Die Zauberflöte

 

Mozart Die Zauberflöte opera to a libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. Directed 2014 by Simon McBurney at the De Nederlandse Opera. Stars Maximilian Schmitt (Tamino), Christina Landshamer (Pamina), Thomas Oliemans (Papageno), Nina Lejderman (Papagena) Brindley Sherratt (Sarastro), Íride Martínez (Königin der Nacht), Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke (Monostatos), Ana Maria Labin, Silvia de la Muela, and Julia Faylenbogen (Three Ladies), Maarten Koningsberger (Speaker), Thomas Dear (First Priest/Second Armed Man), Elmar Gilbertsson (Second Priest/First Armed Man), and solosits of the Knabenchor der Chorakademie Dortmund (Three Spirits). Marc Albrecht conducts the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and the Chorus of the Dutch National Opera (Chrorus Master Nicholas Jenkins). Set design by Michael Levine; costume design by Nicky Gillibrand; lighting design by Jean Kalman; movement by Josie Daxter; dramaturgy by Simon McBurney and Klaus Bertisch. Directed for TV by Misjel Vermeiren. Sung in German. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

Mike Ashman recommends this recording in the May 2015 Gramophone at page 87, calling it a "people's MagicFlute which restores the tale's naive power" as a "tightly worked ensemble piece." Roy Westbrook also goes overboard for this in a review for musicweb-international.com praising it's contemporary designs, tout directing, with good singing and orchestral playing.

So many flutes. So much magic. So little time. Here's a couple of clips about this production that has maybe been too quickly forgotten:

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