Why critics? The Merry Widow of New York Opera House is perfectly well done and singers and dancers are wonderfull e musically well tuned, loud and clear. why critics? also in Italy the Merry Widows is always presented in Italian and not in German.Here the soprano Valencienne and Anna Glavary and the Tenors Rossillons and Danilo are skillfull and perfect.

As a European I must admit I was surprised and delighted at this stylish production; the waltzing, deportment, diction and understanding of how a late 19th century operetta should be staged, acted and sung are all first class. Excellent !

@PeterMBauer

8 жыл бұрын

+william wright More or less. I prefer always the original language.

@mhwharp

8 жыл бұрын

+william wright Really, you were surprised and delighted. Sometime we here in the USA do come out of our mud huts and sing.

@PeterMBauer

8 жыл бұрын

Allways music in the original language sounds different.

@PeterMBauer

8 жыл бұрын

***** Not the Merry Widow.

@PeterMBauer

8 жыл бұрын

***** I am not affended. But it is strange to here an Italien Opera in German. The same is happenig in English.

Grew up with operettas and operas in Vienna ,my grand father took me there and I loved every moment than and still love this now ,it brings back memories that I will never forget and this operetta is great with all those very good singers great to hear and see.

I agree with both of you. What a delightful, upbeat, engaging performance. Having compared it with several other productions this is hands-down the best. The English translation is witty and most importantly the diction of the soloists is clear.

This is the first Operetta my late husband took me to see and since that day in 1972 I have been hooked on this style of music.

I love to see my favorite operetta performed in English. The melody of the Merry Widow Waltz is amazing. Jane Thorgood is SO GOOD!

@jakobvonmuhlebach

3 жыл бұрын

She is perfect: she can sing, act and dance! I love her

I grew up on operettas in Hungary and this is a delightful production. There is a definite 'flavor' to these times and countries that Lehar, Kalman and Strauss illustrate and these fine performers did manage to get the mood and the rhythm of the language phrasing also. Lovely.

I have watched this so many times and never get tired of its beautiful production and great performers

Thank you for sharing this delightful operetta with us. I am from Vienna, and learned the lyrics as a child. This is immortal music, and I am so happy to see these works still produced in our era! I think Mr. Lehar would be happy. Best wishes to all!

I live in NYC and thus am able to see many live performances of The Merry Widow including one with Fredericka Von Stade and Placido Domingo (both poorly cast) and the recent one with Renee Fleming (beautiful to look at but everyone took themselves too seriously). This one is BY FAR the best production I have seen. I, too, was heartbroken when my VHS tape snapped! Thank you to the person who took the time to upload this delight!

@rgmrtn

9 ай бұрын

The widow seems to catch warmth as well as charm, glamour, and poise.

What a wonderful production this is! It was great to have it sung in English and enjoy what the hell they were singing about! This opera works well in english and NYCO did this justice! What a pity we no longer have such a wonderful company! It brought so many young and new talents to the opera stage. We miss this great company very much here in NYC.

@ireneday12

6 жыл бұрын

william bondar i

@GehanCooray

4 жыл бұрын

@G O Agreed. :(

I have seen many productions of The Merry Widow this production tops them all IMPECCABLE

Absolutely wonderful. I just loved this interpretation. I have seen the two movie versions - Jeanette McDonald and Maurice Chevalier and the later one with Lana Turner and Fernando Lamas. Both were delightful; however, this stage performance outshone them. The fuller storyline with the secondary love tryst added a great element. The extra songs were a pleasure to listen to and the brilliant performances by all the cast were a delight. Can't say enough. This is a top quality production.

*BEST* production of The Merry Widow this operetta lover has ever seen. (And I saw my first Widow performance in - sheesh!! - 1979!) And probably one of the best, if not THE best NYC Opera PBS telecasts....

