Modernized Magic Flute in Oslo

Review by Torkil Baden, Production photos: Erik Berg

Opera by Em
. Schikaneder and W.A.Mozart (1791)

Modernized version Norwegian OPera Novb. 28th 2015

Runs Through January 2016

OSLO/NORWAY: The director Alexander Mørk-Eidem has already delivered some very unorthodox versions of classics, like his celebrated “Peer Gynt” at the National Theatre of Oslo. His inventive approach leads to visuals feasts. Compared to other opera directors he is not as intellectual as Stefan Herheim and not as physical as Stein Winge. More in the tradion of Spanish Calixto Bieito he puts things upside down and adds refreshing elements in order to catch a contemporary audience.

Atle Antonsen is a burlesque Papageno, behind him in the space ship Marius Roth Christensen just crashlanded as Tamino at the Galaxe, somewhere . Foto Erik Berg

Comedian

His starting point this time is that “The Magic Flute” undisputably was a Schikaneder show, commissioned and performed by himself as a popular comedian in the Vienna of Mozart. That is the reason why the rather original choice of a popular TV-comedian as Papageno. Atle Antonsen is told to have had singing lessons throughout the last year, and his musical performance is fair and no scandal. Mozart has not given the bird catcher his most demanding parts. And his hilarious fooling around on stage gives more than justice to this casting.

Star Wars

The creative director takes us far away to an alien planet and a science fiction universe (- maybe in the tradition of the star-spangled Egyptian sky of designer Karl Schinkel in the Berlin production of 1815 – see illustration below).

The Star Wars-costumes and scenic design are both entertaining and overwhelming with a dash of Planet of the Apes. The Queen, Sarastro, the young couple and the whole cast with chorus and orchestra has a good time on stage and in the pit with Thomas Søndergård as musical director of the classical parts of the score.

Overwhelming costumes in this science fiction universe. Foto Erik Berg

The always long awaited coloratura of the Queen in her heavenly domain is well taken care of by Eir Inderhaug as are the beautiful and catchy songs of the others. Also Mari Eriksmoen has an impressive Pamina-soprano.

Mozart-musical

The stand-up comedian-like new dialogues and the rewriting of some of the songs reduce the theme of spiritual values and virtues

. The conflict between the queen and Sarastro has a character of divorce drama, and there is a humanization throughout that makes the story more relevant.

The creators of this modernized version have also dared to modernize Mozart towards the demands of contemporary musical theatre. Instrumental parts surrounding the songs are cut in order to tighten the drama and speed up the action. The orchestra has some electronic addition of live electronics underlining the Star Wars-image. The sounds and effects from the orchestra pit and loudspeakers are firmly in the tradition of f. ex. the ballet music of Arne Nordheim. In “The Tempest” from 1979 electronics where mixed with the orchestra into an exciting universe of sound.

the NO stimulus is removed or ceased, cGMP is no longerPenile disorders viagra online.

. Photo: NRK” width=”362″ height=”400″ /> Atle Halstensen – Mozart modernizer. Photo: NRK