Celebrating its fortieth season, Opera Atelier will current Mozart’s The Magic Flute for 4 performances October 15 – 19 at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre.
The Magic Flute
In line with Operabase and Bachtrack, Mozart’s The Magic Flute is the second most carried out opera worldwide. Premiered in 1791, this timeless traditional was Mozart’s ultimate opera and his most well-known to be composed in German, within the type of Singspiel, which mixes spoken dialogue with music.
Opera Atelier
Based in 1985 by Marshall Pynkoski and Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg, Opera Atelier focuses on staging works from the seventeenth and 18th centuries utilizing interval devices, costumes, and choreography.
Their productions are celebrated for combining scholarly authenticity with theatrical aptitude, typically incorporating Baroque dance into their stagings.
Ludwig Van spoke to Director Marshall Pynkoski about this upcoming manufacturing.
The Manufacturing
The Magic Flute has an important place in Opera Atelier’s historical past. Its manufacturing is North America’s first and solely interval manufacturing of the opera, and is sung in English with Andrew Porter’s translation. Marshall says that when OA carried out it for the primary time in 1991, “it was a cutting-edge manufacturing. It redefined what interval music may imply. It acquired unbelievable evaluations and response, and it traveled throughout Canada and all through the US. It grew to become an actual takeoff level for us.”
This manufacturing options a whole lot of dancing, which was the norm in 18th century operas, although different modern-day productions have largely lower them out because of the expense of hiring dancers.
“Within the 18th century, there have been ballets that have been filled with singing, and operas that have been filled with dancing. The artwork types weren’t mutually unique. And that’s one thing that we actually like to emphasise. The opera of the 18th century is sort of a Broadway musical.”
The OA manufacturing may have dazzling particular results, like a dragon and a flying gondola. “The Queen of the Night time has a wide ranging entrance wherein the whole sky adjustments form, the moon and stars seem, then she flies into the centre of the moon,” says Marshall.
Not solely will the world-renowned Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra present the accompaniment on interval devices, members of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale will probably be on stage for the primary time because the refrain.
The Solid
The lead function of Prince Tamino will probably be sung by Tenor Colin Ainsworth, who has been in quite a few OA productions.
“He’s our tenor of selection for this type of function. He appears ageless, each in his appears to be like and his voice. He’s additionally a fantastic comic.”
Marshall is particularly thrilled to carry Soprano Rainelle Krause to OA for her signature function of The Queen of the Night time. Rainelle has sung this award-winning function with many famend opera homes, and after making her Queen debut at OA, she will probably be debuting it at Santa Fe and The Metropolitan Opera later this season.
Marshall is equally excited concerning the three singers who’re performing Magic Flute for the primary time: Soprano Meghan Lindsay as Pamino, tenor Blaise Rantoanina as Monostatos, and bass-baritone Douglas Williams because the lovable Papageno.
“It’s all the time thrilling when a singer is singing their function for the primary time. They’re creating their function. There’s a actual edge and electrical energy about it.”
Last Ideas
Marshall needs to emphasise that OA’s Magic Flute is accessible to everybody, younger and outdated. He notes that in Mozart’s time, going to the opera was a way more relaxed affair.
“The actors interacted with the viewers, and they’d play encores if the viewers applauded sufficient.” That is the form of ambiance the viewers would discover on this OA manufacturing.
OA’s Magic Flute additionally displays the variety of our metropolis. “We’ve got a improbable ethnic and racial combine on stage. We didn’t forged these individuals with that in thoughts, it simply occurred to be a beautiful coincidence. And I believe that’s what we need to see, that Toronto opera appears to be like just like the streets of Toronto,” says Marshall.
“Magic Flute is ‘the nutcracker of the opera world.’ It’s sung in English, has fantastic music and tunes that you just’ll bear in mind after you allow. This is a chance for individuals to demystify what opera is. I believe that is the opera for individuals who assume they don’t like opera. And it’s the proper introduction for individuals who have by no means been to an opera.”
- Opera Atelier presents Mozart’s The Magic Flute October 15, 16, 18, 19, 2025 on the Elgin Theatre in Toronto. Discover tickets and extra data [HERE].
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Denise Lai is a Physiotherapist and School Professor. She is an alumnus of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and a rusty piano participant.
