palm beach Opera presents Franz Lehár’s charming “The Merry Widow” at the Kravis Center from March 25-27, featuring International artistsglamorous decors and a scintillating score.

From March 25-27, sparks will fly in PBO’s final mainline opera of the 60th anniversary season, “The Merry Widow,” a bubbly operetta set against the backdrop of opulent Paris. Praised for its “lush” and “eye-catching” sets by critics nationwide, Utah Opera’s Art Deco-inspired production was celebrated for its lavish sets and lighting design nationwide. One of the most performed operettas in the repertoire, the fiery “Merry Widow” depicts love, comedy, dance and spectacle.

Ward Stare, who has conducted performances of “The Merry Widow” at the Metropolitan Opera and Vancouver Opera, will make his PBO debut as a conductor and lead the palm beach Opera Orchestra. The acclaimed group of musicians was recently hailed as “brilliant” by Opera News for their performance in PBO’s “Carmen.” Helen Binderwho helmed PBO’s “Il barbiere di Siviglia” in 2020, returns to direct the Art Deco-inspired production.

Recognized for her “clear and brilliant soprano” by The Observer, Jennifer Rowley, who has performed in renowned opera houses around the world, will make her debut at palm beach Opera like Hanna. A graduate of San Francisco’s multi-year Adler Fellowship program and last seen at the PBO as Figaro in “Il barbiere di Siviglia” in 2020, Andrew Manea returns as Danilo.

Hailed as “exquisite” by The Guardian, Elizabeth Sutphen will make her PBO debut as Valencienne. Season 19-20 PBO Benenson Young Artist Duke Kim, who is currently a member of the Cafritz Young Artist Program at Washington National Opera, will return to perform as Camille de Rossillon. With over 500 performances at the Metropolitan Opera behind him, Dwayne Croft, who performed the title role in PBO’s 2002 production of “Don Giovanni,” will return as Baron Zeta. In another first performance from the company, Ralph Daniel Rawe, a longtime Cirque du Solei performer and former cast member of New York’s La Gran Scena Opera Company, will sing the role of Njegus.

“We are thrilled to follow up on our critically acclaimed ‘Elixir of Love’ with ‘The Merry Widow’, especially with such an elegant and immersive production,” said the General and Artistic Director. David Walker. “Lehár’s best-known operetta is a comedic delight and will provide a memorable close to our historic 60th anniversary season.”

“The Merry Widow” will be sung in English with English surtitles projected above the stage. Single tickets start at $25 and are available at pbopera.org and at the Kravis Center. Starting March 18, the Kravis Center will no longer require proof of vaccination, negative test results, or masks. palm beach Opera encourages customers who feel more comfortable wearing a mask to do so. For more information, visit pbopera.org and pbopera.org/faq or call the box office at 561-833-7888.

palm beach Opera is dedicated to producing live opera at an international level of excellence, enriching the lives of the communities it serves with a diverse offering of educational programs, and nurturing the next generation of stars of the opera. Founded in 1961, the fully professional company palm beach Opera presents main stage performances at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West palm beach and is a proud member of OPERA America and the Cultural Council of palm beach County.