Toronto Operetta Theatre’s New Year’s offering is Imre Kalman’s Czardas Princess.  It’s lively and tuneful and not overly serious being basically a succession of Austro-Hungarian Empire stereotypes.  To whit Prince Somebody von und zu Wherever-Etcetera is in love with a Hungarian cabaret singer with an unpronounceable name from a pig rearing village with an equally dubious moniker when he’s supposed to be marrying his countess cousin.  All the usual s/he loves, s/he loves me not plus parental disapproval play out until a shocking revelation.  So the Prince gets his girl and his cousin gets a Hungarian count (probably a somewhat richer pig farmer) as a consolation prize.  They all live happily ever after, or at least until 1914.

It’s really very well done.  Guillermo Silva-Marin’s production is colourful and lively with plenty of eye candy for all tastes.  The singer; Sylvia Varescu, is played by Maeve Palmer who sings beautifully and moves even better.  She’s also quite an affecting actor.  My only regret is that there really wasn’t any opportunity for her to show off her coloratura skills.

She’s well matched by TOT regular Scott Rumble as Prince Edwin von Lippert-Weylersheim.  He looks the part and sings and dances very well.  The duets with his leading lady are particularly good.  The other romantic pairing is Sebastian Belcourt as Count Bonifazius Kancsianu and  Patricia Wrigglesworth as Countess Anastasia.  Both are young, tall and have attractively bright voices they work extremely well together particularly in their dance numbers.

The von Lippert-Weylersheim parents are played by Handaya Rusli, who is properly pompous as the father, and Meghan Symon as his consort; also a bit snooty; at least until her dreadful secret is revealed.  The minor roles are well cast using, mainly, the usual TOT gang and there’s a lively chorus of, well, chorus girls.

It’s playing in Nigel Douglas’ English version so there are no surtitles and they really aren’t needed.  There’s lots of spoken dialogue and the singing diction is good.  Suitably idiomatic accompaniment is provided by a ten piece ensemble conducted by Derek Bate.

It’s a fun piece and a lively, well sung production.  The voices and the band are suitably scaled for the relatively intimate Jane Mallett Theatre so balance is never an issue.  It’s a typical example of TOT “on form” and anyone who fancies some musical froth to go with the holiday bubbles will not be disappointed.

There are three more performances at the Jane Mallett Theatre; January 2nd at 7.30pm and January 3rd and 4th at 3pm.

Photo credit: Gary Beechey, BDS Studios