

At the party Danilo and Anna meet. They had been in love before her marriage, when she had nothing, he now refuses to court her because of her fortune and Anna vows she will not marry him until he says “I love you”. Baron Zeta’s wife, Valencienne, has been flirting with Count Camille de Rosillon who writes “I love you” on her fan but she puts off his advances by saying that she is a respectable wife. Sometime later the fan is lost and found by Kromov who fears that it may belong to his wife, Olga.

The “Ladies Choice” dance is about to start and all the men are hovering around Anna hoping to be her partner for the dance. Anna chooses Danilo but he accepts but puts the dance up for sale or ten thousand francs –the proceeds going to charity. This eliminates the interest of potential suitors. Anna now refuses to dance with Danilo who begins to waltz on his own, eventually wearing down her resistance, and she falls into his arms.

In Act Two is set at Anna’s house where the birthday celebrations continue; everyone is in national dress. Anna entertains the guests singing the famous “Vilja Song” while Zeta fears that Camille is a threat to his plans for Hanna to marry a Pontevedrian. Zeta, Danilo, and Njegus agree to meet at the garden pavilion that evening to discuss the ownership of the fan and the problem with the widow. Anna sees the fan and thinks that the message on it is Danilo’s declaration of love for her. Danilo’s enquiries about the fan reveal details about the infidelities of some of the wives of Embassy personnel, but not the owner of the fan.

In the garden Valencienne continues to spurn Camille. He begs for a keepsake and discovers the fan left behind by Danilo she agrees and writes “I am a respectable wife” on the fan in response to his earlier declaration of love. Camille persuades Vallencienne to enter the same pavilion that Zeta and the others have agreed to meet. Njegus is first to arrive and discovers Camille and Vallencienne inside. He locks the door to delay the arrival of Danilo and Baron Zeta. The Baron peeps through the keyhole and is dismayed to see his wife inside. Njegus persuades Anna to change places with Vallencienne and she leaves with Camille, confusing the Baron. Anna announces that she will marry Camille causing distress to the Baron (at losing the Pontevedrian millions) and to Vallencienne (losing Camille). Danilo storms off to console himself at Maxim’s.

Act Three is set in Anna’s ballroom decorated as Maxim’s complete can-can dancers (grisettes). Valencienne dressed as a grisette entertains the guests. When Danilo returns from the real Maxim’s she tells him that she was not in fact engaged to Camille. Danilo is about to declare his love for Anna when he remembers the money and stops himself. Baron Zeta swears to divorce his wife, over the fan, and marry Anna himself. Anna declares the she would lose her fortune if she remarried. Hearing this, Danilo declares his love for Anna who points out that she will lose her fortune only because it will pass to her husband. Vallencienne produces the fan assuring her husband of her fidelity by reading out that she had written “I am a respectable wife”. All ends happily.

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