The appeal of the world premiere of The Magic Flute is that Mary Zimmerman's miniature version of Mozart's last opera transports us to 1791. That year, Mozart conducted the premiere of Singspiel at the Wiedentheater in Vienna, just two months before the premiere. After his death, librettist and theater owner Emmanuel Schikaneder played the role of Papageno.
Well, it doesn't literally take us there, but it certainly takes us spiritually. It's easy to imagine Mozart making this confection in a communal theater to show his colleagues ideas for ongoing projects.
The stage area of Goodman's Owen Theater was transformed by set designer Todd Rosenthal and lighting designer TJ Gerkens into an 18th-century-style Old World opera house with a golden proscenium, three sparkling chandeliers, and four small theater boxes. I did. When the red velvet curtains open, a backdrop and a plane with trees on it rotate and slide across the stage in the hands of the performers. The special effects, such as the slaying of the dragon and the birth of Papageno and Papagena's children, have a delightful homemade quality.
In the orchestra pit, flickering “candles” light five musicians dressed in flowing gowns and fez, conducted by Associate Music Director Paul Moussabeau. The rest of Ana Kuzmanic's day and night themed outfits range from a ruffled light green dress for the Lady of the Woods to a dramatic black and red embellished with a horned moon for the Queen of the Night. A wide variety of ensembles are available. For Zimmerman's “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” at the Looking Glass Theatre, musicians sometimes double as performers on stage.
Some opera lovers may have a hard time with the musical adaptation and arrangement by music director Amanda Dennert and sound designer Andre Prouss, but I thought it suited the scope of the production well and was well-cut. I didn't miss any part. Some parts of the plot, especially in the second act, are a bit confusing even in the original, with the protagonists' trials seeming to go on forever at times, and their capitulation to Freemasonry becoming more pronounced.
Zimmerman's abridged libretto, performed entirely in English (the original was in German), has a light, breezy quality, at times reminiscent of Gilbert and Sullivan. They often rely on clever wordplay and creative anachronisms for comic effect. For example, when the ladies of the forest are debating who should be with Tamino, they liken “him” to a “little cherub” and “he must spend hours in the gym.” I would add. Pamina and Papageno then sing about “being the magic bell that chimes with politeness” and sing, “When it takes too long, just remember/For table service/Life is hard and shifts are long/We all… You deserve this.''
Zimmerman's condensed fairy tale stars just 10 actors, some of whom play multiple roles. It begins with the women of the forest (Lauren Molina, Monica West, Tina Munoz Pandya) rescuing Prince Tamino (Billie Roode) and slaying a dragon. There he meets the half-man, half-bird Papageno (played by an amusing Sean Pfortu), who tries to steal the credit for him, but is stopped by the ladies. As punishment, they temporarily confiscated his beak, rendering him unable to speak or sing. Next, the Queen of the Night (Emily Rohm) asks Tamino to rescue her daughter Pamina (Marlene Fernandez) from a priest who claims to have kidnapped her from Father Sarastro (Kenon Kyles). She promises Pamina marriage to Tamino, and Tamino sees her portrait and immediately falls in love. But very little is what it seems.
Act II explores Tamino's trials to honorably carry out his mission, the misunderstandings between him and Pamina, her efforts to fend off the advances of the evil Monostatos (Russell Marner), and his Papagena. It focuses on Papageno's desire to find (Molina). With the exception of Kyles, none of the actors are trained opera singers, so the level of musical performance is astonishing. Rohm received well-deserved applause on opening night for her two arias from Queen of the Night. Fernandez's Pamina also stood out.
I had a lot of fun watching the annual “Magic Flute of the Matchbox.'' Just make two small changes. The spirit (Rhys Parish) who guides the characters on their journey holds up a sign in several scenes, but it is written in red ink and cannot be read in some seats. Black ink might be better. Similarly, the script isn't always clear and I wish there were subtitles, even though they didn't exist in Mozart's time.