It is one of the very rare occasions when a Western opera gem has been translated into Arabic and performed on a Cairo stage
On three evenings, 5, 6 and 7 July, the classic operetta The Merry Widow, which was composed by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár, will be performed in Arabic language, at the main hall of the Cairo Opera House.
The Merry Widow libretto was written in German and first performed in 1905 in Vienna to a large success.
In 1961, the late Egyptian soprano Ratiba El-Hefny sang the title role in Cairo's Old Opera House in Arabic.
The operetta kept returning to the stage in Egypt, always receiving remarkable acclaim from the audience.
The experience includes beautiful music and an engaging plot, typical to the operetta spirit, where farce meets romance, and after several incidents where a fan plays an important role, the viewer is treated to a happy ending.
The upcoming production of 'The Merry Widow' will be performed by soloists from the Cairo Opera Company, the Cairo Opera Orchestra conducted by Hisham Gabr, the Cairo Opera Choir with Aldo Magnato as choir master, and the Cairo Opera Ballet Company with the troupe's artistic director Erminia Kamel.
The operetta is directed by Mahdy El-Sayed.
The English translation will be provided during the performances.
Programme:
5, 6 and 7 July, at 8pm
Main Hall, Cairo Opera House, Zamalek
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