The Merry Widow Tickets

Make your way to the magnificent London Coliseum to experience The Merry Widow for yourself, one of the nation's favourite operettas and a deliciously fun plot. What is an operetta? It's basically opera 'light', light in both subject matter and humour. What's the story? Welcome to the Embassy Ball, where the wealthy widow, Hanna Glawari, enjoys leading her many keen suitors in a merry dance.

Hanna loves to flirt, loves to laugh... but the only man she really wants is Danilo, a chap who adores partying, wine and women, and doesn't care about her money. To him, riches are worthless. Hanna's countrymen, in the meantime, are determined to keep Hanna's fortune within the borders of their own nation, and dead set on finding her a husband who will bring about exactly that.

The Merry Widow – Die lustige Witwe in its original German – was written by the popular Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The story is inspired by an 1861 comedy play, L'attaché d'ambassade - The Embassy Attaché, by Henri Meilhac. And, for good reason, it has always been remarkably popular in a world where opera baffles many and leaves plenty of people cold. There have been numerous movie adaptations, too, proof of its wide appeal. 

The score includes a host of well-known songs that you'll probably recognise even if you haven't seen the operetta before, tunes like the Vilja Song, Da geh' ich zu Maxim and, of course, the cheerful, fun Merry Widow Waltz itself.

This is a delightful tale of a woman’s quest for love and the romance that unfolds, hilariously hampered by mishap, intrigue and misadventure. Director Max Webster makes his ENO debut with the production, and the brilliant Estonian conductor Kritiina Poska also makes an ENO debut for the event. Sarah Tynan, no stranger to the ENO, comes back for the second major appearance of the season as Hanna, and Nathan Gunn plays Danilo. Last but not least the ENO legend Andrew Shore plays pompous Zeta to delicious perfection.

Robert Murray plays Camille de Rosillon, Rhian Lois plays Valencienne, Nicholas Lester plays the Vicomte Cascada, and Jamie MacDougall performs as Raoul de St Brioche. The operetta is sung in English, with subtitles projected above the stage so everyone understands the story. 

Who is this show for?
Opera is suitable for everyone, so everyone over aged five is welcome. Children under 5 will not be admitted.