Opera Queensland's new production of The Magic Flute makes its world première at Brisbane’s Conservatorium Theatre on 12 July before embarking on an eight-centre tour of regional Queensland in August.
The creative collaboration of singer turned director Christine Douglas and set and costume designer Simone Romaniuk places this new interpretation of The Magic Flute under the big top of a 1930s travelling circus where the story’s champion, Tamino, embarks on his quest for love and enlightenment.
“This is my favourite opera and it’s in a league of its own,” Douglas said. “It pulls together a love story, a fight between good and evil, life and death, and a statement of moral and social principles to a triumphant climax. When musing over the concept for this production, I started by asking myself what this collective of archetypal characters most reminded me of, and the answer was a circus. The moral truths in the piece reflect the humanism, fellowship and camaraderie of the circus life, a cult of humanism and equality.”
Douglas’ creative vision for this new work also calls for ‘magical’ elements to feature in the telling of the story. Subsequently, Opera Queensland commissioned renowned Australian illusionist Ross Skiffington to work on these aspects of the production.
A wonderful cast has been assembled to present this new production to Queensland audiences led by Rockhampton-born tenor Christopher Saunders as Tamino and Brisbane soprano Sarah Crane as Pamina. The assorted troupe of circus folk include Jason Barry-Smith and Sara Carvalho as the colourful clowns Papageno and Papagena respectively, Gennadi Dubinsky as the ringmaster Sarastro, Judit Lorincz as the circus’ knife-wielding superstar Queen of Night, Virgilio Marino as the strongman Monostatos and Andrew Collis as the Speaker.
Opera Queensland’s Chorus Master Richard Lewis will make his Australian conducting debut leading the artists, the Opera Queensland Ensemble and The Queensland Orchestra.
“The Magic Flute boasts some of the best-loved music in the repertoire. It will appeal to children and adults alike,” Lewis said. “Conducting this production will be enormous fun. The orchestra will feature an 18th century brass section and baroque timpani. The players are really enjoying the challenge.”
The Magic Flute was Mozart’s final masterpiece and features some of the composer’s greatest music including Pamina’s, ‘Ah, I feel it, it is gone’ (Ach, ich fühl’s, es ist verschwunden) and the Queen of Night’s, ‘Oh, tremble not, my beloved son’ (O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn).
The opera premièred in Vienna on 30 September, 1791 at the Freihaus Theater auf der Wieden with Mozart himself conducting the orchestra. It was a tremendous success and by November of the following year, celebrated its 100th performance. Unfortunately, the composer didn’t live to witness this milestone, having died three months after the opera’s debut.
The Brisbane season of The Magic Flute premieres on Saturday 12 July 2008 and concludes on Saturday 2 August 2008.
Following the Brisbane season, the fully-staged production of The Magic Flute will hit the road with performances on the Gold Coast, in Toowoomba, Maryborough, Rockhampton, Mackay, Ayr, Townsville and Cairns, running from 7 to 23 August 2008. It will be one of the largest productions presented throughout the state.
