Two weeks ago the Met simulcasted a new English-language production of Franz Lehár’s charming operetta set among the Parisian upper crust. Renée Fleming, America's reigning soprano diva, sang the title role of Hanna Glawari, the wealthy young widow of the title. Baritone Nathan Gunn was Count Danilo Danilovitsch, the man from Hanna's past. Opera legend Sir Thomas Allen was Baron Mirko Zeta, ambassador from the fictional Balkan country of Pontevedro. And Broadway star Kelli O'Hara was Valencienne, Zeta's careless young wife whose coquettish affair with a young French nobleman almost ruins her.
In this farce about Parisian passions and Pontevedrian patriotism, Hanna is the most eligible young woman in Paris. All the men around are after her bank account, especially the Pontevedrian nobles who wish to keep the money in their country. They believe that their only hope is Danilo, a playboy who loved Hanna a long time ago when she was a young farm girl and he a young officer. While things may have changed, it's clear that the two are still in love; he, however, cannot seem to spit it out and naturally that results in some hilarious confusion. Meanwhile, Baron Zeta's young Parisian wife Valencienne is having a fling with the young Count Camille de Rosillon. He writes "I love you" on her fan (she later writes "I'm a respectable wife" on the other side so as to avoid complete scandal, but her little affair is still found out). Suffice it to say hilarity ensues, indiscretions are forgiven, Danilo is finally able to spit it out, and everyone dances the can-can.
I have never seen two singers perform with such chemistry together as Renée Fleming and Nathan Gunn. I'm actually wondering how much of their interaction was rehearsed and how much of it was spontaneous. And their voices blend together so well and they have such perfect comic timing. And I loved Renée's performance of Hanna's Act 2 aria!
I had heard Sir Thomas Allen before, but this was my first time seeing him live. And I must say, I was most impressed. He is one of the operatic giants from the past couple of decades, and he rightfully deserves to be called such.
Kelli O'Hara was something entirely new. She is a Broadway soprano who started off in opera, so for her this was a "return to her roots" so to speak. She brought a lot of energy to the role of the coquettish young wife who knows what she's doing is wrong and almost loses everything. Of course since this is a farce, everything sorts itself out.
And the sets--Whoa Nelly! The creative outdid themselves with the sets and costumes. Elaborate is the word I'm looking for. From the Embassy's ball in Act 1 to Hanna's garden in Act 2 and then to Chez Maxime's in Act 3; everything was just elegant.
Such a splendid production; they should do it again next season.
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