In the afternoon of January 10^th, a pre-performance excerpts rehearsal (Act I) of Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) was presented for the media by stage director Hugo de Ana and the cast to elaborate wonderful scenes from the first act of NCPA’s new production The Merry Widow. From January 18^th to 22^nd, it will be staged at the Opera House.

Hanna will be performed by Elena Rossi (19^th, 20^th&22^nd) Photo by GAO Shang

Hungarian composer Franz Lehár finished this operetta in 1905. To make this work portraying the double temperaments of Vienna and Paris more real and engaging, Hugo de Ana, stage director, set designer and costume designer, has moved the setting of the story from the early 1900s to the 1920s-30s. The "Gothic architecture" and "Lalique style decoration" popular in Europe at that time appear frequently on the stage, and evoke the unique charm of the era. The romantic atmosphere of Paris is embodied in the emergence of such symbolic elements as Maxim’s and the Eiffel Tower.

The dance movements in Die lustige Witwe are quite challenging but interesting 
Photo by GAO Shang

More expectedly, European traditional dance music will be revealed, including the waltz, mazurka and galop. NCPA has invited Viennese conductor Thomas Rösner to dazzle you with the authentic glamour of the music. It is Rösner’s first visit to China and also his first cooperation with the NCPA Orchestra. As he explained to the media: when creating his operetta, Lehár always wrote for the celebrities of the time. There were actually high requirements for the voice to be easy and pleasant in the singing and music. Die lustige Witwe has some very famous arias, such as Vilja Song in the second act, which has found a place in the repertoire of all excellent sopranos. The famed duet Lippen Schweigen is also a very elegant duet, requiring the music to be relaxed and the musicians adept.

European traditional dance music will be revealed, including the waltz, mazurka and galop 
Photo by GAO Shang

The leading protagonist Hanna has a simple appearance and a pure heart. As soprano SONG Yuanming explained, “Although Hanna lives in the aristocratic stratum of Paris, she is an ordinary person. The role I play is that of a very smart woman who knows what she wants when facing the luxurious material life and the eligible men around her. I have lived in Vienna for many years, and the music of Die lustige Witwe can be heard in the streets. Viennese love operetta madly. Die Fledermaus (The Bat) is hot and more popular in holidays, but Die lustige Witwe is performed very often in ordinary seasons. I learned the arias of this operetta, such as Vilja Song, very early, but this will be my first time singing a full-length Die lustige Witwe. Operettas and ordinary operas make different demands on vocalists, and many of the dance movements are a big challenge for me.”

The leading protagonist Hanna has a simple appearance and a pure heart 
Photo by GAO Shang

Chinese tenor SHI Yijie plays the liaison officer Rosillon who is the lover of Baroness Valencienne. He said, “I really like this role. He actually doesn’t sing too much, and his every appearance is related to Valencienne’s love. This is the first time I’ve performed the whole operetta, and also a kind of training for me. I’ve performed a little bit more of Rossini’s and Bellini’s works in other countries, but they are very different from operettas. I have danced in some operas in recent years, but it wasn’t so difficult. This time, the dance movements in Die lustige Witwe are concentrated, and we’re different in character. The first day I came to rehearse, the director told me that I needed to flirt with Valencienne on the stage, which is something I’m actually not especially good at. But I’ve sung opera for ten years, so that previous performance experience has been a great help for me in shaping this character.”

Tenor SHI Yijie plays the liaison officer Rosillon, the lover of Baroness Valencienne 
Photo by GAO Shang