A humorous tale of love, betrayal and more comes together at the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
It’s a story of misplaced lust, greed and social status.
There’s a widow, a small fortune and an ambassador’s quest to keep that money close to his city. Just how far is this money-hungry man willing to go?
That’s the storyline of the comedic operetta The Merry Widow, to be performed by an entirely local cast at The Q in Queanbeyan. Half-opera, half-musical theatre and 100 per cent fun, this show will feature something for everyone, from first-time opera attendees to veterans of the performing arts.
The story opens at a dinner party where the drinks are flowing and the music is playing, but there is a sense of worry in the air for the recently widowed Hanna Glawari.
Now that she is single and vastly wealthy, she needs to choose who she is going to share her fortunes with.
She has two options: marry a Frenchman, which could result in bankrupting her city of Pontevedra or keep her fortunes within the city by marrying a local man.
It’s a big decision and a chance Pontevedrian ambassador Baron Mirko Zeta isn’t willing to take.
In a desperate attempt to keep the money in the country, he tries to set the young widow up with aristocrat Danilo Danilovitch.
Little does the ambassador know, the pair already have a history of their own.
National Opera director Ylaria Rogers says that she has faith that everyone who comes to the show will be entertained.
“It’s a very funny story. We’re so excited to bring it to life,” she says.
Leading cast member Sarah Darnley-Stuart, playing the part of Hanna Glawari, says The Merry Widow is the perfect way to ease into the world of opera.
“I think it’s going to be a great show. The beauty of an operetta is the fact that it’s got all the great elements of an opera, but this show in particular is a bit more fun and light-hearted,” she says.
“The duration of the show is also a bit shorter than your typical opera. It combines song, dance and a great narrative into a really entertaining show.”
Sarah has been heavily involved in theatre since school and says she has loved the process of putting together The Merry Widow.
“The National Opera has been a great environment to work in. It’s so positive, and we all work really well together,” she says.
“We’re also lucky enough to be collaborating with the talented dancers from High Kix Cabaret; they are just breathtaking.”
Ylaria says she has loved working with a local cast.
“I love that National Opera has taken the opportunity to embrace not only local performers but also set and costume designers from the Canberra region. The range of experience is amazing,” she says.
“It’s a unique situation we have been given to cast so much great local talent for both the cast and crew. It’s a great chance to show off the amount of talent that is around so close to home.”
While she has travelled around the country working in theatre since completing her degree in musical theatre in 2013, the proud Canberran says there is nothing like coming home.
“I am so excited about this project because not only is it a great play, but it is just amazing to be able to be directing a cast that is from Canberra,” she says.
The Merry Widow will run from Friday, 23 August, to Sunday, 25 August. Book tickets at The Q.
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