Some friends and I watched a DVD of Die Zauberflote (aka The Magic Flute) not too long ago.
Specifically this one to my left. And....I just don't know what to make of this.
On one hand, you have an absolutely stunning cast - Rene Pape as Sarastro brings a rich, powerful voice to the part as well as a mighty stage presence. Paul Groves sings the part of Tamino wonderfully - his acting is...umm...reminiscent of a cartoon character attempting to impersonate Napoleon. Little too much in terms of overly enthusiastic gesturing.
The main treasure though is Diana Damrau as the Queen of the Night. Her effortless singing, her vocal acrobatics, and her extremely potent acting skills alone make this DVD worth watching. She is incredible beyond belief.
So, great singing, great cast, and great conductor (Riccardo Muti)...but that leaves us with the production itself, which reminds one of watching an art-house version of Alice in Wonderland, only without any ironic self-awareness. Overly bright costumes, baffling stage props (including one set piece that resembles a hippie pyramid...no, til now such a thing didn't exist. It would be better had it stayed that way).
I'm not entirely clear why Audi and Large opted for this staging - it's as though they wanted to highlight Masonic symbols...yet they did their research while under the influence of hallucinogens. Perhaps the goal was quirky and charming, much like the flavor of the opera itself? If so, it failed, instead just coming off as painfully pretentious and strange.
Still worth seeing (or better yet, just hearing, given the calibre of singing). But my god, what in the hell is wrong with these people?
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