The Magic Flute

What becomes clear upon close examination of the story is that Die Zauberflöte is anything but a light-hearted opera. The battle between two forces, depicted by the priest Sarastro and the Queen of the Night, makes it virtually impossible for the youthful characters Tamino and Pamina or Papageno and Papagena to realise their love. Their path is sown with cruel punishments and life-threatening trials.

Die Zauberflöte, in the production directed by David Hermann, aroused controversy when it was first performed in 2012 and continues to divide opinions among audiences. Hermann’s attention to the darker layer of the work, his critical view of the naive optimism, as well as his eye for the adventurous and modern fairytale-like or cinematic aspect of the story, gave Die Zauberflöte a new and different face. For many, this was a refreshing look at Mozart’s masterpiece.

With two audience favourites as the male leads, Ante Jerkunica (Sarastro) and Josef Wagner (Papageno), who played these roles in 2012, and an ensemble of dedicated young singers, including the Belgian soprano Lore Binon as Pamina, it's a chance to re-experience Die Zauberflöte - whether or not you have seen before.