Manchester Theatre News & Reviews
REVIEW - Opera North's The Magic Flute is truly charming, lively and full of colour
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On Thursday, we were invited to Lowry in Salford to see The Magic Flute. Read what our reviewer Christa Norton thought about Opera North's excellent production...
To say I was excited about last night’s performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute by the glorious Opera North at The Lowry would be an understatement, mainly because - despite knowing the music oh so well - I’ve never seen a staged production. There is so much promise and anticipation with The Magic Flute: a score that, from the very beginning, is full of crisp energy; a fantastical libretto that is usually matched with outlandish staging; and of course those famous arias and high notes that add yet another layer of extravagance to the experience. All in all, it’s the promise of a cracking night.
And I wasn’t disappointed. Opera North’s production of The Magic Flute hits all the right notes, delivering a performance full of wit, wonder and virtuosity.
The Magic Flute (or Die Zauberflöte) was completed by W.A. Mozart in 1791, just months before his premature death, and whilst the overall tone is light hearted, there is much to suggest a more serious frame of mind. For example, it is rich in Masonic symbolism, reflecting Mozart’s own connections to Freemasonry, whilst it’s themes of enlightenment, wisdom and trials all reflect Masonic ideals.
Mozart composed the music with specific singers in mind, crafting each role to showcase their vocal abilities. The Queen of the Night’s demanding arias were written for his sister-in-law, Josepha Hofer, whose extraordinary range allowed her to hit the famously difficult high F6. Sarastro’s deep, resonant bass parts were created for Franz Xaver Gerl, a renowned bass singer of the time. The role of Papageno was designed for Emanuel Schikaneder, the opera’s librettist, who was a skilled actor rather than a trained opera singer, which is why his music is simpler and more folk-like in style.
The story itself follows the journey of Prince Tamino, who is tasked with rescuing Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night, from the mysterious sorcerer Sarastro. Tamino, aided by the bird-catcher Papageno, receives a magic flute and enchanted bells to help them on their quest.
Upon reaching Sarastro’s realm, Tamino learns that Sarastro is not evil but a wise leader, while the Queen of the Night seeks power for herself. To prove himself worthy of Pamina’s love, Tamino undergoes a series of trials of wisdom and virtue. Meanwhile, Papageno, longing for companionship, finds love with Papagena. With the magic flute’s aid, Tamino and Pamina pass the final trials and emerge victorious. Sarastro banishes the Queen of the Night, restoring harmony.
From the very first moments of this opera, I was completely transported. The production uses the famous overture to set the scene of a young girl listening to music and playing with her toys before going to bed – all that ensues is her wild and fantastical dream.
The staging is superb, making inspired use of projections and silhouettes to conjure monsters, birds, even the fiery trials that Tamino and Pamina face. Costumes are given an equal sense of flair and exuberance – especially the Queen of the Night, whose costume is strongly reminiscent of Maleficent, although maybe that should be the other way round!
And against this backdrop come some outstanding performances. Trystan Llyr Griffiths (Die Fledermaus, Messiah, Elijah) is everything you could want from Tamino – he is lovelorn, brave and bold, passionate and naïve. His voice is full of power and emotion, and his duets with Soraya Mafi’s (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Le Nozze di Figaro, The Mikado) Pamina are wonderful. Mafi herself is a perfect partner to Griffiths on stage, playing Pamina with gentleness yet still able to own the stage during her solos. Moreover she has an exquisite voice that glides through Mozart’s score - I could have listened to her sing for hours.
Anna Dennis (The Fairy Queen, Dr Dee, New Dark Age) is glorious as the Queen of the Night, and her virtuosity stunning. It is one thing to hear ‘The Vengeance of Hell’ on a recording, quite another to witness it live on stage – it is a performance that will definitely stay with me.
Emyr Wyn Jones (The Barber of Seville, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, La Boheme) is a truly outstanding Papageno – he has both charisma and a brilliant sense of comic timing, relishing in the ridiculousness of his character and definitely playing to the audience – some of whom were quite happy to shout back! His final duet with Pasquale Orchard’s (Don Giovanni, The Cunning Little Vixen, Cosi Fan Tutti) Papagena is just brilliant – excellent timing, diction, really leaning into the wordplay and the repeated ‘P’ sound. I loved Orchard’s Papagena – she is bubbly and rambunctious, instantly likeable and very watchable.
And I just have to mention Justin Hopkins’ (Parsifal, Songfest, The Central Park Five) cool and stately Sarastro. Hopkins’ voice feels impossibly deep – the sort of bass you feel rather than hear – and he offers a commanding presence on the stage.
Supporting all of these fabulous performances was the Opera North Orchestra, conducted for this performance by Patrick Lange who delivered Mozart’s glorious score with crisp precision and a real sense of elegance. I loved the lively tempo of the overture and – although for me Sarastro’s arias felt more ponderous than stately – felt the opera had a wonderful sense of pace. I especially loved the way that orchestra and singers interacted through the music, the orchestra almost feeling like another character.
As with many previous Opera North productions, the libretto is displayed on screens so it is easy to follow what is happening on stage without becoming too distracted. This really adds to the accessibility of the performance – and for me, to the enjoyment as well. But last night’s performance went the extra mile in terms of accessibility. Not only are there extensive programme notes designed to help introduce newcomers to the opera, but there were two members of the cast who signed throughout. What was really interesting was that the music, as well as the libretto, was signed – this was new for me but was a thoughtful and well considered addition to the performance and one I hope we will see more often.
This is a perfect night for any opera seeker, be they new or lifelong, and its comedy makes it a great evening for all ages – my teenager certainly had a great night. Often, with the ‘big’ operas, productions feel it incumbent on them to offer a new or fresh perspective, which can actually make it quite difficult to find a really excellent ‘classic’ rendition. But this production does just that, offering a truly charming performance that is lively and full of colour. With the steps Opera North has taken to make this accessible, it thoroughly deserves to be a resounding success!
WE SCORE OPERA NORTH'S THE MAGIC FLUTE...
WATCH OUR "IN CONVERSATION WITH SORAYA MAFI DISCUSSING OPERA NORTH'S THE MAGIC FLUTE" VIDEO
Opera North are at Lowry, Salford until Saturday 15th March 2025 with two more performances - The Magic Flute on Friday and The Flying Dutchman on Saturday.
