The Merry Widow
Gallery II: Act II
Compiled by John Kenrick
Most of the photos below depict The Merry Widow's original West End cast -- the final one is of the NY production. They are in thumbnail form – to see them full size, give a click! Some of them may take a few moments to download. These photos come from the author's personal archive. (For a note on rights for photos used on this site, please click here.)
 Act
II: The next night, Sonia throws a
Marsovian party at her Paris mansion. In native costumes, she and Danilo
continue their flirtatious game -- it is not clear who will be the
winner. |
 Thinking he is spying on Sonia in her garden pavilion,
Baron Popoff discovers his supposedly virtuous young wife Natalie kissing a French
playboy. Here reveals his discovery to Nish and Danilo. |
 Nish quickly gets Sonia to step into the pavilion and take Natalie's place.
Not wasting a tactical opportunity, Sonia announces that she and Camille are
engaged, shocking everyone -- including a clueless Camille. |
 Heartbroken that Sonia might marry someone else, Danilo tells her the
fable of a prince embittered by a fickle woman -- insisting the story has
no relation to his feelings. He heads off to Maxim's -- and a delighted
Sonia realizes he still loves her. |
 Act III: In Maxim's, Nish takes part in the evening's
entertainment. |
 Casting off his unfaithful wife Natalie, Baron Popoff tries to save the day by
proposing marriage to Sonia! She politely refuses, and Popoff swiftly reconciles with his deceiving wife. |
 Sonia and Danilo finally admit their mutual love, and the entire ensemble
celebrates. This is the finale of the original New York production --
which at least bore a minimal resemblance to the real Maxim's. |