In a promotion aimed to make Opera more understandable and accessible, Naxos have produced a series of CDs entitle “Opera explained”. The ninth in the series released on 22nd October 2002, is The Magic Flute composed by Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart.
All the CDs in the series roughly follow ... Read review
Performed in two acts, Mozart's The Magic Flute is a tale of love, betrayal and ... more
enchantment. It follows Tamino in his quest to find and rescue Pamina, the daughter of the Queen Of The Night from the priest Sarastro but powerful magic is at work and all is not as it seems.
Advantages: Good introduction to the Opera and Mozart Disadvantages: Narrative breaks up the musical flow
In a promotion aimed to make Opera more understandable and accessible, Naxos have produced a series of CDs entitle “Opera explained”. The ninth in the series released on 22nd October 2002, is The Magic Flute composed by Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart.
All the CDs in the series roughly follow the same format. The first section of the CD, lasting for approximately quarter of an hour, provides a brief and basic biography Of Mozart and illustrated ... ...
The recording continues with musical highlights from the Comic Opera interspersed with explanations of the plot and music. Mozart composed the Magic Flute in 1791 as a commission from Emanuel Schikaneder who provided the libretto. It’s debut performance took place on December 5th just a few weeks before Mozart’s death.
The plot is basically that of a love story. A handsome young prince, Tamino (played by Herbert Lippert: Tenor) ... more
In a promotion aimed to make Opera more understandable and accessible, Naxos have produced a series of CDs entitle “Opera explained”. The ninth in the series released on 22nd October 2002, is The Magic Flute composed by Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart.
All the CDs in the series roughly follow the same format. The first section of the CD, lasting for approximately quarter of an hour, provides a brief and basic biography Of Mozart and illustrated by excerpts from a variety of his works.
The recording continues with musical highlights from the Comic Opera interspersed with explanations of the plot and music. Mozart composed the Magic Flute in 1791 as a commission from Emanuel Schikaneder who provided the libretto. It’s debut performance took place on December 5th just a few weeks before Mozart’s death.
The plot is basically that of a love story. A handsome young prince, Tamino (played by Herbert Lippert: Tenor) is saved from a serpent by three women who turn out to be attendants of the Queen of the Night (played by Hellen Kwon: Soprano). She promises him her daughter Tamina if he rescues her from the Sarastro (played by Kurt Rydl: Bass). Tamino falls in love with a minature of her, agrees and sets off on his quest accompanied by Papageno, the Queen's bird catcher (played by Georg Tichy: Baritone). To aid them in their task, Tamino is given a magic flute and Papageno a chime of bells.. During the rescue attempt, Tamino discovers Sarastro is not evil but is wise and virtuous. He invites Tamino and Papageno to undertake the initiation trials and enter his circle.
The Operatic cast, although generally unfamiliar, perform well. They sing their parts with conviction and clarity. The two classic lovers, Tamino and Tamina, are suitably serious and ardent. The other lover in the opera, Papageno and Papagena are contrastingly humourous and down-to-earth. The Queen of the Night is magnificent. She exudes evil in her double aria, performing vocal athletics to achieve the technically difficulties written by Mozart.
The conductor Michael Halasz achieves excellence from both the Failoni Orchestra (pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, and trumpets, three trombones, timpani, and full strings) and the Hungarian Festival Chorus. The overture establishes the noble and solemn tone including in its instrumentation, parts for three trombones. Papageno’s fluttering and melodic theme provides a lightness with joyful and fun interludes to the seriousness.
The text written by Thomson Smillie is entertaining and informative. It is narrated by David Timson using a clear and concise manner. Included in the CD is a programme reflecting the recording.
I could go on to discuss the connections between the opera and Masonic customs with the prolific use of the number three and representation of rites in the both the music and the action. But I won’t as I don’t think this is necessary to the review of this particular CD.
The CD provides a good introduction to the Opera and is ideal for teaching musical appreciation.
It is a good way to prepare for a visit to attend a live performance. Often when attending an Opera, the plot and how the music fits in can be confusing. Listening to this beforehand can make it all that bit clearer and enhance your enjoyment.
However, if it is the Opera or even highlights of the Opera you want, then this will not be of much use. Although the arias are performed admirably and the music sublime, the narration intermingles with the music too much to allow enjoyment. There are many CDs that present the Opera in its entirety or it’s highlights. So if is the music you want, buy one of these instead.
The CD costs only £4.99. It is ideal if bought for the right purpose but be clear about what you want from it before handing over your money.
Advantages: Good for upsetting opera lovers Disadvantages: You could lose the will to live
from Mozart?s opera ?The MagicFlute.? If you manage to withstand this, try Track 14, which will give you an idea of the quality (or rather the lack of quality) of Thomas Burns? voice.
There are actually twelve tracks on the disc and not seventeen as suggested on the website (mercifully!).
