By Kate Neeley
Whether you are the seasoned opera goer or the novice audience member new to Mozart’s classic, Utah Festival Opera’s The Magic Flute is sure to take you to the mythical land between the Sun and the Moon and back with its fanciful story, unbelievable puppetry (Dennis Hassan), stunning vocals and flawless orchestra led by conductor Nicholas Guisti.
Within the opera genre, this particular one is a Singspiel, which means that there is spoken dialogue interspersed within the sung story, making it a good place to start if you are new to opera. Although The Magic Flute was originally written in German, under the direction of Vanessa Ballam, UFOMT’s performance will be more easily understood by general audiences since it is performed all in the English translation by Barbara Silverstein and includes subtitles from start to finish projected onstage.
When the daring hero Tamino (Thomas Massey) finds himself charged by the Queen of the Night (Celena Shafer) with the quest to rescue her daughter Pamina (Kara Goodrich) from her supposed enslavement to the evil Sarastro (Matthew Soibelman), he is determined to fulfill his charge. Each of these fill the entire Ellen Eccles Theatre with rich vocals, entrancing you and enveloping you in the sound. If you didn’t know before, none of the key performers wear a microphone, but are clearly heard and understood whether in song or in speech.
Not only determination inspires Tamino, but the true love he falls into when the Queen’s three ladies (Amber Rose Romero, Tzytle Steinman, and Sarah-Nicole Carter) show Tamino a picture of Pamina. You’ll be covered in a blanket of magic harmonies when this trio take the stage.
Luckily Tamino meets the perfect comedic sidekick, the bird catcher Papageno (Lee Gregory) to accompany him on his quest, keeping the audience laughing and thoroughly entertained with his antics and incredible voice. These two have a delightful stage friendship.
A world class set (Keith Brumley) complete with giant puppets operated by the incredibly talented ensemble will keep you wowed from start to finish. And not only are the ensemble members working a puppet nearly the size of a house, but are producing gorgeous song simultaneously.
The highly professional artists throughout the cast are certainly enriched by three of its youngest members. You’ll be floored by the clear, ringing tones in the voices of the young boys who perform the three Spirits who play an important role in guiding and saving multiple key players in the quest (Stein Rockwood, Sebastian Espinosa, McKay Clemens).
Although singing might be your first thought when you’re going to see an opera, the dancing in The Magic Flute is delightful and flows so beautifully with the story. Choreographed by Stefan Espinosaand dance captain Kareem Mack, your eyes will be delighted by the movement, not to mention the fanciful costumes (Jenn Sheshko Wood) and wigs and makeup (Melyssa Swensen).
Mozart’s classic is honored and brought to life in an incredible way by UFOMT with its experienced full production team and cast in this season’s The Magic Flute. If you’ve thought of getting your feet wet in the art of opera or have attended it your whole life, this performance is certainly one you won’t want to miss. There is one more matinee on August 5 with some tickets available. Information on how to purchase them below.
*For sensitive theatre goers, it is important to note that this production includes depictions of attempted suicide.
Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre Presents The Magic Flute, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Ellen Eccles Theatre, 43 S Main Street, Logan, UT 84321
July 6, 15, 23*, 28, August 5*, 2022 (*matinee)
Tickets: $22-$82
Contact: 800-262-0074, ext 3
Utah Opera Festival Facebook Page
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