Mozart’s »The Magic Flute« is considered »the opera of all operas« and unfolds its fascination even in reduced form, when the choir, large orchestra, conductor, and expansive stage sets are dispensed with. Even without the usual cast of twenty-two singers, the essence of this extraordinary work can still be experienced. The plot is condensed in this version, with the most important elements coming to the fore. Ulrich Wickert, known as a long-time journalist and television presenter, guides the audience through the performance with a mixture of clarity, objectivity, and subtle humor, keeping the complex narrative both understandable and entertaining.
The story is accompanied by the most beautiful arias from the opera, which are performed on string instruments in this arrangement. Whether it is the cheerful lightness of Papageno or the dramatic power of the Queen of the Night’s aria, the music shows its full expressive range in this chamber music form and makes it clear that the magic of Mozart’s creation remains intact even in the smallest format.
PERFORMERS
ensemble le phénix string quartet
Ulrich Wickert narrator
PROGRAM
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Libretto: Emanuel Schikaneder)
Die Zauberflöte
