Die Zauberflote at Met Opera
I'm doing a board meeting in NYC, and had the evening free so I signed up for the Die Zauberflote at Metropolitan Opera
From the lobby, I feel a thrill run through the gathering crowd as the first orchestral sounds drift into the lobby. I walk up the sweeping staircases, then into circular hallways stairs all in red velvet, including the handrails, to get to my sixth floor Balcony stage right front row seat. I always worry about pitching over the rails. It's a Grand room, tall with gold inlay on the ceiling and fluted balconies and boxes on each floor. Shakespeare's groundlings have moved upstairs to a standing section which goes for a remarkable $20.It's a full house audience of 3800.
Lots of languages and dress: certainly six degrees of separation though I casually wonder if I know anyone attending tonight.Overhead, a pin star chandelier and in front a reflective triangle Mandala curtain. This production mixes Egyptian, Masonic, Japanese and modern styles indiscriminately. The stage is square with a tunnel through the middle, rotating for different scenes.
The Overture begins, with powerful strings and sweeping compelling rhythms.Tamino enters in kabuki dress, noticably short and he has a weak voice. We're all delighted by puppet dragon on poles (I count 18 puppeteers in the production), Papageno is catching puppet birds fluttering about the stage. Later, his Glockenspiel turns into a boom box. The Three Ladies have puppet masks over their heads, though sometimes puppeteers manipulate the masks, which float like ghosts across the space.
The first act is light with several comedic elements.The Queen of the Night (the titles name her Shimmering Star Queen), appears with three puppeteers building butterfly wings around her star dress. In the second act, she wears a very traditional red satin opera dress. Pamina has a wonderful voice that fill the space, and surpasses her mother, the Queen.The three cherubs are dressed in diapers (like Cherubs) with spiky hair and pale skin. They ride across the stage on a huge puppet bird.I love the deep bass of Zarastro, though in some phrases, it is a bit too small for the space. Monostatos sports bat wings and an S&M leather bustier over his huge paunch.
All experience is personal and small things can mar a big event, like the reflection from conductors big music stand. I'm not looking forward to second half. I haven't had dinner. I hate the libretto and especially the second half in the dungeon / temple. There's no emotion in the plot. Pamina alternatively feels loved and left. Tamino loves as a fact. The Queen and Monostatos plot a takeover, but then disappear.
Violence: attempted suicides of Papageno and Pamina, attempted rape, the cruelty of the brotherhood test. Certainly misogynist, and maybe racist with Monostaos, and more annoying meaningless ritual. Zarastro and the Queen have marriage issues, unresolved.I step outside and see the moon over manhattan and decide to stick with the music and return, just for the glorious ending Pa-Pa-Pa
From the lobby, I feel a thrill run through the gathering crowd as the first orchestral sounds drift into the lobby. I walk up the sweeping staircases, then into circular hallways stairs all in red velvet, including the handrails, to get to my sixth floor Balcony stage right front row seat. I always worry about pitching over the rails. It's a Grand room, tall with gold inlay on the ceiling and fluted balconies and boxes on each floor. Shakespeare's groundlings have moved upstairs to a standing section which goes for a remarkable $20.It's a full house audience of 3800.
Lots of languages and dress: certainly six degrees of separation though I casually wonder if I know anyone attending tonight.Overhead, a pin star chandelier and in front a reflective triangle Mandala curtain. This production mixes Egyptian, Masonic, Japanese and modern styles indiscriminately. The stage is square with a tunnel through the middle, rotating for different scenes.
The Overture begins, with powerful strings and sweeping compelling rhythms.Tamino enters in kabuki dress, noticably short and he has a weak voice. We're all delighted by puppet dragon on poles (I count 18 puppeteers in the production), Papageno is catching puppet birds fluttering about the stage. Later, his Glockenspiel turns into a boom box. The Three Ladies have puppet masks over their heads, though sometimes puppeteers manipulate the masks, which float like ghosts across the space.
The first act is light with several comedic elements.The Queen of the Night (the titles name her Shimmering Star Queen), appears with three puppeteers building butterfly wings around her star dress. In the second act, she wears a very traditional red satin opera dress. Pamina has a wonderful voice that fill the space, and surpasses her mother, the Queen.The three cherubs are dressed in diapers (like Cherubs) with spiky hair and pale skin. They ride across the stage on a huge puppet bird.I love the deep bass of Zarastro, though in some phrases, it is a bit too small for the space. Monostatos sports bat wings and an S&M leather bustier over his huge paunch.
All experience is personal and small things can mar a big event, like the reflection from conductors big music stand. I'm not looking forward to second half. I haven't had dinner. I hate the libretto and especially the second half in the dungeon / temple. There's no emotion in the plot. Pamina alternatively feels loved and left. Tamino loves as a fact. The Queen and Monostatos plot a takeover, but then disappear.
Violence: attempted suicides of Papageno and Pamina, attempted rape, the cruelty of the brotherhood test. Certainly misogynist, and maybe racist with Monostaos, and more annoying meaningless ritual. Zarastro and the Queen have marriage issues, unresolved.I step outside and see the moon over manhattan and decide to stick with the music and return, just for the glorious ending Pa-Pa-Pa
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