The Merry Widow. - Vienna State Opera Ballet Volksoper, Vienna, Austria - dance reviews

Dance Magazine, Dec, 1994 by Evelyn Teri

Vienna State Opera Ballet Volksoper, Vienna September 19,1994 Reviewed by Evelyn Teri

Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow is a widow who has danced her way delightedly around the world since her debut in 1975. Now the ballet director of the Vienna State Opera, Anne Woolliams, has brought her to the Austrian capital, the city where the original Lehir operetta had its premiere at the beginning of the century.

Certainly this is a provocative and difficult undertaking, especially in a city where the Lehir is so popular that its lyrics and melodies are practically sung in the streets. But even if the Viennese must suddenly make do with a strictly visual rendition, this ballet production, with its perfect adaptation providing all the aura of the operetta, plus fine dancing, simply belongs in this city. The performance could not be held in the State Opera House itself, which is closed for renovation until the end of the year. Instead it was staged in the Vienna Volksoper, where the operetta is also in the current repertoire.

Hynd's ballet closely follows the familiar story of the romance between the young widow Hanna Glawari and Count Danilo Danilowitsch, while Lehfir's music has been arranged and augmented by John Lanchbery to fit the needs of the ballet. Conductor James Tuggle interpreted the score to the advantage of the dancers, but the quality of the musicians' playing failed to support him. Likewise, while the production was freshened up with new sets for the Vienna performances, the costumes did not always flatter the performers.

The choreography delivers exactly what the work demands, however. It is tasteful and harmonious and provides many attractive pas de deux. The stylized group dances such as the kolo, walzer, ungarisch and cancan on pointe were danced with varying degrees of skill, with the men in the first act, for example, unable to coordinate their leaps. The duets are at their best in the flirtation between Baroness Valencienne Zeta and Camille de Rosillon, the French attache. These were wonderfully danced by the flexible artist Svetlana Kuznetsova and her partner, Christian Musil. Through appearing in supporting roles, Kuznetsova and Musil are nevertheless the highlights of the production.

In the leading roles of Hanna and Count Danilo, Brigitte Stadler and Tamas Solymosi lacked that spark which must jump from performer to audience. Stadler's interpretation communicated the dignity of a woman of deep feeling, but she seemed severe and was not literally a "merry" widow. it was a thoughtful portrayal, danced with an assured and beautiful technique, but not in keeping with traditional models. The good-looking Solymosi is outwardly perfect for his role, but as an artist his palette is lacking in color. As a couple, he and Stadler made a melancholic rather than a bright impression.

Nonetheless, when Danilo places his hand tenderly on Hanna's neck and they circle in a waltz that seems to float, you realize why this ballet will probably be successfully received in Vienna and will become a fixed part of the company's repertoire,