Amal Choucri Catta appreciates her mother tongue Operetta "The merry widow" by Franz Lehar, in Arabic. Cairo Opera Company, A Cappella Choir, Cairo Opera Orchestra and Ballet company, Conductor Nader Abbassi, director Abdel Moneim Kamel, choreographer Erminia Kamel When Franz Lehar's three-act operetta "The merry widow" was premiered in Arabic at Cairo's old Opera House on Sunday 15 October 1961, it was directed by the renowned Austrian Tony Niesner, with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra conducted by another famous Austrian: Edward Strauss Junior, a real Strauss and descendent of Johann Senior who gave us the memorable "Radetzky Marsch" and Johann Junior with his "Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz" and his numerous operettas. Josef Strauss, the son of Johann Senior, is the author of the famous "Knight of the rose" operetta, and together with Edward Senior, Johann the third and finally Edward Strauss junior, one of the best reputed musicians and conductors of his time, had carried on the family's glorious tradition. He was a smashing success at Cairo's old opera, where the dances were executed by another renowned Austrian: Dolores Ling, together with her partner Yuri Tagunoff. At the time, soprani Ratiba El-Hefny and Manar Abou-Heif were both cast as Hanna Glawari, the merry widow: they were both young and charming and quite lovely in their roles, while tenor Canaan Wasfi sang the part of count Danilo and soprani Amira Kamel and Regina Youssef were both Valencienne. Baron Zeta was sung by Hussein Riad and Camille de Rossillon was interpreted by Youssef Ezzat. At the time, the Arabic Merry Widow was the event of the year, with guests flocking into the opera from every corner of the country and returning whenever the operetta was included in the programme at a later date. However, on the night of 28 November 1971, when the old opera house went up in flames, the Merry Widow, once again in mourning, disappeared from the stage, as did many operas and musical works. This time, the widow had not only lost her husband, but her whole future. Or so it seemed. When the new Opera House was inaugurated on 10 October 1988, with Ratiba El-Hefny as president, the idea of re-creating the Merry Widow for the new opera's repertoire, was finally realised with the same Arabic translation by Abdel Rahman El Khamissy's, on 14 June 1994. It was directed by Abdel Moneim Kamel, who engaged choreographer Boris Strochekov, while the Cairo Symphony Orchestra was respectively conducted by Alexei Lyudmilin and Mustafa Nagui. The operetta thus found its way back into Cairo's opera house. Once again Ratiba El Hefny was the star of the show, together with Afaf Rady and Iman Mustafa. Count Danilo was interpreted by tenor Hassan Kami, Walid Korayem and Mustafa Mohamed, while Canaan Wasfi returned to the scene as Baron Zeta, together with Youssef Sabbagh. Soprani Taheya Shams El Din, Mona Rafla and Nashwa Ibrahim were cast as Valencienne, while tenors Alfi Milad and George Wanis sang the part of Camille de Rossillon. Thirty-three years had passed, and the stars of the old opera house had been largely replaced by new names, with rising young talents paving their way to glory. The Merry Widow, however, disappeared once again from the Main hall, reappearing only last week in a new production, with splendid new sets and costumes and lovely new dances, though with a somewhat deja-vu air harking back to the 1994 performances. Thirteen years had passed in which the young talents of yesteryear had grown into stars, while the stars of 1994 had disappeared from the stage. Some of them are quite beautiful and promising, while others remain in dire need of a few more years of hard work. From 28 May to 1 June, a new Merry Widow was applauded at the Main Hall, directed by Abdel Moneim Kamel, with the Cairo Opera Orchestra conducted by Nader Abbassi, the Cairo Ballet Company choreographed by Erminia Kamel and the A Cappella Choir directed by Maya Gvinneria. Soprani Iman Mustafa and Nevine Allouba both starred as the Widow but, of the two, Allouba was the merrier. Her lovely soprano gave a richly illuminating account of her feelings for Count Danilo, bringing out all the heartfelt tenderness and evocative beauty of Lehar's melodies. Allouba has a warm, colourful timbre: among her most beautiful songs, everyone loved "Vilja o Vilja", the opening main Aria of Act Two, recounting a traditional, national folk- tale of a maid of the woods and a huntsman's unrequited love for her. Allouba's performance was altogether great. Tenor Walid Korayem and baritone Mustafa Mohamed interpreted Count Danillo, while the two lovely soprani Mona Rafla and Inji Mohsen were cast as Valencienne, who never ceased repeating that she was a faithful wife, while flirting quite vividly with Camille de Rossillon, interpreted by Tamer Tewfik and the young Hisham El Guindy. Valencienne's husband, Baron Zeta, always proud of his faithful wife, was quite nobly performed by bass-baritone Abdel Wahab El Sayed, while baritone Elhamy Amin was an extremely charming and extremely funny Niegus. Clear-voiced Emad Adel, as Bogdanowitsch and as Cascada, was among the numerous fireflies attracted by the merry widow's fortune. He has been cast in many operas, securing, each time, the audience's admiration. Soprano Sara Enany in the role of old Praskowia, with a cane and a limp, is a magnificent comedian with a sparkling voice. She should try to make use of her great vocal and performing qualities: there are quite a number of possibilities on the funny side of Bel Canto and she is undoubtedly the best performer in comedy. For her part Mezzo-soprano Jolie Faizy is turning out to be a stunning performer, a brilliant Silviane. Very elegant, very sophisticated, she is visibly on her way to glory. Another welcome singer was mezzo-soprano Hala El Shaboury in the role of Olga. The two ladies, Silviane and Olga, were among the best-dressed and the best-voiced in the show. This time, however, "The merry widow" came on with beautiful new sets and fantastic costumes reminiscent of My Fair lady at the races, all in Black-and-White, with the ladies of the A Cappella Choir in gorgeous gowns and gigantic hats. Not surprising, since sets and costumes were signed Walid Aouni. The audience would have loved to see more of this fabulous ensemble who should have been granted the opportunity to glide slowly over the catwalk, giving the audience the chance to admire their extraordinary costumes. The white sets with their elaborate, abstract designs, their impressive staircase and different backdrops, exuded elegance and nobility, while the Can-Can, the waltzes, the Hungarian dance and the entire choreography -- signed Ermina Kamel -- was marvellous and perfectly executed. The dancers' costumes were, likewise, quite beautiful, suiting the plot remarkably well and creating an atmosphere of unending festivity. Though in Arabic, the Merry Widow's three acts attracted an important number of foreign guests, who stayed on applauding till the very end. Some nights were more successful than others, some performers better than others, yet the entire show, with all its comedy, Lehar's lovely melodies, a generally remarkable cast and Nader Abbassi's masterfully conducting made for an engaging and extraordinary event, turning this new version of the operetta into a superbly colourful, witty spectacle. Hopefully this time, the Merry Widow will remain faithful to the opera. Everyone loves her and no one wants her to go away.
