"The Magic Flute" is an opera composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1791. It tells the story of Prince Tamino, who sets off on a journey to rescue Princess Pamina from the clutches of the evil Queen of the Night. Along the way, Tamino is given a magical flute and is accompanied by a comedic bird-catcher named Papageno. Together, they face numerous trials and tribulations, including overcoming the the Queen's three dangerous trials and outwitting the nefarious sorcerer Sarastro. The opera combines elements of fairy tales, comedy, and magic to create a whimsical and captivating story. It also explores themes of love, enlightenment, and the pursuit of wisdom.
It also explores themes of love, enlightenment, and the pursuit of wisdom. The character of Papageno provides comic relief and serves as a contrast to the more serious and noble Prince Tamino. One of the standout pieces from the opera is the Queen of the Night's aria, "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" (Hell's vengeance boils in my heart).
Mozart's 'The Magic Flute' as a portal, at The Met Opera & beyond
I distinctly remember the first time I heard the vengeance aria, “Der Hölle Rache,” from Mozart’s The Magic Flute. It was during Miloš Forman’s film adaptation of Peter Shaffer’s play Amadeus in 1984, at what is now Bryn Mawr Film Institute. Wolfie’s mother-in-law starts berating him for not being a good provider, and her anger morphs into a performance of the opera as the Queen of the Night urges her daughter Pamina to slay Sarastro. The effect on my 16-year-old ear, brain, and soul was magical. The glittering, bell-like qualities of soprano June Anderson’s voice literally took my breath away. I’d never heard anything like it. The aria was a pivotal entry point for me into the world of opera.
The opera is such a great onramp for new and younger audiences to opera that The Metropolitan Opera used it to inaugurate its holiday opera offerings in 2006 with Julie Taymor’s spectacular production in a family-friendly 100-minute abridgement in English. The Met continues to offer that production during the holidays, retiring it from use beyond December performances.
In its place is director Simon McBurney’s acclaimed 2012 Dutch National Opera production, which will be heard this Saturday, June 3 at 1 p.m. on 90.1FM WRTI or at wrti.org as part of the Toll Brothers - Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network. If past productions of the opera at The Met by Marc Chagall (1967), David Hockney (1991) and Taymor (2004) were brilliantly colorful, McBurney’s production may seem dark — but it emphasizes the opera’s music-theater roots.
The Met OperaThe Magic Flute premiered at the Theater auf der Wieden, Vienna in 1791. Its composer had known the theater’s founder, Emanuel Schikeneder, since about 1780, when Schikeneder befriended the Mozart family during a stay in Salzburg. Schikeneder was highly regarded for his theatrical skills, and was one of the most-renowned German-language interpreters of the role of Hamlet in his day.
The Theater auf der Wieden performed plays, operas and singspiels; Schickeneder had an uncanny sense for what audiences wanted and liked. He worked with Mozart on the allegorical, Masonic-themed plot for The Magic Flute, which would feature actors from the Theater troupe that could sing, and opera singers who Mozart knew intimately. The role of the Queen of the Night was played by Mozart’s sister-in-law; Tamino was played by one of his best friends; and the part of Pamina, who was only 17 at the time, had premiered the role of Barbarina in The Marriage of Figaro when she was merely 12! The opera was a spectacular success with 100 performances within 14 months of its premiere. But Mozart did not live to see this success, dying just over two months after the opera’s premiere.
If Mozart and Schickeneder captured the imagination of Vienna’s audiences with the opera’s fantastical elements and extraordinary music, Simon McBurney’s production brings the audience into the work by breaking the fourth wall with musicians coming out of the pit to play Tamino’s flute and Papageno’s chimes, raising the orchestra pit so that the players are easily visible throughout the performance, and starting the overture with the house lights still on. Costumes bring us into the story, too, with the cast in recognizably contemporary clothing that illuminate their characters — from the businessman Sarastro, the elderly wheelchair-bound Queen of the Night, and Pamina in athleisure wear.
