The Merry Widow review — a mafia rewrite hits the target
Scottish Opera happened to choose the warmest day of the year so far to launch its miniature season of operetta, but the coincidence was apt, because it's hard to imagine a more sunlit, summery experience than this new production of The Merry Widow.
This co-production with D'Oyly Carte and Opera Holland Park is the Widow as we haven't seen her. John Savournin's staging translates the action to the 1950s world of the New York mafia where Don Zeta needs his mafioso family to get its hands on Hanna Glawari's fortune before it falls into the hands of their mob rivals, so he gives Danilo, his consigliere, the job of marrying her.
It works remarkably well because Savournin appreciates that the key to a successful
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The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
The Merry Widow review – come for the big tunes, stay for the birthday cement mixer
An enormous rococo sofa dominates the stage. Great artworks jostle for space on the walls – Picasso, Velázquez, a handful of impressionists, and a banner reads 'Happy birthday boss'. Guests pour in from a pinging elevator: a maelstrom of big skirts in Disney princess colours, high-rise hair, three-piece suits and pork pie hats. Out of the window: skyscrapers. In singer turned director John Savournin's latest production for Opera Holland Park – a collaboration with Scottish Opera and D'Oyly Carte Opera – Franz Lehár's hit operetta The Merry Widow switches fictional Pontevedro and Le Gai Paris for New York's mafia underworld and its Sicilian homeland. The plot's patriarch becomes a pinstripe Manhattan godfather, title character Hanna Glawari the widow of a Sicilian lemon-tree racketeer. In their energetic English version, Savournin and David Eaton have fun with Dolmio-level Italian (no less authentic than Lehár's original Balkan Neverland) and these mafiosi reach as often for the TV gangster phrase book – 'Bada bing, bada boom', 'schmuck', 'capeesh?' – as for their guns. Dialogue is delivered in 90% faux mafioso ('family comes foist, bowss!'), 10% operatic RP. In the mostly excellent singing those proportions were reversed. And where the spoken passages were largely shrieked or shouted, the balance in the sung numbers swung in favour of the orchestra: most of the action played behind the pit thus vastly increasing the demands on singers already working in tent-acoustics. So much high-camp melodrama may leave some yearning for a calmer take on Lehár's classic. But, for those with a higher tolerance for hyperactive kitsch and national stereotyping after Lehár's own model, this mid-century Merry Widow is enormously enjoyable. Come for the big tunes, stay for the straight-legged 'Russian' folk dance performed unsmiling in dark glasses, the stage hands in white tie, lemon trees on wheels and the 'birthday cement mixer' (don't ask). For Acts 2 and 3, takis's streamlined set spins to take us from a cypress-equipped villa to the crimson interior of Maxim's – now a 'respectable performance bar' in New York. Bass-baritone Henry Waddington is ideally cast as 'Don' Zeta and evidently had a ball, his comic timing impeccable; Rhian Lois was a vivacious stage presence as his wife, Valentina. Matthew Kellett's Little Italy accent was the best of the bunch, while Christopher Nairne and Connor James Smith made one winning double act as warring Italians, Amy J Payne and Matthew Siveter as another, the ferocious 'Russian' Kromows. But this is also a piece with a big heart. Along with the warm, stylish playing from the orchestra of Scottish Opera under Stuart Stratford, it was the suavity and occasional tenderness of Alex Otterburn's Danilo and Paula Sides's Hanna that made this performance more than the sum of its gags. At Opera Holland Park, London, until 28 June.
Daily Mail
14-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Annabel Croft says she doesn't want to be a 'professional widow' as she admits Strictly 'saved her from sinking' after husband's death
Annabel Croft said she doesn't want to be a 'professional widow' as she recalled how her Strictly Come Dancing stint 'saved her from sinking' after her husband's death. The former professional tennis player's husband of 36 years passed away in 2023, aged 60 just eight weeks after he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. She signed up to the BBC dance show shortly after, a move which she admits helped her deal with the grief. Speaking in an interview with The Telegraph on Saturday, Annabel explained: 'Literally within a few weeks [of losing him] I was on the phone to my agent. I don't know what I would have done without being busy. I would have sunk. 'I didn't know I had an incredible marriage, but I did. The grief comes in rain showers but they are getting less and then it's gone.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Annabel continued: 'There is so much to be positive about. I don't want to be a professional widow. I understand that a lot of people can identify with what I've been through, but I don't want grief to define me.' Annabel recently said she believed Mel would have survived his cancer for longer if they'd been warned sooner that sugar and carbohydrates spread the disease. She told how before going in to see a doctor and receiving the bombshell news, she had told worried Mel everything would be fine. But after being told he didn't have much longer to live, Annabel said they were not advised immediately about nutrition - and she fears chocolate and other sugary foods hastened Mel's demise until he eventually died from sepsis. She explained: 'People don't realise this. He had stage four cancer. It started with colon cancer, but it could have been across everywhere at the same time. But it spread into the liver, it was spread into the kidneys, even possibly into the brain as well. 'But what he actually died of was sepsis and there was a perforation from one of the tumours. 'We'd gone on this flight to Portugal thinking he was going to get some sunshine and some respite from all of his treatment. 'I think maybe on that flight it may have just swollen something and perforated one of the tumours.' Annabel, speaking on The podcast, went on to describe when symptoms began showing. She said: 'We were making the bed one day and he just turned to me and he said 'I haven't told you this Annabel, but I've got these funny pains in my side and they're just not going away, they're getting worse'. 'It never dawned on me that it could be something so absolutely catastrophic. 'He went off to have some scans done. And then a couple of weeks later the scans came through and clearly the medical profession were absolutely horrified by what they'd seen because they knew that he wouldn't have much time left. 'Outside before we went in, Mel had said to me in the car park 'I'm really worried about this meeting', and I said 'Oh, don't worry about it - of course it's going to be fine. You know, maybe you just have a cyst that's going to have to be removed'. 'But the very first thing out of the surgeon's mouth was 'I'm afraid your life expectancy's not very good'. 'We both were spinning. The surgeon said 'Well, I've drawn the short straw, and I'm the one who's had to deliver this news'. 'Worse than that - I will just say this because I think it's important to pass on this information from what I've learned from the cancer specialist Dr Isabelle Cooper who treated him - I've since learned that if you have cancer you absolutely must not put any sugar in your body at all, and that includes carbohydrates. 'But when he had just had this news delivered he said to the surgeon 'If I'm going to have to have lots of operations, what should I eat?' 'And he said 'Oh, I have no idea about nutrition, I've never studied it - if you feel like some chocolate why don't you have some chocolate'. 'And of course in hindsight, now knowing what I know about cancer treatment and through a specialist who deals with it and studies it all day long, that any sugar, glucose that goes into the body will divide that cell and spread it. 'He went on ketogenic metabolic therapy and that is basically fuelling your body on fat and meat. 'On the last scans just before Mel died, it was showing a massive retraction of the cancer cells. 'So the work that they were doing was working and it's just so tragic that he died of sepsis. 'The only thing I would say is he died with complete hope as to what he was doing. 'They'd already told him he had very little time left and that he had to get his papers in order. And that was the very first meeting we had.'
