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Lotfi Mansouri's spectacular last production as General Director of The San Francisco Opera with Yvonne Kenny making her debut in the title role, new dialogue specially commissioned from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Wendy Wasserstein and an original ballet to set the scene ‘Chez Maxime’ bringing fresh in into Lehár's classic operetta. This production also features another world premiere, Njegus's song, ‘Quite Parisian’. Filmed in High Definition. Press Reviews "It would be hard to imagine a more extravagant production of The Merry Widow than Lofti Mansouri's for the San Francisco Opera, recorded live on this DVD in December 2001...Yvonne Kenny as the heroine not only sings beautifully but is both vivacious and provocative. Bo Skovhus makes a handsome Danilo, determined not to be putty in her hands, and their final reconciliation to the Merry Widow Waltz could not be more moving." (The Penguin Guide) "Rarely does the opera stage fill the small screen so lavishly." (Philadelphia Enquirer) "...visually beautiful, highly energetic...unforgettable music" (Dallas Morning News) "Michael Yeargan's glamorous and beautifully-wrought designs and Thierry Bosquet's extravagant costumes. We see all too little of this kind of splendour in these cash-strapped days." (Opera) "Recorded live in San Fransisco in December 2001, this is about as lavish a production of Franz Lehár's adorable operetta as you are ever likely to see...soprano Yvonne Kenny is perfectly cast in the title role." (Classic fM) Cast Yvonne Kenny (Anna Glawari) Bo Skovhus (Count Danilo Danilovitch) Angelika Kirchschlager (Valencienne) Gregory Turay (Camille, Count de Rosillon) San Francisco Ballet Orchestra; Erich Kunzel Production Company: San Francisco Opera Stage Director: Lotfi Mansouri Disc Information Catalogue Number: OA0837D Date of Performance: 2001 Running Time: 188 minutes Sound: Dolby Surround; Dolby Stereo Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic Subtitles: FR, DE, ES Label: Opus Arte