La viuda joven

La viuda joven
Created by	Martín Hahn
Directed by	Yuri Delgado
Starring	Mariángel Ruiz Luis Gerónimo Abreu Verónica Schneider Astrid Carolina Herrera Miguel de León Juan Carlos García Luciano D'Alessandro Sonia Villamizar Iván Tamayo Yelena Maciel Antonio Delli Sheryl Rubio
Theme music composer	Será que tengo la culpa by Chino & Nacho ft Luis Enrique
Country of origin	Venezuela
Original language(s)	Spanish
No. of episodes	141 (Internacional 142)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Romina Peña
Producer(s)	Sandra Rioboo
Location(s)	Caracas
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	42 minutes
Release
First shown in	Venezuela
Original release	March 16 – September 7, 2011
Chronology
Preceded by	La mujer perfecta
Followed by	El árbol de Gabriel
External links
Website

La viuda joven (English: The Young Widow), is a Venezuelan telenovela produced by Venevisión. Created by Martín Hahn,^[1] it stars Mariángel Ruiz and Luis Gerónimo Abreu as the protagonists while Verónica Schneider, Astrid Carolina Herrera and Beba Rojas star as the antagonists.

Plot

"The Young Widow" is about a mysterious woman who has become a celebrity by marrying Baron Von Parker. She has an enormous fortune inherited from her last three husbands. With no known family, the Baroness "Inma Von Parker" is an enigmatic woman of extraordinary beauty that captivates men with incredible magnetism and charm.^[2] Her calm personality and self-control give her the ability to handle all situations around her, but also make her a suspect of having murdered her former husbands; however, nobody has ever been able to prove this. "Alejandro" is a police detective of humble origin, with a bright career in the Homicide Unit. Marked by betrayal, "Alejandro" has remained unmarried because of the woman who left him heartbroken.

"Inma Von Parker" is suspected of orchestrating the death of her fourth husband. The press, the "Humboldt" family, and the Police Force are constantly, almost aggressively, seeking any clues that would finally help to clarify the secret of "The Young Widow" and expose her for the murderer that everybody thinks she is.^[2] The case is assigned to detective "Alejandro Abraham". Here the tragic past that both of them share comes to light. Inma sees her salvation in the man who she once loved, but the detective "Abraham" does not feel the same way any more. "Alejandro" is too hurt, so he takes on the case against the woman who unexpectedly disappeared from his life – leaving him waiting at the church's altar during their wedding celebration- promising to get revenge upon her, and reveal her truly evil face to the world. Despite taking several years to get over the incident, ironically, after nine years, Inma reappears just as he meets "Abril Armas", a charming woman who has renewed his life and reawakened in him the hope of making a home.^[3]

The crime perpetrated against Inma Von Parker's latest husband is a puzzle. Another husband dead. Another case out of which she comes victorious. Everything points to "Inma Von Parker", but there's nothing concrete to incriminate her. Then, several questions rise up in Alejandro's mind, bothering him like a stone in a shoe: is Inmaculada innocent or guilty?.

The Baroness tries to get the detective emotionally wrapped, for she knows that their once great love is also their great enemy. A relationship of love and fear, passion and mistrust. Alejandro is obsessed with finding ways to catch Inmaculada or her accomplice. The detective is about to solve the riddle, but each time a witness can unravel part of the mystery, something happens to them: they vanish, change their minds, or die!

Alejandro has to choose between a passionate love or serene love, a mysterious woman or a devoted wife. Two very different women that will fight a war without truce for the love of the same man.

Characters

• Mariangel Ruiz as Inmaculada Rojas Vda. de Von Parker (Baroness)

Her given name is Inmaculada Rojas, 28, and she is described as tender beautiful as Spanish porcelain. She is a three-time widow when the story begins. The old German baron Hans Von Parker married her, giving fame, assets and power. Within a year, she becomes a widow, one of the youngest attractive widows in the world. And her sister becomes her bitter enemy.

• Luis Gerónimo Abreu as Alejandro Abraham

Alejandro Abraham is a detective in his 30s. He is manly, sarcastic and self-confident. He devotes himself to his profession. Alejandro is stubborn and is forced to choose between two women who love to him. He lives with his father and sister in a cheap, though very cozy, apartment. He is passionate about justice and he will do his best to catch and punish the criminals.^[4] He has never disappointed his father and though he is in love with Inma he aspires to catch and send her to prison.

• Verónica Schneider as Abril Armas (Viuda Negra Maestra)

Abril Armas is a young attractive woman, 28. She is slim and tender. Being a psychologist for the Fund for Women with Premature Pregnancy, she is responsive and kind to her clients. She is the sister of Inma, and protected her until both of them fall in love with the same person. Yet, she always gives a hand to every one in need though she herself lives in a rented apartment.

• Miguel de León as Vespaciano Calderón

Vespasiano Calderón is a man in his 60s with good looks. He is a real gentleman and reputed lawyer. He is the head of Murder Investigation Alliance. He is the father of Josué and Sofía Carlota. He is married to Ivana Humboldt whose family is the owner of the Humboldt chocolate factory. He conceals a great secret. Vespasiano Calderón is a very sexual-appealing man who betrays his wife in their own house.

• Astrid Carolina Herrera as Ivana Humboldt

Ivana is an elegant woman in her 40s who is obedient and gentle in appearance, though from inside she is a real devil. She is the sister of Matías Humboldt and mother of Josué and Sofía Carlota. She holds the power of the family and wants to hold everything in her hands as with the chocolate factory. Ivana loves her husband though she is aware he is a womanizer. She prefers dominating and hates being confronted.

• Luciano De Alessandro as Christian Humboldt

Christian Humboldt is quite an attractive and seductive young man in his 30s. He is a very ambitious and confident person. He is intelligent but selfish and he praises his ego. He is too narcissistic to discredit women who are in love with him. He likes to be in the core of events. He is a major villain and has no principles and moral ethics.

Cast

Reception

• In its final episode La viuda joven was a resounding success and had a 79% viewer share (Of 100 television stations, 79 were tuned to the channel) and 15 points rating. It had been years since Venevision had such a large audience share. Venezuelan audiences were locked in from start to finish to see who was the murderer in this story.^[5]
• In Georgia this telenovela began on June 22, 2011 on Rustavi 2 TV at 19:45. From September 12, it was removed from prime-time to 18:45. After 115 episodes it was rescheduled to weekends at 17:00.
• In Mexico on Cadenatres, the morning schedule was changed from 9am to prime time at 8pm due to the large tuning obtained.
• La Viuda Joven on youtube was most watched in Venezuela, Ecuador and Georgia.

References