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Adolf Hitler reputedly said The Merry Widow was his favourite operetta.
It may have had something to do with the heroine’s struggle to do her bit for the “Fatherland”.
But in her case the war is fought in 19th century Paris where the rich widow is torn between a host of gold-digging fancymen and the only man who seems uninterested, Count Danilo Danilovitch.
The stakes in this “war” are high, with Count Danilo ordered by the Pontevedrian Ambassador in Paris, Baron Zeta, to marry the widow to ensure her riches remain in the hands of the impoverished Pontevedro.
Count Danilo, played by a vivacious Richard Rook, shows the obligatory reluctance to be seen as yet another gold-digger, despite the widow’s obvious interest in him.
Pat Adams, as the widow, demonstrated a powerful voice especially potent when singing the haunting ‘Vilia’ in Act two.
Kevin Gauntlett was wonderfully pompous and bumbling Baron Zeta, ignorant of his wife’s liaisons with Camille de Rosillon.
But for me the best moments in West Wickham Operatic Society’s production came in the duets between Edmundo Rahme, as Camille, and Melody -Jane Faulkner, as Baron Zeta’s wife Valencienne.
While in the duets her voice could be delicate, tender and beautiful, when it came to the final act can-can and finale she proved it could also be robust and potent.
A bright and eye-catching set helped create an atmosphere of luxury befitting Paris at the beginning of the 19th century. *
Although slightly pantomimic with its bold colours it served to highlight the bawdy-house atmosphere of the third act.
The costumes were lavish, and the dresses of he can-can dancers were sumptuous.
Mention must also go to Anthony Pakenham who continued the pantomime theme with his intentionally over-the-top Pontevedrian embassy secretary Njegus.
Always one step ahead of the bumbling Baron Zeta, Pakenham’s Njegus was like a benevolent Iago played for laughs.
Mario Ambrosi
Croydon Advertiser
21st May 1998
* It was actually set at the end of the 19th/beginning of the 20th centuries ie. the turn of the century.
Webmaster
A Feast for the Eye
Once there really was a place called Pontevedro, a Balkan State long-since absorbed into larger countries. *
Its embassy, in turn-of-the-century Paris, is the setting for The Merry Widow, the woman in question having inherited a fortune from her late husband and is under orders from her ambassador to marry a fellow countryman in order for the money not to leave their beloved country.
West Wickham Operatic Society presented this story of lovers, trysts, misunderstandings and over-zealous suitors at the Churchill Theatre last week.
The Merry Widow herself, Anna Glawari, brought a well paced performance from Pat Adams, confident in her movements and blessed with an excellent singing voice. Kevin Gauntlett as the ageing ambassador, Baron Mirko Zeta set the pace well, managing to solicit most of the laughs with a performance reminiscent of Harry Secombe and with a singing voice to match. Melody-Jane Faulkner as his flirtatious wife, Valencienne, was a pure delight with a great stage presence, voice and legs: what more could you ask of a leading lady?
Richard Rook as the penniless Danilo Danilovitch was perhaps a little too laid back as Anna’s successful suitor but nonetheless worked well in his solos and duets. Anthony Pakenham as the Baron’s harassed secretary produced some fun moments, working in a good double act with his boss.
Some welcome light relief was provided in act three with the Grisettes de Paris dancers treating us to a cake walk and can-can.
All the principals in the show were in fine fettle and their singing was of a professional standard. The company has a reputation for strong productions at the Churchill Theatre, many of which I have seen and enjoyed to the extent I left the theatre humming a melody and with a slight skip in my feet. But The Merry Widow did not stimulate my vocal cords or my instep. This was a case of the right place and the right cast but perhaps the wrong show.
Richard Sirot
Kentish Times,
21st May 1998
* Its nice to know that someone was taken in by my ‘spoof’ article in the programme!!
Webmaster
NODA London Area Review
This show, the less frequently performed version, was a feast for the eyes. TERRY GAUNTLETT directed with space and style so that the show had an elegance reflecting the period perfectly and the performances of both Principals and Chorus were very good. GEORG TORMANN’s orchestra was lush and gave full rein to the beautiful music with excellent singing from everyone. And, adding to the visual impact, JOANNA RICHARDS had devised some lovely choreography.
The plum role of ANNA was very well sung and acted by PAT ADAMS She brought depth to the role and had at times a slightly brittle delivery which worked well. She was elegant and charming and the very model of a merry widow but one was left with the firm impression that if she had been less of a lady Danilo’s intransigence would have been overridden much earlier than it was.
Matching her word for word and mood for mood was RICHARD ROOK, whose DANILO was a more deeply thought out man than is often the case. He was less of the playboy and more of the disappointed lover and made one feel for his dilemma. He, too, was elegant and charming and his singing and acting were excellent, particularly at the end of Act 2 where he was quite moving.
MELODY-JANE FAULKNER was a radiant VALENCIENNE. Her changes of mood were lightning fast and she left not only Camille but the audience wondering what had happened. She understood the character well, sang beautifully and moved with grace but delivered a punch as the principal Grisette, exuding sex appeal.
It would have been difficult to have had a more passionately sung CAMILLE than we had from EDMUNDO RAHME. He poured his heart into the music and his voice soared easily and with lovely tone. His seduction of Valencienne at the Summer House was tenderly done and one could sense the audience holding its breath.
KEVIN GAUNTLETT played BARON ZETA robustly but with a gentleness which was appealing and won the audience’s heart, making the behaviour of his wife rather hurtful. So often he is played as a silly old buffer and the sympathy is with Valencienne, but this portrayal turned it on its head. I liked it.
JOHN SPELLER and CHRIS GORDELIER was both very good as CASCADA and ST. BRIOCHE, giving strong performances and ANTHONY PAKENHAM was a delightful NJEGUS.
The “unhappy” couples were well drawn. ROBERT HEATHER as BOGDANOWITSCH and MARISA PETROZZI were believable as husband and wife, as were HOWARD JAMES as PRITSCHITSCH and PENNY HEATHER as PRASKOWIA (how dare they cast aspersions on her looks), while TIM MAUNDER was a wonderfully brutish and scowling KROMOV and JANE BARNES a pragmatic and innocent OLGA.
The CHORUS and DANCERS, although not, in this edition, called upon to do very much, performed with vivacity and grace and gave us some excellent singing, while the six GRISETTES - JANE BARNES, PENNY HEATHER, JO BEGLEY, KERRY BOTT, KIM SIBLEY and MARISA PETROZZI sizzled. I very much approved of the idea of using the three wives of Bogdanowitsch, Pritschitsch and Kromov as Grisettes. It made a lot of sense.
Visually the show was lovely. Both SCENERY and COSTUMES were excellent, with the period firmly set, and nothing grated. The LIGHTING, particularly in the garden scene, was superbly done, with the most sympathetic colouring which flattered everyone.
I must also comment on your lovely poster. It was beautiful and so right for the period of the show. The piece in the programme on “Pontevedro Remembered” was brilliantly written and very funny.
It was a most enjoyable evening and well up to the standards one expects from your Society. I am only sorry that your audiences were small. What a delight they missed - but I didn’t and I thank you very much for inviting me.
Valerie Jarvis
NODA Lndon Area 4a Rep,