All new and mystical, Glimmerglass Festival's "The Magic Flute" charmed the July 10 opening-night audience with an imaginative production featuring spectacular vocalists. Mozart's 1791 singspiel juxtaposes buffoonery and nobility as the protagonist, Tamino, searches for love and enlightenment.
The libretto, by Emanuel Schikaneder, is rife with obscure symbolism, but Kelley Rourke's translation favors a point of view that invites audience members to participate in a fresh interpretation of the story and elevates the power of nature as it affects each familiar character.
Madalyn Sayet directs this coming-of-age fairy tale in which the protagonist escapes the frenetic corporate world in search of peace. In the woods he meets extraordinary creatures, experiences a series of terrors, and finally proves himself worthy of the love of Princess Pamina by conquering three trials set for him by the high priest Sarastro, played by Soloman Howard.
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Overview of the Glimmerglass Festival's 40th season
Howard's gorgeous, smooth bass engenders trust that belies the Queen of the Night's claim that he kidnapped her daughter. His voice is particularly effective on Mozart's sacred invocation to Isis and the richly accompanied air to the hallowed temple, both exquisitely sung.
Soprano So Young Park, a member of the company's Young Artist program, gives a thrilling musical performance as the Queen. Dramatically, Park is a not-too-wicked Astrofiammante, but her arias in each of the two acts soar brilliantly as she articulates every ascending and descending note, dancing vocally above the treble staff and skyrocketing to high F's.
Sean Panikkar, a recent finalist in "America's Got Talent," is a handsome, stalwart Tamino, whose tenor voice is uncommonly pleasing. His sidekick is the jovial bird hunter Papageno, played by Ben Edquist, whose lusty baritone gives the clownish character substance and strength. He and Jasmine Habersham, as Papagena, the woman who is his perfect match, score the comedic hit of the show with their "Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa" duet near the end.
Jacqueline Echols is wonderful as the innocent Princess Pamina, her crystal clear soprano rising effortlessly in solo passages and blending flawlessly with Panikkar on their amorous "My Love, My Own." The slapstick trio of the queen's ladies-in-waiting, Raquel Gozaelz, Aleksandra Romano and Claudia Chapa, illuminate the stage with their sensual antics and dazzle with their singing. More refined, but no less impressive, are the spirits, Joelle Lachance, Samuel Solomon, and Andrew Pulver, imaginatively costumed to look like fireflies as they dance.
Scenery, in which nothing is as it seems, and lighting, which washes the sets in stunning primary colors, evoke a world of enchantment, and costumes bedazzle.
Carolyn Kuan, in her debut with Glimmerglass, conducts a vibrant festival chorus and orchestra in this performance of the wonderful, mature Mozart score that elevates the opera to its rightful place as a favorite that has lasting relevance and broad appeal. The production is performed in English with projected text.
Dates and times for Glimmerglass Festival performances and events, including the four mainstage operas performed in repertory, are found at: www.glimmerglass.org.