Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho – Courtesy of Canadian Opera Company
Director Diane Paulus, who has worked on such varied stage works as David Lynch’s Lost Highway, The Donkey Show, Il Ritorno D’Ulisse in Patria, and the Broadway revival of Hair, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award describes the COC production of the Magic Flute:
We have set the action in 1791, the year in which the opera was first performed, against the backdrop of the Enlightenment. The entire play-within-the-play is presented in the open space of a nobleman’s garden, itself a place of enchantment and symbolic power during this historical period. As the drama unfolds, the actors leave the theatre behind and continue to enact their story in an elaborate labyrinth that covers the grounds of the estate. The theatricality of their journey is enhanced by the mysteries of the outdoor world beneath the cover of night where they act out the rituals of the drama. All distinctions between fantasy and reality fade away as their pageant lasts through the night until dawn.
Everyone is all abuzz about our Canadian trifecta of opera goodness that will be performing. Isabel Bayrakdarian and Met Council Audition winner Simone Osborne will be sharing the role of Pamina, and Michael Schade plays Tamino.
People are saying the production is visually fantastical, and the overall reception has been really good. I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ll be there to see Simone in a couple of weeks.
The Canadian Opera Company‘s new production of The Magic Flute opened Saturday, Jan. 29 and will run for twelve performances through Feb. 25th. The Ensemble Studio will give a special performance on Feb. 17.
Check out the gallery below of costume sketches and production photos. It all looks very visually appealing.
Owl
Preliminary sketch of the owl by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer for The Magic Flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
Crocodile
Preliminary sketch of the crocodile by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer for The Magic Flute.These costumes will appear when Tamino charms the animals out of the forest with his flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
Griffin
Preliminary sketch of the griffin by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer for The Magic Flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
Zebra
Preliminary sketch of the zebra by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer for The Magic Flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
Michael Schade as Tamino (centre) in a scene from the Canadian Opera Company production of The Magic Flute, 2011. Conductor Johannes Debus, director Diane Paulus, set andcostume designer Myung Hee Cho andlighting designer Scott Zielinski. Photo: Michael Cooper
One of Three Ladies
Preliminary sketch of the one of the three ladies by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer for The Magic Flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
(l – r) Lauren Segal as the Third Lady, Wallis Giunta as the Second Lady, Betty Waynne Allison as the First Lady and Michael Schade as Tamino (lying down) in a scene from the Canadian Opera Company production of The Magic Flute, 2011. Conductor Johannes Debus, director Diane Paulus, set and costume designerMyung Hee Cho and lighting designer Scott Zielinski. Photo: Michael Cooper
Papageno
Preliminary sketch of Papageno by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer for The Magic Flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
Rodion Pogossov as Papageno in the Canadian Opera Company production of The Magic Flute, 2011. ConductorJohannes Debus, director Diane Paulus, set and costume designer Myung Hee Cho and lighting designer Scott Zielinski. Photo: Michael Cooper
Queen of the Night
Preliminary sketch of the Queen of the Night by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer forThe Magic Flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
Tamino
Preliminary sketch of Tamino by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer for The Magic Flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
(l – r) Michael Schade as Tamino and Aline Kutan as the Queen of the Night in the Canadian Opera Company production of The Magic Flute, 2011. Conductor Johannes Debus, director Diane Paulus, set and costume designer Myung Hee Cho and lighting designer Scott Zielinski. Photo: Michael Cooper
Pamina
Preliminary sketch of Pamina by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer for The Magic Flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
Isabel Bayrakdarian as Pamina (kneeling) and Aline Kutan as the Queen of the Night (standing) in the Canadian Opera Company production of The Magic Flute, 2011. ConductorJohannes Debus, director Diane Paulus, set and costume designer Myung Hee Cho and lighting designer Scott Zielinski. Photo: Michael Cooper
Monostatos
Preliminary sketch of Monostatos by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer for The Magic Flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
(l – r) Isabel Bayrakdarian as Pamina and John Easterlin as Monostatos in the Canadian Opera Company production of The Magic Flute, 2011.Conductor Johannes Debus, director Diane Paulus, set and costume designer Myung Hee Cho and lighting designer Scott Zielinski. Photo: Michael Cooper
Sarastro
Preliminary sketch of Sarastro by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer for The Magic Flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
(l – r) Isabel Bayrakdarian as Pamina and Mikhail Petrenko as Sarastro in the Canadian Opera Company production of The Magic Flute, 2011. Conductor Johannes Debus, director Diane Paulus, set and costume designer Myung Hee Cho and lighting designer Scott Zielinski. Photo: Michael Cooper
Papagena
Preliminary sketch of Papagena as an old lady by Myung Hee Cho, set and costume designer for The Magic Flute. Photo Credit: © 2010 Myung Hee Cho
(l – r) Lisa DiMaria as Papagena and Rodion Pogossov as Papageno in the Canadian Opera Company production of The Magic Flute, 2011.Conductor Johannes Debus, director Diane Paulus, set and costume designer Myung Hee Cho and lighting designer Scott Zielinski. Photo: Michael Cooper
(l – r) Isabel Bayrakdarian as Pamina and Michael Schade as Tamino in the Canadian Opera Company production of The Magic Flute, 2011. ConductorJohannes Debus, director Diane Paulus, set and costume designer Myung Hee Cho and lighting designer Scott Zielinski. Photo: Michael Cooper
(l – r) Isabel Bayrakdarian as Pamina and Michael Schade as Tamino in the Canadian Opera Company production of The Magic Flute, 2011. ConductorJohannes Debus, director Diane Paulus, set and costume designer Myung Hee Cho and lighting designer Scott Zielinski. Photo: Michael Cooper
