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A mischievous bird-catcher. Enchanted musical
instruments. The gorgeous, startling Queen of the
Night. Perhaps there is no opera more fantastic and
inspired than Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Add to these
memorable characters and their thrilling adventure
Mozart’s incomparable, soaring score, and it’s no
wonder countless theatergoers of all ages list The Magic
Flute as a favorite opera – one to be experienced, and
savored, time and time again.
At the heart of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s new, highly
anticipated production – which centers on a delightful,
original concept by acclaimed director Neil Armfield
and designer Dale Ferguson – is the wonder and awe of
childhood. In their vision, the entire fantasy world of
The Magic Flute is framed by child performers engaged
in acts of imagination and make believe. The children
on stage mirror us, the audience, as we watch – and
participate in – the breathtaking journey unfolding
before us.
In the dreamlike world of Mozart’s opera, Tamino,
a dashing prince, along with his impish, beloved
sidekick, Papageno the bird-catcher, sets out on a life
changing quest, searching for Pamina, a beautiful
captive princess. Along the way, the two are challenged
by unbelievable obstacles – a serpent, magic spells, a
secretive brotherhood of priests, and Pamina’s cruel
mother, the Queen of the Night, whose terrifying
beauty and unscalable high notes electrify the stage.
The Magic Flute treats audiences to a classic story, a
triumph of good over evil, set to unforgettable music.
Mozart’s opera first premiered in Vienna in September
of 1791, just two months before the composer’s death
at age thirty-five. Mozart himself conducted the
orchestra on opening night. Emmanuel Shikenader,
who wrote the opera’s libretto, portrayed the original
Papageno. Even then, it was clear that what these
men made was magic. Although Mozart would not
live to see his opera truly take flight as one the most
successful and most frequently performed works
around the globe, The Magic Flute was an instant
success, drawing vast crowds and enthusiastic fans
from its eighteenth-century premiere on.
Lyric’s production brings together an array of some of the
most excitingMozart singers of our time. Two exciting
tenors share the role of the hero, Tamino. Andrew Staples,
performing the role fromDecember 10 to January 8,
makes his awaited Lyric debut with the role; Matthew
Polenzani, already beloved by Chicago audiences for his
portrayals of Massenet’sWerther andMozart’s Tito, takes
up the hero’s mantle January 12 to 27. These tenors are
joined by celebratedMozartian baritone AdamPlachetka,
who brings his characteristic charm and wit to the role
of Papageno. Christiane Karg returns to Lyric, this time
as Pamina, a role for which she’s won acclaim in Europe.
A coloratura soprano with a growing international
reputation, Kathryn Lewek sings the Queen of the Night,
one of the most notoriously difficult roles, hitting some
of the highest andmost memorable notes of the season.
At the other end of the range, bass Christof Fischesser
plumbs the low, stirring depths of Sarastro, the noble high
priest and the Queen of the Night’s arch-nemesis. Leading
Lyric’s orchestra with precision and panache through
Lyric’s new production reimagines a Mozart classic through
the wonderment of children
THE MAGIC OF
THE MAGIC FLUTE
8 LY R I C O P E R A N E WS lyricopera.org