Probably the best-known song from The Merry Widow arranged for choir and piano by Peter Lawson. The Merry Widow is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehar with libretto by Viktor Leon & Leo Stein and English words by Adrian Ross. The story concerns a rich widow of Pontevedro (a poverty-stricken Balkan state), and her countrymen's attempt to keep her money in the principality by finding her the right husband. It was based on an 1861 comedy play, L'attache d'ambassade (The Embassy Attache) by Henri Meilhac.
Vilia (or Vilja) means "the maid of the woods" and is sung in Act 2 of the operetta by Hanna Glawari (the wealthy widow) at a party to celebrate the birthday of the sovereign, the Grand Duke.
- ISMN: 9790222311800 (M222311800)
