Die Zauberfloete (The Magic Flute)
Colin Davis, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (2003)
DVD

5 stars

Stunningly Effective 'Flute' - Highest Recommendation

Many of us hold up as the standard filmed version of 'The Magic Flute'
the one that Ingmar Bergman did at Drottningholm perhaps twenty years
ago.  Obviously it opened up the stage and made the opera more cinematic
than a simply staged version could be.

This DVD is of a production taped digitally in January 2003 at Covent
Garden, a new production staged by David McVicar, designed by John
Macfarlane and conducted by that eminent Mozartian, Sir Colin Davis.
And, of course, it is simply of a stage production; there is no breaking
down the walls of the stage.  However, the direction for video is both
masterful and unobtrusive.  And then there's the production itself.

The leading singers are all quite wonderful.  The only slightly less
than top-drawer singer, in my opinion, is Franz-Josef Selig as Sarastro;
he has the cavernous bass required for the part but there is an incipient
wobble that distracts.  In the wonderful category are some singers
previously unknown to me.  Tamino is sung by a young German tenor, Will
Hartmann, whose voice reminds me of that star of yesteryear, Rudolf
Schock; it is not innately beautiful but it is solid, masculine and has
a ringing top. The Queen of the Night is not one of those colorature
canaries so often assigned to the role; Diana Damrau is a dramatic
coloratura and not only does she sing the role well, her acting is
believable.  Her makeup and costume make her look, appropriately, like
a cross between Morticia Addams and Cruella de Vil.  A scary lady.  Pamina
is sung, and acted believably, by German soprano Dorothea Roschmann.
Her 'Ach, ich fuhl's' is moving and utterly gorgeous.

Lesser role are taken well.  Papagena is humorous, physical and
well-sung by Ailish Tynan.  Monastatos is properly repellantly lecherous
and sung with impeccable diction by Adrian Thompson.  It was particularly
heart-warming to see veteran basso, Richard Van Allen, as the First
Priest; the voice is still there and his acting, as always, is spot on.
Thomas Allen's Speaker is a bit less effective but still quite good.
The three Ladies, the three Boys and the two Armed Men are all good.

My highest praise, though, goes to Simon Keenlyside who is, quite
simply, the best Papageno I've ever seen.  His is an extremely athletic
performance; he takes some tumbles and makes some leaps that have you
gasping in surprise.  His comic acting--abetted by lots of close-ups--has
you laughing out loud, and yet he catches the longing for 'eine Weibchen'
in a way that puts a lump in your throat.  And his sturdy baritone is
one of the best around these days.  A real triumph for him.  The audience
gave him, deservedly, the loudest applause during the curtain calls.

Overall, this is the best staged production of 'Zauberflote' I've ever
seen.  I was riveted, didn't even take a break between the two acts I
was so drawn into it.  Extras on the DVD inlude brief interviews with
McVicar and Macfarlane, and a long interview--quite informative and
utterly charming--with Sir Colin.  There is also a spoken synopsis that
is quite well done, and I'd suggest you view it before you view the opera
if you're not very familiar with the plot.

I give this DVD my very highest recommendation.

Review appears at amazon.com at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/dvd/B0000C5RQF/glance/ref=3Dcm_rv_thx_view/002-4636709-1250438

Scott Morrison