It’s one of the most beautiful and infectious melodies ever written, and it forms the emotional climax of Franz Lehár’s 1905 comic operetta, The Merry Widow.
Coming at the end of Act III, Lippen schweigen (“Lips are Silent”) is the duet in which Hanna (The Merry Widow) and Count Danilo express their love for one another. Throughout the operetta, the graceful Viennese melody is woven into the background as a dance piece, foreshadowing the story’s happy resolution. Waltzes of Richard Rodgers, such as Out of My Dreams, bear the influence of Lehár.
Featured Image: English actress Lily Elsie had the starring role in the 1907 London premiere of “The Merry Widow.”