For all its allegory, Flute has problematic elements today. Act I tells us that the Queen of the Night is good and Sarastro is bad, yet in Act II we confusingly learn the opposite is true.The opera treats the Moorish character of Monastatos with racist overtones that are downplayed or ignored today. And the libretto is decidedly misogynistic: at one point, Sarastro tells Pamina that “A man must guide your heart, for without that, every woman tends to overstep her natural sphere.” But aside from any dramaturgical or content challenges, McBurney sees the story as a fairy tale, a flight of the imagination, and more.
Still, at the heart of any Flute is its music. It is a work of musical extremes, from the aforementioned Queen of the Night’s Aria,with its vocal acrobatics, to Tamino’s noble utterances and Papageno’s earthy comedic moments. Within those extremes is a central musical energy of profound goodness and love. We can hear that in Pamina’s duet with Papageno in Act I, “Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen” (In men, who feel love) and in Sarastro’s profundo “In diesen heil'gen Hallen.” (Within these sacred halls.) The intensity of Pamina’s love for Tamino is easily sensed when she fears that all might be lost between them in “Ach, ich fühl's, es ist verschwunden.” (Ah, I feel it, it is vanished).
There are undeniable riches in Mozart’s final opera. The cast for this performance could not be bettered, with Lawrence Brownlee (Tamino), Erin Morley (Pamina), Thomas Oliemans (Papageno), and Stephen Milling (Sarastro). Soprano Kathryn Lewek has sung the Queen of the Night at The Met more than any other soprano in the company’s history. She took to YouTube to share a little bit about the role and this production.
And if the Queen’s vengeful aria was a pivotal entry point for me into the world of opera, it is certainly familiar to many on Earth — and beyond: soprano Edda Moser’s iconic dramatic-soprano interpretation was the only recorded opera excerpt to be included in a collection of music from Earth on the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft. Maybe extraterrestrials will fall in love with Mozart, too!
The production mixes projections, physical comedy, aerial and sound effects, and choreography to riveting effect. A central element of the set is what The Guardian has described as a “wobbling, tilting, swinging, hovering platform,” creating “a visual metaphor for humanity in crisis.” It’s also important to McBurney to let the audience in on the theatrical magic. For example, there’s a Foley sound artist on stage, working to create effects in a structure that critics reviewing the production have likened to a kitchenette. The orchestra gets involved, too. The pit is raised high enough to bring certain players into the action, as when Papageno interacts with the celesta player during his endearing second aria.
Known for its demanding vocal range and high notes, it is one of the most famous arias in the operatic repertoire. "The Magic Flute" has remained popular throughout the years and continues to be performed in opera houses around the world. It is beloved for its beautiful music, engaging story, and timeless themes. It showcases Mozart's mastery of composition and his ability to create music that is both profound and entertaining. The opera's combination of fantasy, comedy, and drama appeals to a wide audience, making it accessible to both opera enthusiasts and newcomers alike..
Reviews for "The enchanting melodies produced by the magic flute"
1. Emily - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "The Magic Flute Met". The storyline was confusing and hard to follow, and the music didn't captivate me like I thought it would. The characters felt flat and the acting seemed forced at times. Overall, it just didn't live up to the hype for me.
2. Daniel - 1/5 - I couldn't wait for "The Magic Flute Met" to be over. The whole opera felt like a never-ending bore. The singing was off-key, and the set design was lackluster. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and found myself checking my watch throughout the entire performance. It's safe to say that I won't be recommending this to anyone.
3. Sarah - 2/5 - I had high expectations for "The Magic Flute Met", but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The music was beautiful, but I found the plot to be convoluted and confusing. The costumes and set design were underwhelming, and I couldn't really immerse myself in the world of the opera. It just didn't leave a lasting impression on me like I was hoping it would.
4. Jason - 3/5 - "The Magic Flute Met" wasn't terrible, but it didn't blow me away either. The singing was good, but the pacing felt off, and the opera seemed unnecessarily long. The production value was decent, but I expected more from such a renowned performance. It's not something I would actively seek out to watch again, but I didn't hate it either.
5. Rachel - 2/5 - I had heard great things about "The Magic Flute Met", but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The storyline felt disjointed and hard to follow, and I struggled to connect with any of the characters. The music was fine, but overall, the opera didn't leave a lasting impact on me. I was left feeling underwhelmed and wishing for more.