Mozart - Die Zauberflöte / Keenlyside, Roschmann, Hartmann, Damrau, Selig, Allen, Sir Colin Davis, Covent Garden

Rating:
Summary: Not the one to go if you are to own only one magic flote DVD
Review: This DVD may be enjoyed by those who have seen the magic flute more than 10 times and are very familiar with so-to-say typical expression, style, etc. Music/singers are excellent, and there are a lot of modern innovation that could be praised (though to me many of them are negative). But to those who have listened CD, possibly have seen video or DVD once or twice, and buying this DVD for the first time, it will be a very disappointing purchase. It is just very different from what you would expect. And if you were to own just one DVD or VHS of the magic flute in your collection, this cannot be the one to go.

First, you will be shocked to find that the interesting conversation between Papageno and Tamino are cut out. Later also dialogue between Papageno and Monostatos is cut. The latter one really cut off one interesting scene from the play. I didn't notice all the other changes one by one, but we got an impression that it is largely cut and altered, and it is somehow losing essential elements of this opera.

The costumes are also shocking.
Tamino is dressed like a factory worker in early 20c rather than a prince in 17-18c. Papageno is like that, with a knit vest with ducks printed: while he sings "I will be plucked..." he does not have any feathers. He just wears a hat with a bird's head and wings sticking out, this is the only thing he wears as a "bird man".
Sarastro is dressed like a pirate rather than a mystic leader of secret organization.
Papagena is dressed like a modern-day prostitute with a regular fur coat on sexy dress with sun-glasses, and does not look like 80yr old at all from the beginning. She just looks like a crazy girl. She just takes her coat off when she becomes an 18yr old girl.
Monostatos: I think his appearance is related to the fact that they cut the dialogue: his face is painted all white and whiter than Papageno. So the scene of Papageno and Monostatos getting scared of each other, as Monostatos being black, Papageno being like a bird, is completely altered and reduced to a nonsensical scene. It might be due to political incorrectness, but cutting only this does not make sense since whole opera is politically incorrect anyway.
Three boys:they are really boys and they sing very well. Actually I bought this DVD because the other one (by a scandinavian group) used women for the boys. They dress like school boys. Not angelic at all.
The queen of night and three women are OK. They reminded me of Kabuki. Somehow all of them are always very tense.

As a summary for the costumes, I would say it is very down to earth. This opera is supposed to be a fairly tale, but the costumes contribute to anything but that.

I would like to comment on some positive things about this product besides the quality of music. Papageno's physical action is remarkable and funny. (I will not explain it here so that you could be surprised) Also animals (especially the bird and the dragon in the beginning) are cute and nice. And the model of the sun was good; they even got black spots on it.

Overall, if this was a CD of a collection of arias from the magic flute, it will be truthful and excellent quality. But if you have a DVD version called the magic flute, the visual effect and dialogues are key things. This DVD was like a combination of the arias from the magic flute, dialogues from somewhere else, and visual is from a modern hollywood blockbuster comedy movie.
I could say it is an elaborated and well-made production, and it is well-filmed, too. It is just different.

Rating:
Summary: Magic Flute Has Neve Been More Magical
Review: This production of Mozart's masterpiece is a very refreshing and innovative concept. Veteran British conductor Sir Colin Davis leads his orchestra in a live performance at London's celebrated Covent Garden. In my personal opinion, this interpretation of The Magic Flute ranks alongside the high-quality Bergman opera film which was made in Stockholm and sung in Danish the 70's. This production seems to be either 80's or 90's. The sets and costumes were designed to look 18th century (the time of Mozart) and many of the Enlightenment/Freemason iconography is conveniently used. Sarastro (Selig)looks like a majestic Benjamin Franklin, the Temple looks like a Masonic Temple, there are models of the solar system and hot-air balloons, not to mention the costumes and wigs appear authentic to the period this opera was first composed. Anyhow, it's obvious there are limits to the use of creativity in this production (probably due to a low budget)- the Serpent that persues Tamino as the opera opens is nothing more than a large puppet visably operated by people. This would be like the discovery of the Wizard Of Oz' fake illusion-machine at the end of The Wizard of Oz. Disappointing also is the finale in which the Queen of the Night is not killed or visably destroyed (in other versions she melts with the sun's rays or simply drops dead) but in this production she simply exits stage left.

There is very little lighting and much of the opera is pitched against Rembrandt-like darkness. Light is cast only on the focus of certain scenes- the pillars of the Temple, the bed Pamina is sleeping in, etc. A fog machine is used to make the Three Ladies mysteriously appear. The Queen of the Night is welcomed with a prop of a mooon and stars. Even like this, the opera is enjoyable. It is avant-garde and theatrical. The singers are in good shape, even the nearly retired bass Richard Van Allan. Dorothea Roschmann performs a beautifully mature Pamina, passive but strong when necessary (remember she says to Tamino during the Trial of Fire and Water that SHE will lead the way while he plays his magic flute) and she is glorified along with him at the end of the ordeal. Diana Damrau sings a terric Queen of the Night. Her acting combines with her singing so blissfully that she is one of the rare interpreters of the role that don't look bad playing the Queen. Other than Damrau, Edda Moser does a superior job. Damrau's coloratura is dead-on in the high F's, and her villainous scheming and vindictive persona is almost cartoonish what with her costume and make up. Tamino (tenor Hartmann) does a good job with what he has- as far as lyric German singing and the little acting he has to do as the heroic and romantic lead. This DVD comes with commentary by Sir Colin Davis as he talks about The Magic Flute and its significance in music as well as a behind-the-scenes feature on the making of this production. This opera is visually striking. Get it if you are a fan of The Magic Flute and if you want to look at the little visual displays that make this a delightful rendition. Examples I can give are the funny moments that include Papageno-especially his final scene in which he meets Papagena, who comes to him looking like a rather fat Madonna or Cindy Lauper on a rotating bed. Loads of fun.