Die Zauberflöte

This 2013 production of Mozart's much-loved fantasy opera—depicting a struggle between good and evil that mingles philosophy, religion, romance, and lowbrow humor—will be dismissed by some because it sanctions a few cuts, ignores the break between acts, and is presented on the floating lakeside stage that is home to the Bregenz Festival. Patrick Summers leads the Vienna Symphony in a fluent reading of the score, although the orchestra's placement in a separate locale sometimes leads to a disconnect with the singers, who are generally quite fine, with Ana Durlovski particularly impressive in the coloratura passages of the Queen of the Night's arias. Working from an extravagant concept, director David Pountney defines the space with three towering dragon figures linked by suspension bridges that the characters traverse (often acrobatically). The areas where the less dangerous action occurs include a field of huge, swaying, luminous tubes. Puppetry is frequently employed (most notably for the Queen's trio of ladies prancing atop mythic beasts), fireworks are occasionally lit, and other special effects abound. Ultimately, even though some viewers may be put off by the excessive pizzazz, none of it truly distracts from the beauty of the music, and younger viewers will be enchanted. Presented in DTS 5.0 and Dolby Digital stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.0 and PCM stereo on Blu-ray, this Magic Flute may not be a first choice, but it's both inventive and likable. Recommended. (F. Swietek)