Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow): Vilia Song (Vilja-Lied) Cover Image

Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow): Vilia Song (Vilja-Lied): Light Opera, Orchestra Accompaniment, Choral Score

$1.75 USD
$1.75 USD
Skip to product information
Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow): Vilia Song (Vilja-Lied) Cover Image
Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow): Vilia Song (Vilja-Lied): Light Opera, Orchestra Accompaniment, Choral Score

Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow): Vilia Song (Vilja-Lied): Light Opera, Orchestra Accompaniment, Choral Score

By Franz Lehar

Item: 36-A287992
$1.75
Shipped

One moment…

Related Items

Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow): Vilia Song (Vilja-Lied): Light Opera, Orchestra Accompaniment, Score and Parts

$120.00
View

Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow): Vilia Song (Vilja-Lied): Light Opera, Orchestra Accompaniment, Piano Conductor Score

$10.00
View
Description
The operetta DIE LUSTIGE WITWE (THE MERRY WIDOW) was written in 1905 by Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár (1870-1948), with a libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein. The story tells of a rich widow for whom her countrymen attempt to find her a new husband that will keep her money in the principality. The operetta was successful when it premiered on December 30, 1905, at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, with Lehár conducting, and it has remained a staple of the opera repertoire ever since. One of its most familiar moments, VILJA SONG, is performed by the affluent widow Hanna as she delights her guests with a tale about a woodland fairy who bewitches hunters. Instrumentation: 2(2nd dPicc).2.2.2: 4.3.3.0: Timp.Perc(5): Hp: Str (4.4.3.3.3 in set): Chor: Solo Sop. Reprint edition.

Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow): Vilia Song (Vilja-Lied): Light Opera, Orchestra Accompaniment, Choral Score isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Pages

No sample pages found.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Opera Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 8-89-270566-0
ISBN13: 979-8-89-270566-0
UPC: 659359987076
SKU: 36-A287992
Instrumentation: 2(2nd dPicc).2.2.2: 4.3.3.0: Timp.Perc(5): Hp: Str (4.4.3.3.3 in set): Chor: Solo Sop.

More about this title

About the Composer: Franz Lehar

Franz Lehár (1870-1948) was an Austro-Hungarian composer whose gift for melody and orchestration made him one of the most performed operetta composers of the 20th century. Born in Komárom (now Komárno, Slovakia), he studied at the Leipzig Conservatory and built a career as both a conductor and composer, eventually settling in Vienna where he became the leading figure of the silver age of operetta.

Lehár's mastery lay in blending Romantic lyricism with the dance rhythms and comedic timing that operetta demands. His works remain central to the repertoire because they reward both singers and orchestras with music that sits comfortably in the voice while offering orchestral color and sophistication.

Why we love this

The Vilja Song stands as one of operetta's most distinctive soprano showpieces, combining intimate storytelling with genuine vocal beauty. Directors choose this excerpt because it delivers immediate musicality and audience recognition without requiring full operetta staging, making it ideal for concert programming, recital showcases, or competition performance.

What to expect

The Vilja Song unfolds like a gentle enchantment, its flowing melody evoking moonlit forests and romantic reverie. The orchestration wraps the soprano voice in warmth and shimmer, with delicate harp and string textures creating an atmosphere that is both intimate and theatrical, nostalgic yet eternally fresh.

Who it's for

Soprano soloists seeking a charming, vocally rewarding concert piece that showcases lyricism and storytelling ability. Light opera companies, community theater orchestras, and educational ensembles performing operetta scenes or cabaret-style concert programs will find this excerpt both accessible and satisfying.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the melody with the arc of Hanna's narrative: the fairy tale unfolds gradually, so resist pushing the tempo forward in the opening phrases and allow the soprano space to color each phrase with character.
  • Balance the solo soprano voice with a light orchestral touch in the accompaniment, particularly in the opening measures; this piece lives in the interplay between vocal line and orchestral detail rather than dramatic weight.
  • Mark the harp part clearly in rehearsal, as it provides harmonic foundation and rhythmic direction that supports both the vocal line and the string accompaniment.
  • Attend to the clarity of woodwind voicings, especially the first flute and oboe lines, which often shadow or complement the soprano's melody and require precision in both tuning and rhythmic placement.

How to use it

Program this as a recital centerpiece or as part of an operetta gala that celebrates the lighter, more songlike side of opera. It pairs naturally with other Lehár excerpts or works from the Austro-Hungarian operetta canon, and its narrative simplicity makes it effective as a stand-alone concert moment that needs no elaborate staging.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing sustained legit soprano lines with control and breath management
  • Dramatic phrasing and character storytelling within a lyrical context
  • Balancing vocal production with orchestra while maintaining clarity of text and melodic shape
  • Understanding the harmonic language and rubato expectations of early 20th-century European light opera

You May Also Like