Everyone knows the “Magic Flute”, are able to sing along and retell the story - although maybe “retell” isn’t quite the most appropriate word. The entire story can at times become somewhat lost in the magical stage effects and thus seemingly illogical. However, the wonderful music is always present. Please don’t attempt to force the protagonists into a realistic corset! The country in which Tamino meets the Queen of the Night is the Egypt of dreams. Generations of enthusiasts have seen in this an eternal reality where black is the new white, two plus two often equals five and lies are actually truths when the perspective is changed (“Is everything a sham?” asks Tamino desperately). We all stumble across these things often enough in life. Just as his librettist mixes Viennese with Japanese, Mozart combines fugues and folk songs to create a song of praise for one still searching. The searcher must make a decision because here, everything happens twice – as drama and as farce. Then, during the fire and water trial, the miracle suddenly occurs – the music sounds like neither fire nor water but can be heard twice. It is exact musical repetition despite the most extreme opposing of scenes - the union of man and woman as utopia, perfection and complete symmetry within a surreal dream world. Although…fire to water – doesn’t that produce ash and smoke? Who knows - perhaps a diamond will shine through from beneath the ash.

Sir Simon Rattle Conductor
Robert Carsen Direction
Michael Levine Stage  
Robert Carsen, Peter van Praet Lightdesign 
Petra Reinhardt Costume Design
Ian Burton Dramaturgy

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Berlin Radio Choir

Ana Durlovski Queen of the Night 
Dimitry Ivashchenko Sarastro
Pavol Breslik Tamino    
Kate Royal Pamina
Michael Nagy Papageno   
Regula Mühlemann Papagena
Annick Massis First Lady
Magdalena Kožená Second Lady
Nathalie Stutzmann Third Lady
José van Dam Speaker
James Elliott Monostratos
Benjamin Hulett Erster Geharnischter
David Jerusalem Zweiter Geharnischter
Andreas Schager First Churchman
Jonathan Lemalu Second Churchman
Aurelius Sängerknaben Calw Three Boys

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Magic Flute, KV 620

Finishing time approx.: 9.15 pm