Mozart’s magic endures

Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Welsh National Opera) Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff ★★★★★

GIANT shellfish, suspended bicycles and the cast poking their heads up from trap doors in the stage to sing are just some of the surrealist touches to Welsh National Opera’s production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

The other worldly staging whisks the audience into Mozart’s tale of misogyny, abduction and love at first sight with themes of knowledge, justice, wisdom and truth woven into a bizarre Masonic brotherhood of men.

There is comedy and frustration along the way as would-be lovers Tamino and Pamina try to meet as they are taken on a quest to prove their worth to be together.

Taking inspiration from surrealist art the set design has a series of doors opening in and out of a blue and cloudy sky while bowler hatted men usher Tamino through a series of trials.

Mark Stone steals the comic lines as Papageno, the pantominelike bird catcher who helps Tamino in his dream-like quest.

Anna Siminska is dazzling as Queen of the Night, despite an announcement she had a sore throat on the night her voice was an orchestra in itself as she climbed and descended the famous aria where she loses her temper. Her vocal gymnastic dexterity drew polite gasps of admiration from the audience.

But it is the ease with which this production takes on a different image that makes it such a triumph. The Magic Flute is one of Mozart’s most loved and favourite operas. This is a glorious, witty spectacle of surrealism marrying ingeniously with his score.

There’s another performance of The Magic Flute at the WMC tonight (March 1). Call 029 2063 6464