The Magic Flute

Mozart's glorious final opera can be enjoyed as a blend of fantasy (the Chagall production at the Met), fairytale (Ingmar Bergman's 1975 feature film), or as a quest for enlightenment through Masonic ritual (as is the case here). Set in Egypt, The Magic Flute recounts the adventures of Prince Tamino in his search for truth and beauty (and the fair Pamina), while the antics of the birdman Pagageno looking for his “Papagena” serve as comic counterpoint. As performed for the annual summer festival at Sweden's Drottningholm Court Theatre, this is a straightforward production, with a simple but effective 18th century set and realistic period costuming. The generally sweet-voiced cast is somewhat uneven; high priest Sarastro, Tamino and Papageno are all outstanding, but I found Monostatos' voice too light for the role of the menacing Moor, and the Queen of the Night's handmaidens were downright annoying. Arnold Östman coaxes a pleasantly rich sound from period instruments played by musicians in authentic dress (complete with wigs), enlivened by the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound and crisp DVD transfer. A pleasure to watch, this is an overall satisfying rendition of what many regard as Mozart's finest opera. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)