When it comes to a work that is more than 200 years old, it’s hard to imagine there’s any surprises left. But if you happen to find yourself with a ticket to the Seattle Opera performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute this winter season, prepare for your eyes to go wide with wonder.
Videos by American Songwriter
The work, which was first performed in 1815, tells the story of a young prince who, by fantastical circumstance, is charged with rescuing a young princess. But the story is not so much the point when it comes to its performance by the Seattle Opera.
You might expect some prancing around on stage, elaborate costumes and a whole lot of talented singing in German when you enter the playhouse of McCaw Hall in the city’s Queen Anne neighborhood. But what you get there is far from imagination.
The acting from the performers is minimal. But while their full-throated vocals fill the Hall, it’s the imagery on the set that takes the cake. The performers interact with images that are projected onto a giant screen onstage. The result is as if the performance is part play, part Who Framed Roger Rabbit and part The Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s stunning and captivating and unlike anything else.
Throughout the show’s two-plus hours, the time flies. You find yourself wondering what will be on the screen next—from a black cat with hackles up to a giant spider trying to catch a human being like an ant to the actors “running” and “jumping” from rooftop to rooftop, trying to escape their would-be captors. The stunning images match the breathtaking music.
“Playing Mozart is always special!” says Seattle Opera and Seattle Symphony double-bassist Joe Kaufman. “It’s perfect music and it begs perfection.”
There is a great deal to learn and read about when it comes to Mozart’s work—namely, it is a rare work written in German for the composer, it features a lot of Masonic symbolism (Mozart was a Freemason), and much more. And while all of that can be fun to discover, what is the most fun is hearing Kaufman and his peers perform while basking in what’s unfolding in front of you on stage.
For the bass player, it’s both a joy and challenging to play the music. It’s deceptively intricate even though it’s also catchy as modern pop music in many places. And the result of everything—in Seattle, at least—is engaging and supremely memorable.
“There’s a saying that when you’re young, you don’t like playing Mozart because it’s too easy,” says Kaufman. “But when you’re older, you don’t like playing it because it’s too difficult! Point being, there are many refined layers of what can, on the surface, seem like simple music. Personally, I have always loved playing Mozart’s music.”
Photo: Sunny Martini / Courtesy Seattle Opera
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.