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By Philip Groshong
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Thomas Goertz in the Cincinnati Opera production of
The Magic Flute.
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If opera is something you've considered exploring, but have been turned off by thoughts of 19th-century Sturm und Drang and Wagnerian women in breastplates and horns, there's never been a better time to head to Music Hall than Friday. That's the final performance of Mozart's fanciful Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute).
It's the fairy tale story of young prince Tamino, who goes in search of his heart's true love, Pamina, the beautiful daughter of The Queen of the Night. Tamino takes with him a comical bird catcher called Papageno. Guided by three nature spirits, they reach the temple of Isis and Osiris, where Pamina has reportedly been stolen away. Here they discover that Sarastro, the high priest of the temple, is wise and good. In truth, it is The Queen of the Night who is vengeful and selfish in her motives.
Passages of music are broken up by spoken dialogue, which may make this opera more palatable to those unfamiliar with the art form. The effect is much like a musical comedy. And with surtitles translating the dialogue above the proscenium, it's possible to follow the storyline without much effort.
Even seasoned opera-goers will find much to appreciate in this musical treat, brought to life by stage director David Gately and Australian conductor Antony Walker. The cast of this production truly stands out. There isn't a single weak link.
American tenor Charles Castronovo, who sang the part of Tamino for the July 12 and 14 performances, at only 25 years of age, is a lyric tenor with real onstage appeal. As the hero of this fairy tale, he is both handsome and emotive. (Andrew Richards takes on the role for the July 20 performance.)
Castronovo is well matched by 26-year-old Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian as Pamina, the beautiful princess. Her voice is bright and clear: When she sings with Castronovo, the effect is sublime.
In terms of creating a character, bass-baritone Thomas Goertz nearly steals the show with an empathetic and humorous portrayal of Papageno, a chatty bird catcher with a serious case of spring fever. Goertz is saddled with the majority of the libretto's comedy, but he carries it off skillfully. He blends slapstick physical humor with striking vocal clarity and makes it look easy.
But the supporting cast makes a noticeable contribution as well. As the high priest Sarastro, bass Arthur Woodley delivers a powerful vocal performance that will not easily be missed. Also effective is soprano Cara O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan is one of Ireland's leading sopranos, having made her mark singing the role of The Queen of the Night, which she reprises beautifully here. Her voice is commanding, tripping lightly over rapid coloratura as effortlessly as it delivers forceful impact for key dramatic moments. Her voice practically reaches into the audience and pulls you from your seat.
The vocal appeal of the cast is balanced by the stunning and whimsical visual elements of set and costumes. The production was designed by Maurice Sendak, famed children's author and illustrator best known for Where the Wild Things Are.
If you're looking for wild things, look no further than the Music Hall stage. Fantastical costumes create everything from a dark, magical queen and handsome prince to a smoke-puffing dragon and exotic animals of all shapes and sizes. With colorful sets designed in an illustrative style that literally frames the proscenium, watching this production is like watching the pages of a Sendak book come to life.
Cincinnati Opera Artistic Director Nicholas Muni has referred to this production as "a touch of sorbet." It's an apt metaphor. The production is light and sweet, perfect for summer. Mozart's score is uplifting, particularly in its three-part harmonies and occasional coloratura. More-over, the wonderful fairy tale characters and charming libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder hint strongly of the best musical comedies of the 20th century, so even if your tastes run more along the lines of Rogers and Hammerstein, The Magic Flute just may be the opera for you.
THE MAGIC FLUTE, presented by the Cincinnati Opera, will be performed at Music Hall on Friday.
