Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute)

In his audio cycle of Mozart operas, Sir Colin Davis' recordings of the Da Ponte trio--Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Cosi Fan Tutte--were among the best on CD, but somehow the spirit of The Magic Flute eluded him, and it still does here in this 2003 Covent Garden performance--a mellow, autumnal reading of the piece that emphasizes its serious Masonic-inspired elements and rather shortchanges its lighthearted fairytale side. While the approach is defensible, it also saps a good deal of the customary sparkle from the beloved tale of a prince who finds enlightenment and love when caught in a struggle between the darkness and light embodied in a vengeful mother and a wise sage, respectively. The singing is generally excellent, with Simon Keenlyside standing out for his richly vocalized (and amusingly dour) Papageno and Diana Damrau for her spot-on coloratura and genuine venom as the Queen of the Night. Among the leads only Franz-Josef Selig really disappoints as Sarastro; he certainly looks the part, but his wobbly bass fails to match the noble, rock-steady tone of Kurt Moll on Davis' audio version. David McVicar's 18th-century-set production looks attractive, and the camerawork (a few clumsy perspectives aside) is fine, and backed by excellent Dolby Digital 5.1 and surround sound. But this Flute is decidedly less magical than Ingmar Bergman's 1974 film (see VL-3/01) of the opera, which--even though it's sung in Swedish and makes some changes in the text and order of scenes--has a charm that Davis' version does not match. DVD extras include a plot summary, a cast gallery, and an extended interview with Davis, as well as a behind-the-scenes short on the production (oddly, however, the menu offers no provision for scene selection). Optional. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)