On Friday, February 1st, I was treated to the wonderful performance of “Die Zaberflaute”, or “The Magic Flute” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performed by the UBC Opera. Having seen this opera put on by a professional company in Calgary, I was slightly apprehensive that I would be seeing an “amateur” version, not at the same level of the company I had seen before. However, I was floored by the dedication and talent of the singers, and was constantly surprised by the caliber to which every aspect of the show was held to. The acting was believable and dynamic, while the singing was practically flawless! Having brought my friend who had never seen an opera before, I was glad her first experience was so well executed and look forward to future performances put on by UBC opera.
Having seen this opera before and studied it through the Royal Conservatory, it was a different experience seeing it as a teacher for my friend rather than a student. My friend, who had never seen an opera, had so many questions (“why is it in German?” “what’s up with the subtitles?” “is there even a story?”). But, in my perusing of texts to give her an accurate history of the opera, I discovered some interesting new facts which enriched her, and my own experience. For instance, Mozart composed the vocal music for the characters based on the singing abilities of the original actors; for example, Papageno’s solos are always doubled by an instrument since the actor who played him wasn’t trained much as a singer. As well, Mozart was an active member of the freemasons: much of the symbolism of Sarastro’s kingdom and the ideas he preached were taken from freemason doctrine.
What consistently astounds me about this opera, and Mozart’s work in general, is its ability to be musically complex and thoughtfully composed while still being accessible for the audience. Mozart’s use of homophony, clear and poignant melody, and the understated style of the classical period in a magical fantasy world parallels the situation of the characters themselves: battling beasts and witches, and yet facing situations that are easy for us to relate to such as pursuing love, a lack of self-confidence, and trying to please the in-laws! This is not to say, however, that the compositions are at all mundane: the virtuosity demonstrated by Sarastro and The Queen of the Night is dizzying, while the staccato motif in Papageno and Papagena’s love duet is almost as humorous as the characters themselves! As my former music teacher used to comment, “Mozart is the only person who could write about (the Queen of the Night’s) seething, all-consuming rage in a major key.”
One particular part of the opera which had previously evaded my interest was the overture. Upon listening to it the second time, I noticed that it contained very little of the thematic material from the opera itself, but rather evokes both the solemn, contemplative nature of Sarastro’s kingdom in the chords of the first measures, and the humorous, jolly character typical of an opera buffa in the fast-paced inner section. The overture evokes a sonata-allegro form, a common style for orchestral music in the classical period, with an exposition using repetition of an exciting violin theme, and a development with minor variations and new settings of the theme on different instruments. But again, at the heart of Mozart’s meticulous attention to detail, the overture captures the whimsy, bravado, and lightheartedness of the opera to come.
Overall, my experience at UBC’s production of the Magic Flute was exceptional, and reminded me how much I love to see music that inspires joy, sadness, and even laughter! Kudos to all singers and instrumentalists involved, it was truly an exceptional night.
P.S. on a less serious note…
