Disenchanted “Magic Flute” at the Frankfurt Opera

Disenchanted “Magic Flute” at the Frankfurt Opera
Disenchanted “Magic Flute” at the Frankfurt Opera

Frankfurt am Main (MH) – Instead of Viennese magic posse including stage magic suitable for children, director Ted Huffman shows Mozart’s “Magic Flute” at the Frankfurt Opera in the dreary guise of a traumatic psychodrama. His view, which understands Tamino’s “hero’s journey” as equivalent to a Bildungsroman and in which he focuses on death, transience and the need for care in old age, received the audience on Sunday evening with mixed feelings. Bravos and boos were roughly balanced.

“The Magic Flute”

In any case, the persistence and consistency with which Huffman exposes the inhuman mechanisms of a society that ruthlessly imposes its constraints and conflicts on the younger generation is to be admired. Sarastro’s sacred halls are little more than a toxic male mafia, while the manipulative “Queen of the Night” drags those around her into the abyss with her post-traumatic stress disorder. He juxtaposes art, love and caring aging together as a way out of destructive life plans.

Musically, one ray of light follows the next: The “Opera House of the Year”, newly named “Opera House of the Year” by the specialist magazine “Opernwelt” for the sixth time, comes up with the usual excellent choristers under Tilman Michael and can cast all roles with outstanding singers. Michael Porter’s Tamino not only impresses with tenoral brilliance, but above all with the credibly desperate search for oneself. Opera Studio member Hyoyoung Kim as Pamina performs her difficult part with acting verve and clear soprano and can even play Andreas Bauer Kanabas as the frightening Sarastro Offer.

Danylo Matviienko’s Papageno, as an embarrassing patch of color and a carefree bon vivant, does everything right vocally and humorously, while only newcomer Anna Nekhames in her house debut as “Queen of the Night” fabricates crystal-clear coloratura, but sorely lacks abysmal revenge.

As a pure feast for the eyes and ears and worth the visit of the evening alone, her three ladies-in-waiting Monika Buczkowska, Kelsey Lauritano and Cláudia Ribas place themselves as a strip-pulling champagne trio. A warm-toned, springy, exquisitely pure Mozart sounds from the orchestra pit, which Steven Sloane at the podium constantly leads to new climaxes. Elizaveta Ivanova’s flute tones and Takeshi Moriuchi’s chimes are also impeccable.

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More on this topic:

Oper Frankfurt starts season with Mozart’s “Magic Flute”
(02.10.2022 – 10:10 a.m.)

More articles about the Frankfurt Opera

Link:

http://www.oper-frankfurt.de

The article is in German

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