Seattle Opera makes ‘Magic’ come to life

  • By Jackson Holtz
  • Sunday, May 8, 2011 6:59pm
  • Life

Strange and marvelous things happen when Tamino plays the flute. Strange beings are beckoned to his tune.
It is, of course, Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” which opened Saturday evening at Seattle Opera.
This is a story that’s too complicated to explain, and the story doesn’t really matter.
It’s a fairy tale with fabulous music and fantastical costumes designed by the legendary Zandra Rhodes (who rushed back during rehearsals to her native England to attend a certain wedding).
Canadian John Tessier was solid as Tamino and soprano Christine Brandes was spot-on as Pamina.Philip Cutlip was delightful as Papgeno, both singing the role and in his physical acting.
But it was Emily Hindrichs who dared sing the role of the Queen of the Night with thrilling arias and a sumptuous costume. Her voice reached high into the rafters of McCaw Hall and, even if her magical powers in the end don’t win, her singing wowed the audience.
Seattle Opera’s new stage production was fine, taking advantage of new technology to engulf the characters in flames and douse them with a huge waterfall.
It was the richly colored and whimsical costumes that made the night special. Seattle Opera chose to play up the comedic nature of the plot and it worked.
Read more about the production in the Herald.
The opera has seven more performances.

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