This is my 3rd go at The Magic Flute... Had 2 previous tries with the Zurich production (Welser-Most: Salminem, Hartelius, Mosuc) and the Vienna (Levine: Schreier, Cotrubas, Gruberova) and kept falling asleep watching those. This one does the trick, tho. This is from a performance at ROH in Covent Garden. Imaginative staging (on the simple side), with great conducting by Sir Colin Davis, and a great acting and singing cast to die for. It is a darker take on this opera, however. With a good sense of humor. I'm a Gruberova fan... but Diana Damrau can match her vocally (with all the high F's intact) and then blasts the whole field of excellent Queen of the Nights away with her acting. This is one scary Koenigen indeed. Dorothea Roschmann is the up and coming lyric soprano to watch. She is the best Pamina I've seen (live and on DVDs). A wonderful actress whose acting is enhanced by her singing. Her 'Ach, ich fuhl's' will move even the most stoic listener. Will Hartmann is a fine Tamino vocally and his acting isn't a liability. Franz-Josef Selig is fine as Sarasto, too, tho his voice seems a bit light for the role. The star of the production; however, is the acrobatic Papageno of Simon Keenlyside. Vocally he is gorgeous and his acting even more deliciously funny. I don't think there is a better Papageno out there (one who can steal the opera from a wonderful Queen and Pamina!). I'm in awe of how he can sing like he does while diving after the bird or onto a loveseat with the pink-hair Papagena. Not a one-dimensionally funny Papageno by any mean. His 'Eine Weibchen' is as moving as the piece can be sung, I think. Sir Colin Davis proofs that he is deserving of the title of today's foremost Mozart interpreters with his conducting. This is Mozart's music at its best. A great DVD for opera fans.Read full review
Excellent performances especially by Simon Keenlyside and Roschmann. Everybody who likes Mozart´s operas and/or Simon Keenlyside should buy this. Musically amazing and acted wonderfully. Mr.Keenlyside has a big talent as a comedian:-))) not only as an incredibly sensitive singer. Roschmann is very good too, and the others must be only praised. I highly recommend this recording.
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