I had forgotten that I have seen this performance before . On seeing again I have completely changed my mind . this is an absolutely beautiful show , extremely well directed and choreographed , it doesn't come across as a play with songs it is a complete musical that goes with a swing . The singers are outstandingly good , Danillo a handsome lively young man a good singer , actor and beautiful voice , Camillo too , handsome , young , a good actor and fine tenor , it is often these two roles that are poorly cast . To date my favourite performance has been with very faded film is the BBC one with Mary Costa and Jeremy Brett .I am watching on my big smart TV , but have stopped to look up who the singers were , disappointed that they are not listed here . It is remarkable that Franz Lehar wrote so many beautiful songs into one musical . I am enjoying every moment , Thank You New York City Opera .

This makes the world a better place.

I love it. Excellent performing

I saw about half of this production when I was 11 years old on TV and all I had was the last part tapped (because I had to go to bed!) on an old VHS that is worned out from use. I've been trying to track down the full version for 19 years and so glad to finally see it!!! I've seen a few version of the Merry Widow since, but this remains my favorite! Thank you for Posting this!!

I first saw this on PBS years ago. I”m so delighted to be able to see it again!

@QuasarRedshift

5 жыл бұрын

me too

My favorite translation, favorite performances, favorite production. And I always loved Njegus’ tap dancing in act 3.

What an absolute delight. Wonderful production. Fabulous music and brilliant performers. Loved this so much. A joy.

What a wonderful performance. A perfect production. Great set designing. Perfect dances. Delightful performances. I have seen many productions german and english versions of this. This is the best. The information and interviews in between acts are also too good.

I absolutely fell in love with this production when it was first broadcast. I lost my copy long ago, and am so happy to find the show posted here. In less dignified words, eeee!

A really great performance/production of The Merry Widow,and an outstanding Widow;especially her ravishing performance of the Viljalied.

Wonderful operetta! And amazing the music, the singers, the scenery and the settings and fantastic way the dancers performed

This was the first "Merry Widow" I ever saw a couple of years ago. It is a perfect production. I know that purists may decry the Broadwayization of the show, but it is a great show....Jane Thorgood is fantastic.

I'm so happy to finally find this. Thank you for posting my all-time favorite production of The Merry Widow - this was the best ever!

It is the first time I see this production and I am very happy ! I think it is the best version ever seen ! Thank you for posting it. Sometimes, I would like to have subtitles to appreciate more. The diction of the soloists is enough clear for me (I am French).

Thank You Very Much! You make the world a better place. The more, the better

Hayes is absolutely GORGEOUS!

In July 1976 I directed and produced this lovely Operette in "Teatro Lírico in Mexico City. The singers, actors and dancers were First Quality. Anna de Glavary : Elizabeth Larios, Count Danilo : Salvador Quiroz. It was a splendid success.

@cbrooks11221

9 жыл бұрын

I wish you would bring that to Raleigh NC

@NaveDelAmor

6 жыл бұрын

Emilio Pérez Casas bravissimo!

@NaveDelAmor

6 жыл бұрын

Charmian Brooks and to Denver!

Love this production so much! Thank you for posting

Watched this production with the family family and we loved it!

As much fun as this broadcast was, it was even more delightful live on stage -- great cast.

I was heartbroken when my VHS copy of this wore out and I couldn't find it anywhere. I'm so happy to find it again here!

Thank you for uploading this. I have watched it countless times. It is a lovely production.

Such a beautiful performence! Thank you for enabling me enjoy it.

what an amount of energy and condition allthose actors have...a wonderful piece of art....unbelivable

I wished the Merry Widow was staged as glamorous in Vienna. Simply a wonderful production even with some musical liberties such as adding an aria from Giuditta and Offenbach´s Can-Can. Anyhow a perfect rendition with handsome singer-actors. Bravo!

@kevochallen283

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Austria for Lehar and Strauss.

so much fun, loved it, especially the comment that alma and gustav mahler sneaked in to enjoy it

@windhoek-land8339

3 жыл бұрын

That's called money effect. Got paid thousands of dollars to be sponsored by coca cola and suddenly hates it. Talk of hipocracy

The commentary at the 50 minute mark or so is so informative, and I must leave this comment of appreciation. Thank you for this wonderful video.

