Prince Tamino conquers all odds to be wise and to rescue Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night.
Director: Sue Judd
Conductor: Sir Colin Davis
Time: unspecified but roughly about the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses I
Place: Egypt
First performance at Vienna, September 30, 1791
This production set the time during the Age of Enlightenment, with the weird exception of Papagena dressing in 1960's mini-skirt (which is extra weird, since the lyrics talk about her being old, and she's not, nor does she get a moment to discard her old-ugly disguise after Papageno accepts her.)
This production is highly rated, and reviewers talk about it being their favorite production of the many they've seen. I don't get it, but maybe I don't like the opera. I have vague memories of seeing a tv production long ago with colorful costumes, but maybe it was the segments within Amadeus ('84).
This production is not colorful, except when we first meet Sarastro and the set is bright red.
I have another production with K.Battle as Pamina that I haven't watched yet. It's rating is lower and has fewer votes. It's about 20min shorter, which is part of the problem here: too long. And with this long an opera, you could pick up 20min just by picking up the pace.
Perhaps my rating will improve when I become more familiar with the opera. I have a Great Course on Operas of Mozart, and 8 of the 24 45min lectures are on The Magic Flute. I'll wait to detail any more negativity until a second viewing.
Cast:
TAMINO, an Egyptian prince Tenor : Will Hartmann
PAPAGENO, a birdcatcher Baritone : Simon Keenlyside
SARASTRO, High Priest of Isis and Osiris Bass : Franz-Josef Selig
THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT Soprano : Diana Damrau
PAMINA, her daughter Soprano : Dorothea Röschmann
MONOSTATOS, chief of the temple slaves Tenor : Adrian Thompson
PAPAGENA Soprano : Ailish Tynan
THREE LADIES-IN-WAITING TO THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT Two Sopranos and a Mezzo-soprano
THREE GENII OF THE TEMPLE Two Sopranos and a Mezzo-soprano
THE ORATOR Bass
TWO PRIESTS Tenor and Bass
TWO MEN IN ARMOR Tenor and Bass
Rated 9.1 (119)
Royal Opera & more, cond. Davis; 6
