SALT LAKE CIT Y -- Members of the Utah Opera Company are busy rehearsing their latest production, and “The Merry Widow” opens next weekend.
The folks behind the show say it has something for everyone.
“I think if anyone is afraid of going to an opera, this is a great one to come to because it’s got the full-scale grandeur of everything, and yet there's a true story of heart and tenderness throughout it all,” said Caroline Worra, who plays Hanna Glawari—the lead in the production.
Worra said she thinks Hanna is a great character.
“She's just here to have a good time, and that's what I get to do the whole show,” she said.
And the Utah Opera Company thinks you'd have a good time too.
“It plays more like a musical comedy than it does an opera,” said David Gately, the show’s stage director.
“The Merry Widow” is actually an operetta, which means it has lots of dialog and is performed in English.
“There's nothing serious about it,” said Daniel Belcher, who plays the role of Count Danilo. “No one dies. It’s literally three hours of just pure fun.”
Gately said the show is a fast-paced comedy with a bit of infidelity—but everything ends well.
“I hope that everybody goes away and just feels a sense of love and happiness in their own lives as well,” Worra said.
“The Merry Widow” opens at the Capitol Theater on January 16 and runs through January 24. For details and ticketing information, click here.
