Revised Production at the Bavarian State Opera:
"Die Zauberflöte", Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
October 31, 2004 Mozart's
Die Zauberflöte is a phenomenon. No other opera is so naïve and yet presents so many puzzles that can never be totally resolved. Who is the star-flaming queen, and who is Sarastro, on whose orders are the three genii acting, and what is the point of the trials Tamino and Pamina have to undergo? The opera avoids direct answers, and instead makes use of a number of fairy-tale motifs, mythical symbols and bits of Near Eastern wisdom, casually mixes together the genres of folk comedy with relics from baroque mystery plays and the rituals of Freemasonry. It does not moralize about good and evil, and yet manages to teach us something important at the end: that being a human being is an enormous, ongoing project, which first and foremost demands tolerance and the ability to change. Ernst Bloch once called
Die Zauberflöte a "magical montage of humanity".
August Everding and
Jürgen Rose (settings and costumes) had succumbed to the enchantment of this work and its multi-leveled structure when they created a new staging of the work for the Bavarian State Opera in 1978. Since then this
Zauberflöte has seen over two hundred performances before constantly sold-out houses. Everyone loved it and continues to love it. Its successful history speaks for the decision to leave this production in the repertoire.
The originally planned new production by
Dieter Dorn had to be sacrificed with a heavy heart to economy measures on the part of the Bavarian State Government. Now
Die Zauberflöte will return to the stage, of the Nationaltheater scenically reworked and with what is largely a new cast on October 31, 2004. This revised production promises two new features: authenticity and renewal.
Musically, it will tread new paths and differ completely from the 1978 interpretation:
Ivor Bolton, who has became Chief Conductor of Salzburg's Mozarteum Orchestra in 2004 and concurrently continues his extraordinarily successful eleven-year musical work at the Bavarian State Opera, is completely devoted to period accuracy, and by using historical instruments in the orchestra he focuses completely on the tonal æsthetics of Mozart's time, thus promising a special listening experience.
The scenically revised production will be taking place under the direction of
Helmut Lehberger, based on the original staging sketches and ideas of
August Everding.
Jürgen Rose will personally look after the recreation of the "old" costumes and stage settings.
The individual roles are cast with first-class artists:
Kurt Moll will be heard in the role of Sarastro, delineating the adversary to the Queen of the Night. This part will be sung by
Diana Damrau, whose performance of Zdenka in Arabella has already caused a great sensation this year.
Juliane Banse and
Rainer Trost in the roles of Pamina and Tamino will be faced with the daunting task of passing Sarastro's trials, while
Hanno Müller-Brachmann as Papageno will find the much longed-for female of his species in
Chen Reiss as Papagena.
The première will be taking place on October 31, 2004 at 7:00 P.M. in the Nationaltheater. Further performances are scheduled for November 3, 6, 11, 15 and 20, each at 7:00 P.M. as well as on December 25 at 6:00 P.M. and on December 28, 2004 again at 7:00 P.M. in the Nationaltheater.
Tickets priced between EUR 160.00 and EUR 10.00 can be purchased Mondays through Fridays between 10:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M. and on Saturdays between 10:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. by calling (+49/89) 2185-1920 or on-line at
www.staatsoper.de.
For additional information or photos, please contact the press office at (+49/89) or send an e-mail to
julia.kessler@st-oper.bayern.de.
Yours sincerely,
Susanne Lutz
Press Office
Tel: 0049- 89- 2185 1021
Fax: 0049 - 89- 2185 1023
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