The Magic Returns in LA Opera's 'Flute'
/By Truman C. Wang
11/23/2019
Photo credit: Cory Weaver / LA Opera
Theo Hoffman as Papageno, Sarah Vautour as Papagena
The LA Opera had a good run with Barrie Kosky’s Magic Flute in 2016, featuring a bubbly young cast and silent film-inspired projected animations by the British theater company 1927. The Flute returns this season as a ying-yang companion piece to Kosky’s morbid Bohème, seen in September. A bright young Flute cast, equally bubbly and vivacious as the last, guarantee to bring mirth and sunshine to a season plagued by a major scandal.
The singers perform in front of a huge screen, interacting in real time with animations projected all around them, creating the impression that gigantic comic strip collages are coming to life before your eyes. Kosky’s staging retains the same whimsical delights – a black widow spider Queen, Monostatos & co. turning to the Rockettes, Pamina and Papageno hopping over rooftops like a video game – as well as the misses: the flute, magic bell and birdcage are still no-show.
The musical standards remain lofty with James Conlon back in the orchestra pit. On this opening night, November 16, Conlon conducted with a compelling fusion of gravitas, precision and charm. The initial coordination issues between the stage and the pit were quickly resolved after three or four numbers. Mozart’s beautiful ensemble writing was fully realized in the dramatic opening scene of Tamino being chased by the dragon and the three ladies coming to his rescue (sung by the euphonious trio of Erica Petrocelli, Vivien Shotwell and Taylor Raven). Russian tenor Bogdan Volkov sang Tamino with fine poetry and suave tone. Czech soprano Zuzana Marková invested Pamina with luminous tone, infectious sympathy and touching pathos. (Her Act II aria “Ach ich füls” was easily the finest singing of the evening.) Italian bass Ildebrando D'Arcangelo commanded the stage as the wise Sarastro. Frederick Ballentine was the lovable villain Monostatos. Theo Hoffman and Sarah Vautour made for two delightful love birds as Papageno and Papagena. The only disappointment was So Young Park’s Queen, who sounded off all night and came to grief on the high E-flat in her two arias. Here’s hoping she will improve. The LA Opera Chorus, concealed behind three panels on each side of the stage, sang magnificently.
Five more performances of The Magic Flute on November 21, 23, December 1, 12 and 15. Grant Gershon will conduct the December shows; tenor Joshua Wheeker will sing Tamino on Dec.12, 15.
Truman C. Wang is Editor-in-Chief of Classical Voice, whose articles have appeared in the Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, other Southern California publications, as well as the Hawaiian Chinese Daily. He studied Integrative Biology and Music at U.C. Berkeley.