Das Labyrinth

In 1798, Peter von Winter was commissioned to write a score for a text that Emanuel Schikaneder, the librettist for The Magic Flute, had written as a sequel to Mozart's 1791 masterpiece. The result—as typified in this revival from the 2012 Salzburg Festival—was largely forgettable. Winter's music, while often agreeable, lacks the memorable melodies of its predecessor, but also contributing to the work's obscurity is Schikaneder's needlessly complicated and repetitive libretto, which adds unnecessary characters and contrived situations in crafting a “fourth ordeal” for lovers Tamino and Pamina to undergo under the guidance of Sarastro before achieving enlightenment—a quest that the wicked Queen of the Night attempts to sabotage by allying with the equally cunning King Tipheus (Papageno, meanwhile, is to be seduced away from Papagena by Monostatos). The Salzburg production is a small-scale affair, performed in an outdoor courtyard with colorful costumes but minimal sets. The Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra plays enthusiastically for Ivor Bolton, and the singing is of generally high standard—with Michael Schade and Thomas Tatzl standing out as Tamino and Papageno, and Regula Mühlemann and Christof Fischesser solid as Papagena and Sarastro, although Julia Novikova is considerably strained by the Queen of the Night's arias. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and PCM stereo on Blu-ray, this release offers a rare opportunity to experience an oddity that will likely fascinate opera fans, making it a strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)