Philadelphia Ballet The Merry Widow Review
March 6, 2026 | Academy of Music – Philadelphia, PA, USA
From the first notes of Philadelphia Ballet’s production of The Merry Widow, the theater shimmered with the energy of a Parisian fête.
Champagne flutes gleamed, feathered hats towered, and long silk gloves caught the light. When the curtain rose on the marble staircase, an audible murmur passed through the audience.
All of this happened the same day that Timothée Chalamet, the Academy Award–nominated actor known for films like Call Me By Your Name and Dune, made flippant, thoughtless remarks about ballet and opera that quickly went viral. Ballet and opera demand rare skill, subtlety, and years of dedication, qualities that do not always translate outside the field.
For those of us in the theater that night, it was clear exactly what he was missing.
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Philadelphia Ballet The Merry Widow Review
Under the baton of Beatrice Jona Affron, the orchestra carried Franz Lehár’s waltzes, polkas, marches, and gallops with buoyant energy that seemed to lift the dancers and audience alike higher and higher.
You feel that spirit everywhere in this production.
The story is simple and deliciously theatrical. How can a widow be merry, you ask? On stage, every turn, lift, and leap bursts with life, joy, and irresistible energy.
Hanna, a wealthy widow, must marry wisely or risk sending her fortune abroad. Danilo, her former lover, is tasked with keeping her heart close to home.
Lehár’s operetta, Die lustige Witwe, becomes pure dance in Ronald Hynd’s choreography, where glances, spins, and pauses carry the narrative. Ballrooms, gardens, and restaurants become arenas for flirtation, rivalry, and misunderstanding, with waltzes, polkas, and folk dances woven seamlessly into the story.
Cuban-born Mayara Pineiro’s Hanna is radiant. Technically precise and remarkably quick, she also dances with an expansive richness that spills beyond the stage. Her chemistry with Sterling Baca’s Danilo is unmistakable.
Baca is back (from injury), and he plays the famously drunken Danilo with irresistible charm, leaning fully into comic bravado without sacrificing elegance. Their lifts are smooth, the pas de deux generous, the connection unmistakable.
Ashton Roxander’s Camille brings strength, control, and presence to the role of the “other man.” He avoids caricature, creating a believable rival whose tension with Valencienne adds real emotional depth to the comedy.
Roxander is a force – technically masterful, like Russell Ducker as Njegus, yet equally adept at authentic character-building. Not all dancers can do this (just as not all actors can dance, right, Timmy?)
But this cast can, making The Merry Widow a perfect blend of technical excellence, theatrical honesty, and heart.
And speaking of comedy: Yuka Iseda’s Valencienne is a revelation. She is the heart of the evening’s comic relief, yet her struggle is utterly believable. You feel her longing, her panic, and her conflicted desire for another man – Camille – while she constantly glances over her shoulder, juggling social expectation and personal feeling.
The quality of her movement is exquisite: buttery, smooth, and deceptively effortless. Her comedic timing lands perfectly, but the emotional truth beneath every gesture keeps her fully human. You root for her, laugh with her, and feel her dilemma intimately.
Poor Baron Zeta, played by Charles Askegard, graciously endures the chaos of a young wife in love with someone else, adding to the humor and tension.
The corps de ballet, under Angel Corella’s leadership, is a highlight. These dancers carry the sweeping ballroom scenes that define The Merry Widow, moving with precision, musicality, and theatrical energy. During the waltzes, the stage seems almost too small to contain the movement.
The power behind the male partnerships is particularly striking, with lifts that appear effortless and partnering that feels secure and expansive.
The ensemble reinforces the world of the ballet, creating the sense of a vibrant society surrounding the central love story.
Philadelphia Ballet has not only become my home company; it has quickly grown into my favorite.
There is something deeply rich and human about this cast, an authenticity that shines through even in the grandest moments. Seeing that humanity unfold within such opulent staging makes the experience extraordinary.
The design is deserving of its own ovation. Marble staircases, glowing Art Nouveau lanterns, and a sparkling Eiffel Tower evoke Paris at the turn of the century.
Costumes shimmer in emerald, ivory, deep blue, and black, crystals catching the stage lights. Towering feathered hats and long silk gloves lend the evening decadent elegance. Ensemble numbers pulse with life, from the sweeping ballroom waltzes to a high-energy can-can that electrifies the stage.
The richness of the evening is perhaps best captured by company pianist Jenny Chen:
“Every phrase responds to movement. Every step shapes the sound. It is about listening and creating something alive together. That is what makes The Merry Widow so special.”
That living dialogue between music and motion is palpable in every scene. The score by Franz Lehár and choreography by Ronald Hynd spiral together like a grand waltz.
Within that swirl of music and movement lies the full spectrum of human emotion: longing, heartbreak, desire, passion, disappointment, jealousy. Comedy and romance exist side by side, each sharpening the other.
After the curtain fell, I spoke with a few dancers. It was immediately clear how much they loved moving through this world and embodying these characters. That kind of joy cannot be manufactured. You see it in the way the ensemble breathes together, the way the stage seems to glow with genuine delight.
There was never a flat or dull movement. I did not trail off in thought for a single second. I was locked in the entire time, absorbed completely by a score and movement so intertwined that they leave no room for escape. It is that gorgeous. That magnificent.
And that makes all the difference.
This is a ballet for everyone.
I want everyone to see The Merry Widow.
Truly. Even you, Timothée Chalamet.
Featured Photo of Philadelphia Ballet‘s Mayara Pineiro and Sterling Baca in Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev.
