San Francisco War Memorial 2001-2002 Die Lustige Witwe II The Merry Widow Page 1 of 2 Opera Assn. Opera House
This production is made possible, in part, by a generous gift from Mrs. Gorham B. Knowles.
Corporate support generously provided by Andersen. Die Lustige Witwe II (in English)
Opera in three acts by Franz Lehár Libretto by Victor Léon and Leo Stein Based on Henri Meilhac's comedy "L'attaché d'ambassade"
Educational activities associated with this production are sponsored, in part, by generous support from the Koret Foundation.
Supertitles made possible by a generous grant from The Stanley S. Langendorf Foundation.
Conductor CAST Erich Kunzel Baron Mirko Zeta, Pontevedrian Ambassador Carlo Hartmann Production Valencienne, his wife Isabel Bayrakdarian Lotfi Mansouri Camille de Rosillon, a Parisian gentleman Gregory Turay Set designer Vicomte Cascada, a Latin diplomat Curtis Sullivan Michael Yeargan Raoul de St. Brioche, a French diplomat Jonathan Boyd Costume Designer Kromow, a Pontevedrian military councillor Bob Amaral Thierry Bosquet Olga, his wife Marnie Breckenridge Lighting Designer Pritschitch, Pontevedrian consul William Saetre Jennifer Tipton Praskowia, his wife Jayne Taini Sound Designer Bogdanovitch, Pontevedrian military attaché Peter Strummer Roger Gans Sylviane, his wife Colleen McGrath Chorus Director Njegus, an embassy secretary Elijah Chester Ian Robertson Anna Glawari, the merry widow Frederica von Stade (1/11) Choreographer Nicolle Foland (1/13, 15, 17, 19) Lawrence Pech Count Danilo Danilovitch, first secretary to Baron Zeta Rodney Gilfry Musical Preparation A Lady Guest Virginia Pluth Adelle Eslinger Maitre d'hotel Matt Logan Bryndon Hassman Robert Wood Sugar Mama Claudia Siefer Ernest Fredric Knell Sugar Daddy Jim Croom Svetlana Gorzhevskaya Zozo Janice Lynde Prompter Lolo (grisette) Cynthia Dreyer Robert Wood Dodo (grisette) Ann Greene Assistant Stage Directors Jou-jou (grisette) Debra Rose Brenda Nuckton Frou-frou (grisette) Jodi Allen Josemaria Condemi Clo-clo (grisette) Juliann Rhodes Stage Manager Margot (grisette) Nora Heiber Rachel Henneberry Solo dancer Amanda McKerrow John Gardner
*Role debut †U.S. opera debut PLACE AND TIME: Early twentieth-century Paris
Friday, January 11 2002, at 7:30 PM Act I -- The Pontevedrian Embassy, Paris Sunday, January 13 2002, at 2:00 PM Act II -- The garden of Anna Glawari's mansion Tuesday, January 15 2002, at 8:00 PM Act III -- At Maxim's Thursday, January 17 2002, at 8:00 PM Saturday, January 19 2002, at 8:00 PM San Francisco War Memorial 2001-2002 Die Lustige Witwe II The Merry Widow Page 2 of 2 Opera Assn. Opera House
Sponsors: The performance of January 11 is sponsored by the San Francisco Opera Guild, East Bay Chapter The performance of January 17 is sponsored by Bank of America
Notes: English translation of lyrics by Christopher Hassall
"Love, Live Forever" from "Paganini" -- Music by Franz Lehár. Book and lyrics by Paul Knepler and Bela Jenbach
Additional lyrics by Ted and Deena Puffer
Dialogue script by Wendy Wasserstein. Script commissioned by San Francisco Opera.
Scenery, props, costumes and wigs constructed in the San Francisco Opera workshops
Supernumeraries: Cray Bauxmont-Flynn John Brown Todd Calvin Brian Copperstein Jeff Kohler Scott Sanford Louis Schilling Michael Schoenig