Live Cinema Season

Die Zauberflöte (2017)

Recorded | Opera

Running time: The performance lasts about 3 hours, including one interval

Die Zauberflöte (2017)

Julia Jones conducts The Royal Opera’s spell-binding production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute with a wonderful cast including Roderick Williams as Papageno.

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The story

Prince Tamino promises the Queen of the Night that he will rescue her daughter Pamina from the enchanter Sarastro. He begins his quest, accompanied by the bird-catcher Papageno – but all is not as it seems…

Tamino and Papageno discover Sarastro is a wise and kind leader. They undergo three ordeals. By the end they are united with their true loves: Tamino with Pamina, and Papageno with his Papagena.

Background

Mozart wrote Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) for a suburban theatre in Vienna, the Theater auf der Wieden. He drew on the magical spectacle and earthy comedy of popular Viennese theatre. As well as being a comedy, The Magic Flute is an expression of Mozart’s profound spiritual beliefs: Enlightenment concerns with the search for wisdom and virtue are at the heart of this enchanting tale. The Magic Flute was an instant success with audiences and Mozart’s supposed rival Salieri described it as an ‘operone’ – a great opera.

David McVicar’s classic production embraces both the seriousness and comedy of Mozart’s work. The audience is transported to a fantastical world of dancing animals, flying machines and dazzlingly starry skies. The setting provides a wonderful backdrop for Mozart’s kaleidoscopic score, from the Queen of the Night’s coloratura fireworks to Tamino and Pamina’s lyrical love duets and Papageno’s hearty, folksong-like arias.

Credits

Music

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Libretto

Emanuel Schikaneder

Director

David McVicar

Designer

John Macfarlane

Lighting designer

Paule Constable

Movement director

Leah Hausman

Performers

Conductor
Julia Jones
Pamina
Siobhan Stagg
Tamino
Mauro Peter
Papageno
Roderick Williams
Sarastro
Mika Kares
Queen of the Night
Sabine Devieilhe
First Lady
Rebecca Evans
Second Lady
Angela Simkin
Third Lady
Susan Platts
Monostatos
Peter Bronder
Papagena
Christina Gansch
Speaker of the Temple
Darren Jeffery
First Priest
Harry Nicoll
Second Priest
Donald Maxwell
First Man in Armour
Thomas Atkins
Second Man in Armour
Simon Shibambu
Chorus
Royal Opera Chorus
Concert Master
Vasko Vassilev
Orchestra
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Die Zauberflöte Digital Programme

Die Zauberflöte Digital Programme
£2.99

Digital Programmes bring together a range of specially selected films, audio clips, pictures, articles, features, news and information, as well as exclusives and updates, and highlights from the Royal Opera House website, YouTube, SoundCloud and Flickr pages. Features are added as the performances approach, to enhance your experience of a production.

Cast sheets

Cast sheets are available as PDFs

News and features

To find out more visit the Die Zauberflöte (2017) production page.