Sunday Matinee Series: The Merry Widow | Philharmonia Orchestra

It has been said with some justification that the Silver Age of operetta began on 30 December 1905 with the Viennese premiere of Lehar's The Merry Widow. This non-stop riot of orchestral colour, irrepressible joi-de-vivre and inspired sequences of unforgettable waltz tunes suited the mood of the times to perfection, from the champagne-cork popping of Habsburg Vienna, to the insatiable bonhomie of pre-Great War Paris and the Edwardian era's obsession with dance music in London. It swiftly became an international sensation, making the struggling Lehár into a feted celebrity and a multi-millionaire into the bargain! John Wilson, a pre-eminent conductor of musical theatre and operetta, is sure to make this one of the season's highlights.
Sung in English translation with surtitles

The Merry Widow

Franz Lehár (1870-1948)

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