The Magic Flute

This opera entails a highly fantastical story that puts its characters on somewhat strange and adventurous paths. This leaves the opera very open to interpretation and to the imagination. Galvanising its disparate elements can be a challenge and the approach to this production seems to indulge and even accentuate its differing and incongruous parts.

First Lady (Jane Ede), Second Lady (Sian Sharp), and Third Lady (Ruth Strutt) are given a very wicked emphasis and the garishness of their make-up and costumes highlight their sorcery. Tamino (Shanul Sharma) is characterised as bemused by the bizarre events while Papageno (Andrew Moran) is cast in the vein of a jester or tramp clown. Sarastro (David Parkin) has a very mystical, timeless aura which often brings him and his villainy to the forefront. Queen of the Night (Esther Song) could easily be mistaken for Miranda Priestly (Devil Wears Prada) and this gives her a very icy edge. Pamina (Celeste Lazarenko) is played as the classic damsel in distress, and this aligns well with the conceptualisation of Tamino.

This eclectic mosaic of characters is brought together on a set which abandons any sense of location. This tends to decontextualise the story while the production seems to demand a more cohesive or distinct vision of the opera. Thus, the characters and events can sometimes appear to become adrift in the vagueness of the settings.  

This production is sung in English and the translation provided by Kate Gaul and Michael Gow captures the story and its spirit with great accuracy. The translation is sprinkled with Australian stereotypes and expressions which emphasise the comical aspects of the opera. Singing the opera in English also allows the sometimes-convoluted events to be delivered with much greater clarity, rendering the opera very accessible. The singing on the whole was very strong, although there were times when some of the performers appeared to rely on cues from the conductor. Song’s performance of the aria (Hell's Vengeance Boils in my Heart) is very accomplished and among the highlights of the production.

The inclusion of some very young talent as Sprites (Sophie Cowall, Charlton Keogh and Hugh Ling) often aided in the transitioning of the scenes and this gave the production a very heartwarming touch. The delicate tones of their singing voices created a charming fairy-like presence and accentuated the folkloristic qualities of the story.

Patricia Di Risio 

Photographer: Peter Foster