FOr for all the musical genius of Mozart, an evening at the opera “The Magic Flute” may be long and not particularly interesting. That certainly doesn’t apply to Simon McBurney’s 2013 production at the beleaguered English National Opera. Presented in partnership with Complicite and painstakingly revived by director Rachel Hewer, this original show is a distillation of wit, wisdom and theatrical audacity.
McBurney ditches his Masonic reticence for a lively conversation that will have you laughing out loud. More than a dozen actors bustle about without focusing on each other in beautifully choreographed movements. Singers live in the auditorium without feeling that it is gratuitous. There’s aerial magic, tiny shadow puppets, an inventive and perfectly orchestrated live video (Ben Thompson), and an equally inventive on-stage Foley artist (Ruth Sullivan) deployment.
Conductor Erina Yashima gave a wild and well-prepared performance through the overture, then gave a lively explanation of the score, with occasional coordination problems. Otherwise, the ENO orchestra was in great shape, raised to stage level to accommodate the skillful interaction with the singers.
Sarah Tynan leads an excellent cast as the incredibly dramatic and agile Pamina, her elegant soprano cutting through the orchestral textures like a switchblade. Norman’s Reinhard is a hard-working and good-natured Tamino, but his loud voice ruins Mozart’s graceful lines. Director David Stout’s good-natured but dim-witted Papageno is a charmingly clumsy bird catcher with specks of guano on his face and clothes. While this role can sometimes go awry, the comic timing here is spot on. A routine featuring a conditioned wine bottle and a full bladder brought the house down. As Sarastro, John Lelier’s obsidian base conveys majesty and authority.
McBurney’s Queen of the Night (Reinelle Krauss) is an elderly harridan who, when not in a wheelchair, hobbles around with a cane. In Diamantine’s coloratura, Krauss belts out the Act II aria, roaming the stage like a deranged Dalek. The three women (Carrie-Ann Williams, Amy Holyland, Stephanie Wake-Edwards) are tight, fierce and funny, and the three spirits (two boys and one girl) sing like a dream. , Peter Hoare’s perverted Monostatos deserved every boo he received in the room. curtain call. Opera is rarely this entertaining.
