New Philharmonic Expands Its Opera Programming With Three Performances Of Franz Lehár's THE MERRY WIDOW

New Philharmonic, under the musical direction of Maestro Kirk Muspratt, opens 2020 with Franz Lehár's popular operetta "The Merry Widow," featuring a libretto by Viktor Leon and Leo Stein, at the McAninch Arts Center. Due to the growing popularity of New Philharmonic's winter operas, a performance on Friday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. has been added to the regular two performance run. Other performances are Saturday, Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. This operetta, staged by Michael La Tour, will be sung in English. A free MAC Chat will take place one hour prior to each performance.

"The Merry Widow" is based an 1861 comedy play, "L'attaché d'ambassade (The Embassy Attaché) by Henri Meilhac and revolves around a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt to keep her money in the principality by finding her the right husband. New Philharmonic's production will be set in the audacious, stylish, fun and madcap 1920s.

So many men, so little time. Hannah Glawari has all the money to save the bankrupt country of Pontevedro and all the eligible bachelors in Paris, but what she really wants is her long-lost love. Count Danilo, forbidden to wed Hannah when childhood sweethearts, has been charged with saving Pontevedro, but Hanna's recent widow's fortune has turned the tables. The most ravishing of operettas concludes with a party a la Café de Maxim's complete with dancing girls.

"The Merry Widow" stars Alisa Suzanne Jordheim (soprano) as Hannah Glawari, Jesse Donner (baritone) as Count Danilo Danilovitch, Katherine Weber (mezzo-soprano) as Valencienne and James Judd (tenor) as Camille de Rosillon; with Aaron Wardell (Baron Mirko Zeta), Evan Bravos (Vicomte Cascada), Matthew Greenblatt (Raoul de St. Brioche), Douglas Peters (Bogdanovitch), Brooklyn Snow (Sylviane), Reuben Lillie (Kromow), Allison Selby Cook (Olga), Ian Hosak (Pritschitsch), Erika Morrison (Praskovia), Lisa Kristina (Zo-Zo) and Stage Director La Tour in a cameo role as the clerk Njegus. They will be supported by a 20-person ensemble of chorus, grissettes and supers.

The design team includes Kimberly G. Morris (costume/wig/makeup design), Elias Morales (lighting design) and Jon Gantt (projections design). Stage manager is Isabelle Rund.

For tickets or more information, call 630.942.4000 or visit AtTheMAC.org.

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