Komische Oper’s Die Zauberflöte enchants

By David Smythe, 28 August 2015

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“it will be a few years before I can hear Papageno’s... aria without conjuring flying pink elephants”

Reviewed at Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Edinburgh on 27 August 2015

Mozart, Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)

Komische Oper Berlin

Kristiina Poska, Conductor

Barrie Kosky, Director

Olga Pudova, Queen of the Night

Maureen McKay, Pamina

Allan Clayton, Tamino

Dominik Köninger, Papageno

Dimitry Ivashchenko, Sarastro

Nina Bernsteiner, First Lady

Julia Giebel, Papagena

Theresa Kronthaler, Second Lady

Ezgi Kutlu, Third Lady

Peter Renz, Monostatos

Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin

Barrie Kosky directs a ferocious new Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

Zenaida des Aubris, 31st January

Shostakovich's opera is laid bare in Berlin, to devastating effect, with a distinguished cast led by Ambur Braid.

****1

Masks and obsessions: Evgeny Titov’s Salome at Komische Oper Berlin

Zenaida des Aubris, 22nd November

Salome is faceless and the Dance of the Seven Veils becomes a sardonic commentary on seduction in Komische Oper Berlin's austere new staging.

****1

Opulent minimalism: Kosky directs a new staging of Akhnaten

Zenaida des Aubris, 23rd March

Barrie Kosky's new production of Philip Glass' Akhnaten for Komische Oper at the Schillertheater removes any egyptological references.

****1

A blade too dull: Kosky directs Sweeney Todd at Komische Oper

Elena Luporini, 17th November

With a brand new production by Barrie Kosky, Komische Oper Berlin's first venture into the Sondheim repertoire mostly falls flat.

**111

Kirill Serebrennikov’s Marriage of Figaro challenges Edinburgh

David Smythe, 16th August

Komische Oper Berlin's The Marriage of Figaro is staged at the Edinburgh International Festival with a strong cast headed by Penny Sofroniadou and Peter Kellner.

****1

Kosky's Eine Frau, die weiß, was sie will at Komische Oper

Elena Luporini, 22nd March

It takes two to tango... but what about vaudeville? A rerun of Barrie Kosky's production of Oscar Straus' Eine Frau, die weiß, was sie will owes most of its charm to the two leads.

***11

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David Smythe

David the farmer was drawn into music through choirs, orchestras, taking part in and directing 'serious' opera as a student. Passionate about live classical music, particularly chamber opera, unusual pieces and events and giving the next generation the tools to engage with the classical world.

Komische Oper’s Die Zauberflöte enchants at the Edinburgh Festival