Die Zauberflöte Review: Magical Mayhem from Mozart’s Magic Flute at Glyndebourne. | Theatre | Entertainment | EUROtoday

When French-Canadian director-designers André Barbe and Renaud Doucet first produced their model of The Magic Flute at Glyndebourne 5 years in the past, it aroused a lot controversy. The plot, in any case, is the least convincing of all Mozart’s operas however Barbe & Doucet’s therapy intentionally provides to the confusion. The pleasant additions made this time enhance the absurdity, enhancing the astonished pleasure felt by a lot of the viewers.

First, the setting of the opera is modified from a legendary kingdom lengthy, way back to the kitchens of an early twentieth century lodge. The story nonetheless sees Tamino, a Prince, making an attempt to avoid wasting Princess Pamina who’s the kidnapped daughter of the Queen of the Night. Her captor, Sarastro, nevertheless, has been remodeled from the chief of a Masonic brotherhood to the pinnacle chef of the lodge, and his followers are a staff of pastry cooks.

The culinary theme is exploited to the complete, with ovens and giants concocted from kitchen tools enjoying their components within the story, which turns into progressively more unusual. Towards the top, when Tamino and Pamina should bear ordeals by fireplace and water with a purpose to be a part of Sarastro’s brotherhood, the trial by fireplace for Tamino appears to be like quite like a easy expertise take a look at from Masterchef, whereas the trial by water appears nothing greater than a take a look at of Pamina’s washing-up capability.

The outstanding factor is that Mozart’s superb music, performed by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment beneath German conductor Konstantin Trinks, and Schikaneder’s puzzling libretto nonetheless appear to suit what we’re seeing. Even the Queen of the Night’s transformation from villain to early suffragette appears to work, convincing even Sarastro who, like virtually everybody else on the finish, is carrying a ‘Votes for Women’ sash.

With the manufacturing itself grabbing all the eye, the position of the singers appeared diminished, although the forged was wonderful. The American tenor Paul Appleby was a captivating Tamino, American soprano Lauren Snouffer sang the position of Pamina delightfully, British bass James Platt boomed out Sarastro’s low notes with nice authority and Russian baritone Rodion Pogossov added comedian components of his personal as Papageno.

By far the best applause on the finish was given to German soprano Alina Wunderlin who gloriously negotiated her approach across the notoriously excessive notes of the Queen of the Night’s formidable arias regardless of being thrown into the half at solely a few days’ discover when the unique singer was indisposed.

Whenever I encounter an imaginatively authentic manufacturing of a Mozart opera, my evaluation is determined by one query: would Mozart have preferred it?

In the current case, I believe Wolfgang Amadeus may need been somewhat confused initially, however as Barbe & Doucet’s manufacturing gained comedian momentum, I really feel positive he would have been all smiles, and doubtless laughing his head off. Some of the viewers although appeared one thing lower than thrilled by all of it.

The Magic Flute is enjoying at Glyndebourne at numerous dates till 21 June. Box Office: glyndebourne.com or 01273 815 000