North Wales Chronicle
14-06-2025
- North Wales Chronicle
Music legend awarded an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours
Ann Atkinson, the former artistic director of the North Wales International Music Festival, discovered that she had been awarded an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours. According to Ann, she was deeply touched to learn that she'd been nominated for the honour after serving the festival with distinction for two decades before stepping down two years ago. In her new honorary role as a vice-president, she's looking forward to this year's event at St Asaph Cathedral from September 11 to 20. Ann Atkinson (Image: EILEEN JACKSON) Her successor, royal composer Paul Mealor, paid tribute to Ann's 'immense contribution'. He said: 'Ann is a friendly force of nature and a legend of music and the arts in Wales. We are indebted to her for turning the festival into an event that has established itself as a highlight of the UK's cultural calendar. 'I will be forever grateful to Ann for the help and wise advice she has given to me after taking the helm, making the transition as smooth as possible. 'We are delighted her achievements have been recognised with the MBE – it is richly deserved'. It's the latest in a long line of accolades for Ann, who lives near Corwen, and has variously been described as a 'force of nature' and a 'legend of the classical music scene' in North Wales. A celebrated mezzo soprano in her own right, Ann has sung with many of Britain's leading opera companies, including Scottish Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Wexford Festival Opera. From 2002 to 2009 Ann was also Musical Director of the Fron Male Choir who found fame and became known as the "Oldest Boy Band in the World" releasing several albums which topped the classical charts for a record 16 weeks. Ann was honoured by the Gorsedd of Bards at the 2009 National Eisteddfod in Bala and a year later was made an Honorary Fellow at Glyndŵr University. In 2011 she received the Welsh Livery Guild's Merit Award in recognition of her outstanding achievements to the world of music in Wales and beyond. She was once again recognized for her contribution to Welsh Music in 2019 when she received the prestigious Sir Geraint Evans Award from the Welsh Music Guild in Cardiff. Three years ago Ann received an honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in recognition of her contribution to music. Ann's not resting on her laurels though because she's still busy as the musical director of two male voice choirs, Côr Meibion Trelawnyd and Côr Meibion Bro Glyndwr and is a singing tutor to a host of young, up and coming soloists. But the arrival of the letter to inform her about the MBE prompted a feeling of momentary dread. She said: 'I saw this official looking letter and I thought I'd had a speeding fine or that I was being called to do jury service. 'When I opened it I was stuck on the first paragraph, I couldn't read any more. I couldn't believe it. I'm still pinching myself. It was a lovely surprise and a very great honour. 'When I became artistic director, the festival was facing many challenges and I believe we met all those challenges and left the festival on a more secure footing for the future. 'One of the things I am proudest of was developing the educational element of the festival, giving children a stake and being part of it. They are the performers and the audience of the future. 'They won't forget the experience of playing on the festival stage with professional musicians or coming to the festival to work on different projects. 'Among the biggest highlights for me was the 50th anniversary of the festival which was a major milestone. 'But after two decades, I felt that the time was right for me to step down and give an opportunity for new blood and fresh ideas. 'The fact that it was the festival that nominated me for this honour means a great deal. I am very grateful to them. 'I became a vice-president of the festival last year which means that I can continue to be involved. 'Paul was an inspired choice as the new artistic director and he's doing a fantastic job and putting his own stamp on the festival. He's ringing the changes but staying true to the core values of the festival.' Headliners this year include the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, world class choral group Apollo5 and the renowned Black Dyke Band. Making her festival debut this year will be the acclaimed film and TV composer, Debbie Wiseman OBE. MOST READ Her theme tunes for Wolf Hall, Shakespeare and Hathaway, Judge John Deed and many others will be played by the NEW Sinfonia orchestra. Another highlight this year will be the second Pendine Young Musician of Wales competition that was launched last year and is being funded by the Pendine Arts and Community Trust set up by the festival's headline sponsors, the Pendine Park care organisation. The final concert will feature the North Wales Choral Union and Orchestra under the baton of conductor Trystan Lewis. Also returning will be the festival fringe which Paul Mealor introduced as a new element last year to create closer links with the local community in St Asaph. The fringe events will include a cabaret and American song night, stand-up comedy, and a poetry night led by one of Wales's greatest poets, Mererid Hopwood, the current Archdruid of Wales.
