Melodrama becomes madness: a sensational Magic Flute

By Dominic Lowe, 23 October 2016

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“revelatory... tapping into the huge contemporary issues of mental health and abuse of power”

Reviewed at Hackney Empire, London on 21 October 2016

Mozart, Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) (Hackney Empire and Armel Opera Festival present)

Szeged National Theatre

Gergely Vajda, Conductor

Róbert Alföldi, Director

Ildikó Tihanyi, Set Designer

Marlène Assayag, Queen of the Night

György Hanczár, Tamino

István Kovács, Sarastro

Eva Kovács, Pamina

Szilveszter Szélpál, Papageno

Zoltán Megyesi, Monostatos

Szeged Symphony Orchestra

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George Jahn, 6th May

Cast and orchestra excel in a sensitive linking of Gluck’s music and drama in Róbert Alföldi's simple, direct production at the Hungarian State Opera.

****1

Tainted Love: a passionate Hungarian double bill in Hackney

Chris Garlick, 19th September

A double bill of operas that were literally made for each other, Péter Eötvös wrote his one act masterpiece Senza sangue in 2015 to act as a partner piece for Bartók's Duke Bluebeard’s Castle.

*****

A sorta fairy tale: Sleepers Awake premieres at Opera Philadelphia

Cameron Kelsall, 22nd April

A new opera by Gregory Spears subverts the Sleeping Beauty trope, with middling results.

**111

Asmik Grigorian strengthens the Met’s revival of Eugene Onegin

Susan Stempleski, 20th April

The Lithuanian soprano’s riveting performance as the central character in Tchaikovsky’s operatic masterpiece lights up Deborah Warner’s mostly bland production.

****1

At half mast: Simon Boccanegra revived in Vienna

Orsolya Gyárfás, 19th April

Marco Armiliato's conducting thrills and Federica Lombardi's radiant Amelia stands out in the Wiener Staatsoper's latest revival of Simon Boccanegra.

***11

Anna Netrebko shines in Vienna’s timeless Tosca

Laura Servidei, 18th April

In a world where opera productions often stray into the abstract, the Wiener Staatsoper’s Tosca offers a refreshing return to tradition – and Anna Netrebko delivers a splendid performance.

****1

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Dominic Lowe

Dominic Lowe recently completed a degree in Classics, and one of his great interests is the reception of Greece and Rome in opera. A regular opera-goer since his very early teens, he is particularly keen on the hidden operatic gems of the 19th century. He is largely based in the South of England.

Melodrama becomes madness: a sensational Magic Flute in Hackney