Timeless tunes, zany
story overcome minor
glitches
One of the most difficult challenges for a composer is to write a simple but memorable popular tune. Writing a whole evening's worth of such tunes was the goal of the great operetta composers. Writing an operetta with tunes that still seem fresh a century after their composition was the singular achievement of Franz Lehár in "The Merry Widow."
The work is firmly established in the operatic repertoire, yet purists have trouble with the notion of performing such a frivolous romp on the same stage as a tragedy like "Otello." Its plot can only be described as silly, featuring a wealthy widow from the imaginary country of Pontevedria, trailed by a crowd of Parisian gold-diggers who are in turn trailed by the Pontevedrian diplomatic corps who are determined to keep her fortune at home.
"The Merry Widow," presented by Hawaii Opera Theatre, continues at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Call 596-7858.
But the melodies! From the poignant "Vilja" to the infectious "Girls, Girls, Girls," the tunes embed themselves in your brain. They are so appealing that they can succeed despite weak performances. HOT's production uses an English text, which makes the tuneful melodies easier to understand.
The central love story involves the widow, Hanna Glawari, and her erstwhile lover Count Danilo Danilovitch. Ably portrayed by Diane Alexander and Louis Otey, their interactions were among the most believable in Friday's performance, and their singing was strong. Alexander displayed a charming personality and an impressive ability to command the stage. Her singing in the lower registers was lovely, but the upper tones occasionally seemed strained. Otey showed a flair for the fluid melodic style and was able to garner laughs without descending into caricature.
The other lovers, Valencienne and Camille de Rosillon, as played by Lea Woods Friedman and Kevin Anderson, spent far too much time directly facing the audience, and thus their interactions were often stiff and uncomfortable. Friedman sang her role with beautiful tone and elegant phrasing, but her speaking voice seemed harsh and her acting cartoonish. Anderson was by comparison bland in acting and singing, except in the second act, where a combination of well-suited melodies and a humorous "wardrobe malfunction" allowed him to shine.
Most of the laughs are given to the men. James Scott Sikon, who has played a number of comic roles for HOT in recent seasons, portrayed Baron Mikko Zeta with appropriate zaniness. As the servant Njegus, actor Peter K. Clark managed to upstage the principals repeatedly with well-timed sarcasm. Laurence Paxton and Julius Dae-Sung Ahn played a pair of greedy Parisian suitors with manic energy; their timing and ensemble work enlivened many scenes. The Pontevedrian diplomats, Erik Haines, Patrick McNichols and John Mount, were hilarious in a second-act chorus number that must be seen to be believed. Other local singers were Ella Edwards, Mary Chesnut Hicks and Malia Ka'ai.
The orchestra was at times overpowering, probably because it was larger than typical for an operetta. Conductor Mark Flint led them energetically through the polkas and two-steps, but the waltzes were less satisfying. He conducted these almost entirely with one beat per measure, which made it difficult to communicate the rubato nuances so crucial to the Viennese waltz style.
The scenery, designed for the Utah Symphony and Opera by Michael Yeargen, inspired applause at the opening of each act. The unifying feature was a false proscenium in art nouveau style, used in all three acts. The first act set was a sumptuous ballroom scene, the second an outdoor terrace with the streets of Paris in the background and the final scene a dazzling reproduction of the interior of Maxim's nightclub.
The audience clearly enjoyed the production, and, despite the minor quibbles mentioned above, the show was entertaining. The decision to add a performance Thursday was well justified, providing audiences with an extra opportunity to enjoy the lighter side of the operatic repertoire.
E. Douglas Bomberger is a professor of music at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
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