Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is considered by many to be one of the greatest composers to have ever lived, having produced over 600 works in his short but prolific life. He was only 35 years old when he died and just a few months before that fateful day, his last ever opera aired at Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden on 30 September 1791 – Die Zauberflöte or The Magic Flute.
That enchanting two-act opera will be given new lease of life by Malaysia’s only active company presenting and promoting western operas. The award-winning Kuala Lumpur City Opera has been regaling audiences for the past seven years and this month they’re set to cast Mozart’s musical spell over audiences at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre.
Fair Tale Of True Love
Mozart wrote The Magic Flute to Emanuel Schikaneder’s German libretto, and it takes the form of a Singspiel – combining spoken dialogue with sung text. Reeling you in from the start, the story follows Prince Tamino and his quest to rescue the beautiful Princess Pamina from the clutches of Sarastro the sorcerer. All is not what it seems however, and together with the bird-catcher Papageno and his golden flute, Tamino must overcome treacherous trials of water and fire.
Listen for the different musical themes that Mozart ascribed to each character – folk-like melodies for the folksy Papageno, sweetly romantic tunes for the lovers Pamina and Tamino, and the discordance of The Queen of the Night – whose aria is considered one of the most difficult ever composed with extreme high, extended pitches.
Conducting an orchestra ensemble of 24 players is renowned Colombian Conductor, Juan Montoya, while a double cast will play each of the leading parts of Pamina, Tamino, Papageno and Queen of the Night. Adding more depth to the ensemble will be the 50-member KL City Opera Chorus and children from the Opera for Kids and Teens workshop.
Take all that together and you have a vocal and musical tour-de-force that will easily be one of the month’s theatrical highlights.
Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)
Where Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, Kuala Lumpur
When 8pm (21-24 Nov)
Admission RM128, RM148, RM168
Tel 03 4047 9000
klpac.org