This is so beautifully done, I have been brought to tears 💜 thank you.

Thank you! Now I know what I will be doing tonight. I adore Lehar and Merry Widow, have a DVD of a wonderful ballet, now time for an operetta. Happy New Year!

Robert Creighton who plays Njegus recently plays duke Weselton in Frozen on Broadway

Can you let me contribute to add subtitles? I will subtitle the whole thing.

@priyangu5456

2 жыл бұрын

Omg please 😭😭😭😭😭

@johnroth5831

2 жыл бұрын

This is the finest, most elegant Merry Widow I've ever seen or participated in. Yes, yes, do add subtitles! While you are at it, detailed bios of all the principal players would be a great idea.

@lisa1212ification

2 жыл бұрын

Yes please

@MacFrogger

11 ай бұрын

Pls! I need it :)

Une interpretation brillante, romantique , excellante! Je suis ravie, enchantee,I like it.

This was an extremely wonderful musical production. I enjoyed it very much.

BRILLIANT! I turned off a recent UK live broadcast of a Mozart opera that was in English but did not have sub-titles and needed them. Here we had so many talented singers and actors singing and speaking so clearly that sub-titles were not needed. This "Merry Widow" was a star for me from the smile projected at her very first entry and such beautiful singing too and loved her "Vilja" interpretation. Congratulations to such a wonderful team and have made a separate note about the excellent sound engineering , staging and lighting. Still trying to work our whether the Grisettes in the Can Can sequence were dancers miming or singing or singers with superb dancing skills! Well as an audience we know who loves who but must admit I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the final "I love you"

@WorldlifeUtube

8 жыл бұрын

+Desira Matisz Guess I am becoming a fan of New York productions. After seeing a video (also on KZread) of Bernstein conducting his opera "Candide" in a concert performance from the Barbican Centre, London I was fortunate to be able to find (also on KZread) a Broadway costumed production. To me "Candide" seems to have slightly more advanced music than "West Side Story" and Bernstein is expressing the satire of the original Voltaire book and is sometimes very funny and amusing. Where do you feel "Candide" belongs - is it musical, operetta or comic opera? Wonder if you agree that today's opera stars are no longer just singers but need to be actors and dancers. I think Elina Garcia is absolutely fantastic dancing in the tavern scene in the Met's production of "Carmen"

I love to dance. I've watched the dance scenes many times and learned several of the steps well enough to lead them. Those who see me do these steps wonder what 'studio' I went for lessons. Lessons? Studio? The old waltz steps are far more romantic than the steps presented to those who are learning to dance for the first time.

Absolutely wonderful performance. Wonderful English version. Such clever translation. To say nothing of the wonderful singing. Very entertaining.

The last time I saw the The Merry Widow was a performance by The National Ballet of Canada which, as a ballet performance, I rated very highly. With this video showing the Merry Widow at New York City, I am stunned at the projected detail both in the music the dancing and the stage work. But the most impressive was the selection of the team of actors as far as their stature, height, build, deportment and their grace, elegance, majestic movements, especially the ladies. The hidden flirting and tacit moves, and all that was conducted in such a natural manner with the ladies not only acting as professional singers, but as natural women in all their glory and their flirtations which they seem to enjoy. Enough said, congratulations to all concerned.

Chiming in to say this broadcast remains my favourite production and the standard I hold all Merry Widow productions to.

thanks for posting

I was somewhat worried that folks might find it strange that I actually enjoy this wonderful, heartfelt, performance until I read enough reviews to feel secure with my sentimental sentiments. 🤔

I am off to see the London Coliseum production today, opening night. I just watched the New York Opera production and was astounded by all aspects, excellent. It was delightful to hear it all in English, how cleverly interpreted. I now have a good understanding of the 'Plot' which will be helpful as Coliseum version, I think, is in German, however music conquers all and the songs will, I am sure, give me unequalled pleasure.If the Coliseum production can match the enjoyment I had from watching and listening to this video, I am in for a big treat. Michael M

@stevecox2248

5 жыл бұрын

Well how did the ENO production compare? Was it sung in English as they usually do?

