Outside of the Metropoloitan Opera, I saw advertisements for another opera, The Magic Flute. The Magic Flute is a performance that the Met brings back each year for the holiday season. It is a 100 minute show sung in English, something that they advertise as an event that the whole family can enjoy.
The opera, as you could guess, takes place in a mythical land. In the opera, the queen’s daughter, Pamina, has gone missing and is enslaved by the evil Sarastro. Tamino believes he is in love with Pamina and he sets forth on a mission to rescue her. He is given a magic flute to take on his journey, and his friend/companion is given a pair of silver bells; both to ensure their safety. There is a twist in the plot when Tamino finds out that the Queen is actually evil and Sarastro is the nice one and he faces several obstacles in his journey to Pamina. In the end, Pamina and Tamino are blessed by Sarastro and they all are joyful for the triumph of courage, virtue, and wisdom. For a complete synopsis, click here.
Just as Cosi Fan Tutte featured music by Mozart, so does the Magic Flute. And just as the music, singing, and set were spectacular, I suspect the same will be for this opera. On the Met’s website, there are several videos from the production and they are amazing. The costumes are so intricate and in each video, you can see how the mood and the stage is set according to the music performed. Here is a link to view the videos, I suggest you watch The Queen of the Night’s Aria- the second video.
The Magic Flute is…. magical, to be sure. This production makes it even more so. I’ve seen this Julie Taymore production (she also did the costumes and sets for Lion King and Spider Man on Broadway.) It is rather spectacular.