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Die Zauberflöte
The Met: Live in HD

While the flute is probably the oldest of musical instruments (at least according to archeological finds that places at 40-60,000 years ago),  on  the top ten most popular operas performed today (according to Operabase) there is the forever young Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute.

This fairy tale opera seen Live in HD has everything going for it:  Mozart’s music,  the fantasy of Julie Taymor’s production, and the cast  with Golda Schultz as Pamina to Charles Castronovo’s Tamino,  Rene Pape as Sarastro to
Kathryn Lewek as Queen of the Night and Markus Werba as Papageno.  

But there is more!  One of the joys of seeing this in Live in HD was Conductor James Levine’s smiles of joy as he directed! 

Another was  watching interviews by hostess Nadine Sierra as she talked to not only the singers but the puppeteers  (one of the bears did a tap dance  for movie viewers).  

Following the progression of man’s beliefs with Tamino’s trials and Papageno’s errors, through history from the initial struggle with the serpant, to superstitions promulgated by the Queen of the Night and the Ladies, onward to the Age of Enlightenment of Sarastro and Priests, at last Tamino and Pamina arrive victorously at the finale with  "Dann ist die Erd' ein Himmelreich, und Sterbliche den Göttern gleich."

Yes! “the Earth a heavenly kingdom, and mortals like the gods.”

While there are many interpretations of what this  all might mean—Free Mason rituals versus the established church and the empress queen or popular musical entertainment— there is something undeniable universal in the story and in Tamino's hopes—with his magic flute— as he finds his way through it all.   

 The Magic Flute  is not just going to see an opera but about spending time with joyful music and for the message of joy that music brings.   






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