George S. Irving was a treasure of the New York theater, and here in operetta a wonderful performance.

i think where this production excelled was in marrying the energy and dexterity of musical comedy acting technique with grand operetta music.

This is so beautiful!!!

Hugely enjoyable. Great leads. Strong support.

Beautiful waltz

Lehár Ferenc was one of the greatest Hungarian-Magyar,komponist of Operett music witch is a Hungarian style of music..

@user-yf8er8hh5c

7 жыл бұрын

Vukovics István x5cray Crashing

@uccn

3 жыл бұрын

Koszonom!

BIG THANKS for uploading this fantastic performance of my favorite operetta. I love it too when it's sung/spoken in English. :-))))

Muy bella Producción y un elenco Maravilloso Una puesta en escena increíble ojalá hubiera un DVD o un BR pues vale muchísimo la pena Felicitaciones

The New York City Opera suffered from what several houses throughout the country chronically do - to always be on the verge of bankruptcy without a very generous benefactor. It's a shame and a sad state of affairs.

I read only this past week that the New York City Opera is in the process of being rescued from bankruptcy and will hopefully open its doors once again !

I’m going to cry

Delightful opera! I just had the chance to enjoy it at Nightly Metropolitan Streams

Супер!!!!Дякую за можливість послухати та побачити оперету Легара у такому неперевершеному виконанні!!!! Я з України і я- в захваті !!!! Дякую!!

WOW! Such negative comments! I think it's pretty darn GOOD and the costumes are FABULOUS!

@claudiasmemaw

8 жыл бұрын

+Desira Matisz -I don't think the beginning, middle OR the end is 'quite rough' but I'm no authority on music, opera nor acting. Wish more companies would perform operas in English-the original language isn't 'sacred'-the music IS, in my opinion. I would guess HALF opera lovers don't understand a WORD of Italian, German, French, Hungarian, UNLESS they happen to BE Italian, German etc. BUT they HAVE looked up the libretto & story!

LOVE the dancer! Excellent production

Annyira jó, hogy minden nap ezt hallgatom. Rosion nevét nem találom az interneten, lehet, hogy rosszul írom le "Kallossy Vili", kérem segítsenek. János

Maravilha de opera,vejo todas,muito obrigado que venha mais operas e balet

@carmenrunnebaum7867

7 жыл бұрын

Mikel hays

This delightful. I've love the music but this is the first time I can hear the words of the singers and it is quite funny!

@qhsperson

9 жыл бұрын

My intro was by an English-language version that the NYC Opera did with Beverly Sills--so long ago that I had it on 8-track tape! I wore it out, I loved it so much. I hope you were able to hear the live Met broadcast of it today, also in English, with Renee Fleming and Nathan Gunn. Just delightful.

@SailingMoominmama

9 жыл бұрын

qhsperson Missed it by a few days. Darn! Amazing how different each production is.

@qhsperson

9 жыл бұрын

Jody Lee Go to metopera.org and look for the way you can watch one opera a week, free, online. I can't remember what the service is called, but I plan on using it myself to see this production, and then later this year to catch Simon Keenlyside in Rigoletto. They also have an extensive archive, dating back decades, which may also be available via the free service.

@qhsperson

9 жыл бұрын

qhsperson Well, I've just been to the metopera website, and I can't find anything except a free one-week trial offer for Met Opera on Demand, which is probably what I was referring to. I also can't find Rigoletto on the schedule, and I don't get that at all.

Love the background information from director Johannsen and High Downs.

Spectacular. Great.

I wish this was in better quality. I wish they sold it on DVD I would buy it! I don’t think any other version is as good as this...even the costumes are not that great in other versions... also some that I’ve seen on KZread that seems to use the same script (maybe same company trying to revive it every few years?) they cut things out or some things are skipped.. the singer playing the Merry Widow looks way older than Donilo ... stuff like that...they put a lot of work into this version and that’s what makes it so awesome! Every character does a great job. I wish they would reference this performance to make a film!! Wouldn’t you want to see it?

