Out there in the dark
The revival of Mozart’s The Magic Flute at the Music Center downtown, last seen at LA Opera in 2013, is reason for jubilation for everyone except perhaps the singers engaged.
The Magic Flute
11 pieces since 2016 — at 4 companies, most often at Santa Fe Opera.
11
pieces
4
companies
11
years
Company Los Angeles Opera
Company Lyric Opera of Chicago
Unequal tooning
There is sensory overload, and very little humanity.
Company Metropolitan Opera
Birds, bears, and based boyfriends
While the Met’s Mozart-lite holiday production of The Magic Flute kept the eyes entertained with spectacular sets and costumes, the scattershot casting and lack of musical seriousness dragged down this opera for beginners.
Just add magic
Heretofore I’d avoided the Met’s abridged, English-language holiday presentations.
Company Santa Fe Opera
Bass desires
Alexander Köpeczi, currently plying leading roles in two operas in Santa Fe and, rumor has it, the life of one prominent soprano, is the object of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
High and dry
Ilana Walder-Biesanz reports from The Santa Fe Opera, where Tobias Picker‘s latest opera falls short, a new Rodelinda scintillates, and sumptuous singing abounds across the entire repertoire.