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- Lehar, Franz
- Ryden, William
Duration: 4 minutes
Description: The operetta DIE LUSTIGE WITWE (THE MERRY WIDOW) was written in 1905 by Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár (1870-1948), with a libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein. The story tells of a rich widow for whom her countrymen attempt to find her a new husband that will keep her money in the principality. The operetta was successful when it premiered on December 30, 1905, at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, with Lehár conducting, and it has remained a staple of the opera repertoire ever since. One of its most familiar moments, VILJA SONG, is performed by the affluent widow Hanna as she delights her guests with a tale about a woodland fairy who bewitches hunters. This arrangement for string orchestra by William Ryden is an essential addition to any classical music repertoire.