Josef Ernst Köpplinger whip good Dresden manufacturing underscored the enduring enchantment of Die Zauberflöte – Seen and Heard Worldwide

Germany Mozart, Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute): Soloists, Sächsische Staatsopernchor, Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden / Gaetano d’Espinosa (conductor). Semperoper Dresden, 27.5.2024. (MC)

By far one of the best description I’ve seen of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) is contained within the Penguin Concise Information to Opera (ed. Amanda Holden) that states ‘An unique fairy story with mystical components, options of the brand new German Romanticism’. I’ve seen quite a few productions of Die Zauberflöte, starting from common to most compelling however it’s an opera I by no means tire of, and I all the time discover it enchanting and uplifting.

A match made in heaven when Mozart collaborated with versatile Bavarian impresario Emanuel Schikaneder who wrote the libretto for Die Zauberflöte. In 1791 Mozart’s work on Die Zauberflöte partially overlapped with work on his Requiem, a rating he by no means lived to finish. A few months earlier than his dying Mozart performed the premiere in September 1791 at Schikaneder’s personal Theatre auf der Wieden, Vienna with Schikaneder singing the position of Papageno. An unqualified success then, Die Zauberflöte continues to be much-loved at the moment.

Mozart was plagued by failing bodily and psychological well being, the dying of 4 of his six youngsters in eight years, and crippled by mounting money owed. It’s testomony to Mozart’s creativity and psychological capability that at a time near the top of his life he was nonetheless writing music of such very important vitality, japery and fantasy.

Each Mozart and Schikaneder have been Freemasons and varied mysterious rituals of the fraternal order are imbued within the Die Zauberflöte rating. In fact, a stage director might select to stress or ignore references to Freemasonry rituals akin to using the quantity three. Curious too within the libretto is the preponderance of statements to dying and dying. Famend director Robert Carsen has said that the phrase dying is talked about within the libretto round sixty instances, certainly not, along with two suicide makes an attempt. It may be a shock for some to listen to and see examples of misogyny and racial stereotypes though not but erased these unsavoury facets appeared to be much less distinguished in lots of current productions.

On the Semperoper Achim Freyer’s 2006 manufacturing of Die Zauberflöte had longevity and was carried out over 300 instances. In 2015 once I reviewed a revival of Freyer’s manufacturing at Semperoper, I used to be left with combined emotions as I loved the singing and musicianship but had reservations over the moderately childlike staging (evaluation right here).

In November 2020 Austrian Josef Ernst Köpplinger’s new manufacturing of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte was premiered at Semperoper. Principal singers in Köpplinger’s Semperoper manufacturing (evaluation right here) have been René Pape (Sarastro), Nikola Hillebrand (Queen of the Night time), Evelin Novak (Pamina) and Klaus Florian Vogt (Tamino). It was the Covid-19 lockdown that interrupted its Semperoper run. Now again on monitor at Dresden I discovered this Köpplinger manufacturing enchanting.

Stage director Köpplinger had a design workforce of Walter Vogelweider for units and video design and costumer Dagmar Morell. I seen Köpplinger had chosen to not emphasise the masonic facets of the libretto. Designers Vogelweider and Morell ensured the set was stored fairly easy and uncluttered. Taking inspiration from the Schikaneder productions the set on most sides comprised of darkish blue flats with twinkling stars. Many of the set design involved video projections designed by Vogelweider who used a big rectangular house on the again wall to undertaking a spread of magnificent photos each static and shifting. Of the stage novelties one of the best was the three boys rushing throughout stage, mid-air in a flying automotive. There was additionally the illustration of the solar and the moon that appeared so vivid particularly once they went into eclipse.

Sarastro’s temple was recognized by a white neon signal that learn ‘Vernunft Natur Weisheit’ (‘Motive Nature Knowledge’). Garments worn by Sarastro and his followers have been white, floor-length coats whereas the non-Sarastro characters had loads of vivid colors. Half man and half chook, the chook catcher Papageno was created by Schikaneder as a personality carrying a go well with of feathers, however that line was solely partially adopted right here. Religious chief of the temple, Sarastro is the excessive priest of the gods Isis and Osiris, a job Russian bass Dimitry Ivashchenko has sung extensively. Sarastro is a job requiring a low tessitura and his second act aria ‘O Isis und Osiris’ was a lot admired. Sporting a flooring size, white gown over a go well with Ivashchenko sang the position adequately, he has a formidable sounding mid-range and his deep voice carried moderately effectively. Alternatively, Ivashchenko’s lowest notes sounded strained and there was nothing noteworthy about his stage craft.

The coloratura soprano position of the Queen of the Night time was sung by Berlin born Maria Perlt-Gärtner who has sung Mozart extensively. The Queen has two difficult arias, ‘O zittre nicht’ from Act I is admired, and from Act II, top-of-the-line identified of all Mozart’s arias, is her celebrated ‘rage’ aria ‘Der Hölle Rache’. Arriving in a cloud of smoke Perlt-Gärtner made her presence felt, sang competently and stored her coloratura easy. Total, Perlt-Gärtner produced little vocal fireworks and no spectacular heights have been reached.