I swear that one guy who's name I cannot remember is the best character in the whole thing

Cea mai bună interpretare dintre toate punerile în scenă!

A very nice production, quite true to the original German version. Much funnier than the usual English translations of the piece. I only miss that "Horseman" duet in the second act. I wonder why they took that away. I agree - Jane Thorngren is fantastic!

@dorisschneider-coutandin9965

5 ай бұрын

Yes. Pity they omitted it. I guess it was done to implement the other songs not in the original version, like the Njegus tap dance, the Can-Can of Offenbach and the "Giuditta" duet of Valencienne and Camille and not run over three hours in total. Which were fine, and matching, except the "Giuditta" duet. Unnecessary. Instead, they should have kept the "Ridersman" duet between Hannah and Danilo.

¡Magnífico! saludos desde México

I don't speak German, and I am grateful for the then Director's adaptation. I agree that some of the dialogue was 'corny', but he was 30 years + younger, and a little tolerance would be nice. I thought the singing was exceptional.

How bitter sweet to see this again on the day the New York City Opera announces that it will be bankrupt. A brilliant production.

I saw this show in London [Great Britain] and Munich [Germany], that long ago.

I realize I've been performing "The Merry Widow" for over forty years. This "Live from Lincoln center" performance falls somewhere in the middle; I took part in several productions at the New York City Opera and in different roles over the years. This month I'm in the chorus performing with Palm Beach Opera. I never get tired of it.

@bigjedimullet

2 жыл бұрын

This has been one of my very favorite productions since the first time I saw it taped off of PBS. Thank you so much for being part of something that, to me, is magical. (And highly underrated!)

Beautiful!!!!

This is the most beautiful opera I ever heard. I first saw the ballet, and the music was amazing, so I listened to the first opera of the merry widow I found. And luckily it was this version, a very beautiful set (wich is pretty rare for opera) and the fact that it is in English make it prettier! I watched the versions in German and I didn't like it. But the music is so romantic, I love it !!!! My favourite part is the duo at 2:42:50 .

I have this as an original factory open reel tape from the fifties. It is in English with both leaders in tack. No splices, in original box, with lyric book. I copied it to a CD as to preserve the original tape. Wonderful music but I have never seen the complete stage production.

@bigjedimullet

2 жыл бұрын

Is it the soundtrack for this specific production? If so, is there any way you’d be willing to share?

es mi operate predilecta. gracias.

The best is the conductor and the orchestra.

Glad they did the short original Introduction, not the later 'Overture' which I think is a bit of a mess.

Glitch at 01:37:20? So far quite entertaining. I find it interesting when Madame Glavari and Valencienne (probably getting the names wrong) sing together and each sing some of the same notes at different times. I also heard someone sing Danilo's solo about Maxim's in class today and recognized it especially at the "baby sounds". gosh there's so much head-shaking for those lines.

Все исполнители просто превосходны.

wow, wonderful!

LOVE THIS. ONE THAT I SING !

Martin Bookspan as the n announcer....My God this brings me back.

Does anyone know who wrote this version of the English libretto? I really like it but I can’t seem to find it anywhere else.

Ecstatic!

At the beginning of the aria, "Vilja", the soprano sings an introduction that starts: "The gypsies tell......" and I cannot make out the words. Can anyone tell me what those words are? The end of the introduction is: "they sing a song, an ancient tale, about a witch of beauty rare" What comes before that?

@bumblingamerican4385

7 жыл бұрын

The gypsies tell of peasants' rites To pass the long Marsovian nights They sing a song of ancient tell About a witch of beauty rare.

Hey can you enable community contribution to this video so I can make captions for the whole thing please? thanks.

I just watched a little bit of this while listening to various versions of the Merry Widow waltz. I didnt really get to the waltz but had a damn good laugh over the ambassador's comments on the French. Hate speech merchants would not be happy hehehehehe and that also improves my humour.