The number of this disc, for those who are still undeterred, is CD GD61175 and the label is RCA. Amazon is selling it at £8.99 and HMV at £10.99. However, if you can sacrifice the Faust items, you?ll find the Florence Foster Jenkins tracks, along with some others, on a Naxos Historical issue (shouldn?t that be Hysterical?) at £5.99 from Amazon under the title ?Murder On The High Cs.?
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In certain areas of Britain, it has been found that playing classical music in places of high vandalism (bus ...
Advantages: Gaily jolly, irreverent, humorous, bawdy, tuneful. A masterful reworking of the primary opus of the master of French comic opera. If you enjoy Gilbert and Sullivan track this one down ? I can guarantee you a surprisingly wonderful musical experience. Disadvantages: None
conductor stands like a devil with horns, leading the orchestra as the revellers cavort around the floor?.
So Offenbach did not invent the can can or even use the name. His music was taken up later by the theatre producers to accompany the stage performances.
THE STAGE PERFORMANCE
I was lucky enough to see this Opera North production of ?Orpheus? in their Spring Season 2000 at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne. Our party consisted of three generations with ages spanning early teens to early 70s. At that time, I had the same misconceptions that I listed at the start of the article and, apart from one production of Mozart?s ?MagicFlute? none of us had seen opera outside of the G&S catalogue and none of us had any idea what to expect.
This was without doubt one of the most memorable evenings of music that we have had the pleasure ...
Advantages: Bonney's gorgeous voice; intelligent singing; great selection of songs Disadvantages: No translations included
‘Deh vieni non tardar’ from The Marriage of Figaro and ‘Ach ich fuhls’ from The MagicFlute are both sublime, full of lyricism and emotional vulnerability, making it easy to see why her Mozart roles have been so celebrated. The Donezetti ‘Chiedi all’aura lusingiera’ marks a move away from Bonney’s traditional Mozart roles, but the result is a stunning duet with the tenor Gosta Winbergh, which makes a fascinating contrast to the Mozart arias and shows Bonney’s versatility.
But Bonney has always described herself as ‘a lieder singer who happens to do opera’ and this is reflected in her superb rendition of Schumann’s ‘Mondnacht’. Her lightness of tone ensures that her voice seems to float effortlessly above the gorgeous piano (played by Vladimir Ashkenazy ...
Leipzig Radio Chorus Orchestra; Staatskapelle Dresden Orchestra
Date of Release
10/1987
Label / Distributor
Opera Series / BMG UK
Pieces in Set
3
Genre(s)
Stage works
SPAR Code
ADD
Work 1
Work Title
(Die) Zauberflöte, '(The) Magic Flute', K620
Excerpt(s)
1. Overture 2. Overture; ACT 1 - Zu Hilfe 3. Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja 4. Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön 5. O zitt're nicht; Zum Leiden 6. H'm H'm H'm 7. Du feines Täubchen 8. Bei Männern 9. Zum Ziele führt dich; Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton 10. Schnelle Füsse; Das klinget so herrlich_könnte jeder brave Mann; Es lebe Sarastro 11. ACT 2 - March; O, Isis und Osiris (aria) 12. Bewahret euch vor Weibertücken 13. Wie? Wie? Wie? 14. O Isis und Osiris (aria) 15. Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden 16. Der Hölle Rache 17. In diesen heil'gen Hallen 18. Seid uns zum zweitenmal willkommen 19. Ach, ich fühl's 20. O, Isis und Osiris (chorus) 21. Soll ich dich, Teurer, nicht mehr sehen? 22. Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen 23. Bald prangt 24. Der, welcher wandert 25. Papagena Weibchen 26. Pa-Pa-Pa-Papagena 27. Nur stille 28. Die Strahlen der Sonne 29. Slave Dance - Flute and Piano 30. Harmoniemusik
Composer
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
Genre
Stage works
Date Written
1791
Conductor
Otmar Suitner
Orchestra / Ensemble
Staatskapelle Dresden Orchestra
Orchestra / Ensemble
Leipzig Radio Chorus Orchestra
Main Performer
Annelies Burmeister (Mezzo soprano), Gisela Schröter (Mezzo soprano), Günther Lieb (Baritone), Hanne-Lore Kuhse (Soprano), Harald Neukirch (Tenor), Helen Donath (Soprano), Peter Schreier (Tenor), Renate Hoff (Soprano), Siegfried Vogel (Bass), Sylvia Geszty (Soprano), Theo Adam (Bass-baritone)
Opera Part(s)
Annelies Burmeister (Third Lady), Gisela Schröter (Second Lady), Günther Lieb (Papageno), Hanne-Lore Kuhse (First Lady), Harald Neukirch (Monostatos), Helen Donath (Pamina), Peter Schreier (Tamino), Renate Hoff (Papagena), Siegfried Vogel (Speaker), Sylvia Geszty (Queen of Night), Theo Adam (Sarastro)
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12/09/2004
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