The Merry Widow by Ronald Hynd, based on the operetta by Victor Léon and Leo Stein, music by Franz Lehár
Amber Scott (Hanna Glawari), Adam Bull (Count Danilo Danilowitsch), Leanne Stojmenov (Valencienne), Andrew Killian (Camille De Rosillon)
Cast
Ronald Hynd — Choreographer
Desmond Heeley — Set designer, costume designer
Francis Croese — Lighting
Amber Scott — Dancer (Hanna Glawari)
Adam Bull — Dancer (Count Danilo Danilowitsch)
Leanne Stojmenov — Dancer (Valencienne)
Andrew Killian — Dancer (Camille De Rosillon)
Program notes
Discover The Merry Widow, a romantic ballet created especially for the Australian Ballet, choreographed by Ronald Hynd and performed by a stellar cast! This masterpiece has retained its popularity since its first performance in 1975 and is a staple of the Australian ensemble, paying tribute to stage designer Demond Heeley (1931—2016) who hugely contributed to the magic and story of the work as a whole.
The action takes place in Paris in 1905, a glamorous world of opulent ballrooms and bustling French cafés where men and women seduce one another. To save his Balkan nation from bankruptcy, Count Danilo (played by the excellent Adam Bull), a diplomat of the Pontevedrian ministry, is tasked with courting the beautiful and recently widowed Hanna Glawari (the sublime Amber Scott), one of the wealthiest women in Pontevedro. This story of love, money, and class is a perfect mix of romance, comedy, and theatricality, accompanied by the music of Franz Lehár and masterfully performed by the Opera Australia Orchestra!
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