The Merry Widow

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Glyndebourne 2024 season

The Evening Standard "Cal McCrytal brings Hollywood glamour to this stylish revival. There are genuinely funny moments throughout, while it also captures the heartache that makes The Merry Widow the masterpiece it is"
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Daily Express "Turning a 1905 German operetta into something that will be enjoyed by a British audience poses a problem for any director, but Glyndebourne have solved it magnificently by asking Cal McCrystal to take on the task and giving free reign to his glorious comic talent."
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The Telegraph "To direct it they have chosen the current man of the moment for G&S at English National Opera: Cal McCrystal, whose HMS Pinafore and Iolanthe have been runaway successes there."
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

The Observer "A witty, sparkling new production of Léhar's masterpiece... Versatile in film, theatre and circus as well as opera, McCrystal, whose Iolanthe was a recent hit at English National Opera, pours his versatility into this staging and no point asking for less."

The Stage "As with his operetta stagings for English National Opera – HMS Pinafore and Iolanthe – McCrystal goes full steam ahead for comedy in a piece that also has its sentimental side."
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

iNews "Everything has been thrown at this snazzy, frothy tunefest; direction by comedy king Cal McCrystal, conducting by the multiple award-winning John Wilson, and utterly glorious designs by Gary McCann."
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Financial Times "Danielle de Niese is bright-eyed and charismatic in Cal McCrystal's crowd-pleasing production. A high-octane comedy show, more McCrystal than Lehár, but very slick and giving 120 per cent towards hitting every funny bone in the body. This audience loved it, which is possibly recommendation enough."
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Bachtack "Merriment aplenty in Cal McCrystal's Merry Widow at Glyndeboure. This could well be a hit for Glyndebourne for years to come.."
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Opera Today "Glamour & Gaiety in Glyndebourne's freshly minted Merry Widow. This year's unmissable treat."

The Guardian Photo Essay
Gramophone Magazine Interview

Creative team

Conductor
John Wilson
Lee Reynolds (26 July)

Director
Cal McCrystal

Designer
Gary McCann

Choreographer
Carrie-Anne Ingrouille

Lighting Designer
Ben Cracknell

Assistant Conductor
Lee Reynolds

Associate Director
Tom Mallaburn

Assistant Director
Fiona Dunn

Associate Choreographer
Freya Sands

Senior Coach
Sergey Rybin

Repetiteurs
Kate Golla
Ashok Gupta

London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Glyndebourne Chorus
Chorus Director Aidan Oliver
Assistant Chorus Director Avishka Edirisinghe

Cast includes

Vicomte Cascada: Alex Otterburn

Baron Mirko Zeta: Thomas Allen

Raoul de St Brioche: Innocent Masuku

Kromov: Michael Wallace

Valencienne: Soraya Mafi

Comte Camille de Rosillon: Michael McDermott

Njegus: Tom Edden

Pritschitsch: John Mackenzie-Lavansch

Hanna Glawari: Danielle de Niese

Praskovia: Melissa Gregory

Sylviana: Emily Hodkinson

Olga: Rachel Taylor

Count Danilo Danilovitsch: Germán Olvera

Dancer: Erin Baig

Dancer: Wednesday Houghton

Dancer: Jaide Jeffrey

Dancer: Phoebe Jones

Dancer: Helen Rose

Dancer: Katie Whitcombe

VIDEO Trailer

BBC VIDEO Trailer

VIDEO Hanna Glawari Entrance

YEAR
2024