Lehar - Die Lustige Witwe (Franz Welser-Most) [2004]

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Lehar - Die Lustige Witwe (Franz Welser-Most) [2004]

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Decidedly in the top handful of operettas, Die Lustige Witwe receives an exemplary performance in Zurich. The cast is having fun in this one. The main characters look the parts, there's not a weak voice among them and Franz Welser-Most conducts with zip and style. Costumes are excellent and the staging is convincing if a bit modest in the first two acts. Act 3 at Hanna's version of Maxim's in Paris, is pulled off with real panache - if you don't respond to the spine-tingling enthusiasm of the dances, check your heartbeat.

Dagmar Schellenberger is a most fetching Hanna. She may not have the biggest voice but it is warm and her stage presence is compelling. She is really enjoying herself. Rodney Gilfrey certainly has the look and voice of a fine Danilo. His acting, however, is pretty wooden, although he does rise to the occasion when love is in the air. The camera has a difficult time not focusing on the striking Valencienne of Ute Gfrerer (I'm guessing the camera operators are all men). She can sing too, and wow, can she dance! Piotr Beczala brings his honeyed tenor to Camille.

Of the few drawbacks, I don't respond nearly as much as the audience in Zurich to the Germanic, Swiss or whatever humor of Herbert Prikopa's non-singing Njegus. But wait until the end and he has some fine shtick. More disturbingly, the English subtitles are not good. They are frequently a line or two behind the singers, so while the audience is laughing the home viewer is wondering what is so funny. This should have been fixed. Also, they should have been more complete. Sloppy work… By Bob Epstein

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Lehar - Die Lustige Witwe (Franz Welser-Most) [2004]

Close