Even without the flutes of bubbly normally featured in Viennese operettas, there are plenty of good reasons the 150-year-old musical genre is dubbed “champagne opera”.
The effervescent delight of the songs, dance, intrigue and lighthearted shenanigans is timeless. But for the 19th-century art form to still hit the spot, it has to sparkle with spontaneity while preserving its classical soul.
Opera Hong Kong’s semi-staged presentation of Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow made for a fun night out – yes, there were champagne flutes on stage – but the dialogue did not pack enough fizz, and the music was short on nostalgic sentiment.
Things kicked off well enough. A punchy rendition of Lehár’s opening gallop provided a peppy precursor to an opulent, action-packed ball complete with lavish gowns and tuxes, graciously hosted by ambassador Baron Mirko Zeta (played by baritone Albert Lim).