Martin Mitterrutzner is an Austrian tenor who is aware of Die Zauberflöte effectively having appeared as first boy in knowledgeable manufacturing aged simply ten. Right here Mitterrutzner sang the position of Tamino, the agreeable and good-looking prince wearing a verify lumberjack shirt, denim jacket and denims with trainers. Tamino was a favorite position of legendary tenor Fritz Wunderlich. In his early act one aria ‘Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön’ Tamino was proven a portrait of Pamina instantly falls in love along with her and embarks, flute in hand, on his quest to rescue her. Though singing with a contemporary and nice tone Mitterrutzner’s efficiency felt routine, sounding underpowered.

Till fairly lately German soprano Nikola Hillebrand served as a member of the Semperoper ensemble. Hillebrand isn’t any stranger to the position of princess Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night time, and has sung that position too. Excelling within the position of Pamina, Hillebrand didn’t put a foot flawed. Within the second act I particularly loved Pamina’s aria ‘Ach ich fühl’s’ the place the princess is attracted by the sound of Tamino’s flute and thinks he’s ignoring her. There was additionally ‘Du additionally bist mein Bräutigam’ the place the three boys try and cease Pamina ending her life. Singing fairly superbly Hillebrand supplied heat, sincerity and tenderness with a particular sweetness to her voice. Spectacular too have been her efficiently achieved excessive notes. As she projected her voice Hillebrand demonstrated power and readability that carried proper by means of the auditorium. Wearing a light-coloured dirndl, black high-top fight boots and pink hair, along with her singing and performing Hillebrand captured the spirit of the position, hook, line and sinker.

Baritone Sebastian Wartig is a Dresdener who turned a member of the Semperoper ensemble. Performing in Die Zauberflöte while nonetheless a pupil Wartig is skilled as Papageno. With magic bells for defense, we heard them however didn’t see them, the lonely chook catcher was on the lookout for a mate and Papagena turned his soulmate. Wartig was in tip high kind, his excellent voice mixed with important performing potential. Mightily gratifying was Papageno’s famend introduction aria ‘Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja’ and later his duet with Papagena ‘Pa-Pa-Pa-Papageno’ the place they plan to marry and have youngsters.

Monostatos, the warden of Sarastro’s temple, is in love with Pamina. In Monostatos’s Act II comedic aria ‘Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden’ he grumbled that he didn’t have the fitting to like as others do. An extended-time member of the Semperoper ensemble American tenor Timothy Oliver as Monostatos was suitably sinister and sang successfully, with out standing out. The extra minor position of Papagena was sung by soprano Katerina von Bennigsen a member of the Semperoper Dresden ensemble. An upbeat character, everybody adores Papagena and her duet with Papageno ‘Pa-Pa-Pa Papagena’ was playful and actually sparkled.

The Three Girls generally is a nice asset to a director and used for added comedy sketches as Robert Carsen did in his 2013 Baden-Baden manufacturing with Annick Massis, Magdalena Kožená and Nathalie Stutzmann. However Köpplinger was not so inclined and stored the roles of the three to a minimal. As director’s usually do with productions, there have been additions from outdoors the libretto. Even earlier than and in the course of the overture a younger boy in a denim jacket roamed the stage. His actions included taking part in with ropes suspended from the ceiling tying to hitch them collectively. By way of the interval with the curtain down the boy remained sat on the entrance of the stage. Definitely not wanting confidence the Three Boys (child-spirits), every fitted with a curious white wig, ought to be praised for a number of effectively labored comedy episodes on the stage. These have been very younger boys, and I couldn’t hear their singing too effectively.

The Staatskapelle was performed by Palmero born Gaetano d’Espinosa, a former concertmaster with the Dresden orchestra. Out of the highest drawer the taking part in was a continuing delight and actually helped the success of the manufacturing. I like the way in which d’Espinosa left house for the applause. Directed by refrain grasp Jonathan Becker the effectively unified and splendid intonation of Staatsopernchor added to the manufacturing’s excessive commonplace. This whip sharp manufacturing by Josef Ernst Köpplinger at Semperoper underscored the enduring enchantment of Die Zauberflöte.

Michael Cookson

Manufacturing:
Stage director – Josef Ernst Köpplinger
Assistant to the Director – Maximilian Berling
Set and Video designer – Walter Vogelweider
Costume designer – Dagmar Morell
Lighting designer – Fabio Antoci
Choreography – Ricarda Regina Ludigkeit
Dramaturgy – Johann Casimir Eule
Refrain grasp – Jonathan Becker

Solid:
Sarastro – Dimitry Ivashchenko
Queen of the Night time – Maria Perlt-Gärtner
Pamina – Nikola Hillebrand
Tamino – Martin Mitterrutzner
Papageno – Sebastian Wartig
First Girl – Roxana Incontrera
Second Girl – Sabine Brohm
Third Girl – Christa Mayer
Monostatos – Timothy Oliver
Speaker – Martin-Jan Nijhof
Papagena – Katerina von Bennigsen
First Priest – Anton Beliaev
Second Priest – Jongwoo Hong
First man in armour – Gerald Hupach
Second man in armour – Matthias Henneberg
Three Boys – Aurelius Boys’ Choir of Calw