SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

 

 

New Production.

 

Director: Rosamund Gilmore.

Sets: Rosamund Gilmore.

Costumes: Nicola Reichert.

Lighting: Wieland Müller-Haslinger.

 

Cast:

 

Sarastro: Holger Ohlmann.

Tamino: Robert Sellier.

Pamina: Stefanie Kunschke.

Queen of Night: Dorothea Maria Marx.

Papageno: Julian Kumpusch.

Monostatos: Mario Podrecnik.

Papagena: Milica Jovanovic.

First Lady: Sandra Moon.

Second Lady: Sonja Leutwyler.

Third Lady: Rita Kapfhammer.

Speaker/First Priest: Gary Martin.

Second Priest/First Armed Man: Adrian Xhema.

Second Armed Man: Martin Hausberg.

Children: Jonas Hensler,Samuel Levermann, Raffael Boer.

 

This theatre in Munich offers a continuous and very varied program of opera, operetta, musical and ballet, with casts lacking big names, but with programmes including very interesting shows. It is something similar to what happens with the London Coliseum, the Berlin Komisch Oper or the New York City Opera. As I say, the Gärtnerplatz Theater offers many riches and its doors are open most days of the year. I hope to have the opportunity to revisit it before my journey back to Spain.

 

 

This production of The Magic Flute was premiered last May and is due to the choreographer and director Rosamund Gilmore, whose work is a regular feature in this house. From the overture onwards Ms. Gilmore makes it clear that she won't enter into new readings of the opera or explore any deep aspects about Masonic meaning. On the contrary, she makes clear that she is going to tell a story, using a group of dancers with heads of animals, who will reappear at different times during the performance. The production is very simple, with sets in the form of mobile walls, with simple motifs painted on them, which accompany good stage direction, particularly for the fire and water trials scenes. Costumes are rather low cost and the lighting might be improved but this is a pleasant production, which serves to tell the story that Schikaneder wrote and Mozart set to music.

 

The musical direction was in the hands of young Hungarian Henrik Nanasi, who is currently the principal conductor of the house. His reading was very appropriate with lively timings, but space was always left for the singers to breathe and the orchestra produced a generally good performance.

 

 

The vocal casting does not offer big names, but rather a team of fluid and competent singers. In general, it can be said that the world of the night came off better vocally than its daylight rival. Dorothea Maria Marx was a very rich Queen of the Night, including all of the high Fs, although she had to work hard on her agility. For me the best of the ‘night’ cast was the trio of ladies, great singers and actresses all of them, especially Sandra Moon’s first lady which was a real luxury.

 

 

 

Holger Ohlmann was an underpowered Sarastro, short at the bottom end of his range. Robert Sellier was a good Tamino, perhaps lighter than what I usually prefer in the character and Stefanie Kunschke as a Pamina with a remarkable voice, even though a little tight at the top. Julian Kumpusch was a nice enough Papageno, but with little in the way of particular vocal interest as was Mario Podrecnik’s Monostatos. Milica Jovanovic was a lovely Papagena however.

 

 

The theatre had a full house, with the marked presence of young people, including lots of children. The audience applauded after each aria with enthusiasm and the final reception was very warm for all the artists, especially for the young lovers, the evil Queen of the Night, and - how could it not be? - for Papageno.

 

José M Irurzun