What: UNT Opera presents The Merry Widow, which tells the story of an ambassador's attempts to manipulate a wealthy widow into a marriage that will ensure her fortune stays in their country. Confusion and misdirection ensue, but ultimately love wins.
When: 8 p.m. Nov. 7 (Friday) and Nov. 14 (Friday) and 3 p.m. Nov. 9 (Sunday) and Nov. 16 (Sunday). There will be an "In The Know" lecture 45 minutes prior to each performance. The lecture, presented by UNT Opera Music Director Stephen Dubberly, will offer insight into the opera and the time period in which it was written.
Where: Lyric Theater in the Murchison Performing Arts Center, 2100 Interstate 35 Frontage Road, Denton.
Tickets: $15-$35 for adults, with discounts available for senior citizens; students; children; UNT faculty, staff and retirees; and groups of 10 or more. The $35 tickets include theater-in-the-round seating among the actors, dessert and wine. Purchase tickets online or by calling the Murchison Box Office at 940-369-7802.
More information: For a complete list of UNT College of Music events, including faculty and student recitals, visit the College of Music online calendar.
Media please note: Rehearsal photos for The Merry Widow will be taken Nov. 2 and available Nov. 3.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – UNT Opera will perform the comedic operetta The Merry Widow, telling the tale of a wealthy widow whose fortune is coveted by her native country's ambassador.
Directed by Paula Homer with music direction by Stephen Dubberly, the classic tale has been re-told numerous times in film and theatre over the last 100 years.
"This was one of the most popular operettas of the early 20th century and it continues to be an audience favorite," said Homer.
Originally written in German, UNT Opera's production will be performed in English.
"We found an excellent English translation that is faithful to the original operetta," said Dubberly. "It captures all of the show's original humor superbly."
Set in Paris, the operetta, which is a bit like a musical in that parts are both sung and spoken, tells the tale of the wealthy widow Hanna from the fictional country of Pontevedro who has loved countryman Count Danilo for many years but refuses to marry him until he professes his love to her. The Pontevedrin ambassador tries to manipulate Danilo into marrying Hanna, afraid that if she marries a foreign national that she will take her sizable tax payments elsewhere and bankrupt the country. Secretly, Danilo does love Hanna, but he refuses to marry her for her wealth. The audience will be drawn into the comedic confusion that results from the characters' manipulation of each other as the performance takes place in a theatre-in-the-round setting. Tables for the $35 seats will be on the first floor among the singing actors.
Performances are at 8 p.m. Nov. 7 (Friday) and Nov. 14 (Friday) and 3 p.m. Nov. 9 (Sunday) and Nov. 16 (Sunday) at the Lyric Theater in the Murchison Performing Arts Center, 2100 Interstate 35 Frontage Road, Denton. There will be an "In The Know" lecture 45 minutes prior to each performance. The lecture, presented by UNT Opera Music Director Stephen Dubberly, will offer insight into the opera and the time period in which it was written.
Tickets are $15-$35 for adults, with discounts available for senior citizens; students; children; UNT faculty, staff and retirees; and groups of 10 or more. The $35 tickets include dessert and wine. Purchase tickets online or by calling the Murchison Box Office at 940-369-7802.