As I made my way to the VIP entrance (a welcome reviewers’ perk) at the Hull New Theatre on Thursday evening, I had to navigate my way through throngs of queuing theatregoers.
Opera lovers abound in the former City of Culture, and they were certainly out in force when Opera North’s production of The Magic Flute came to town.
Mozart composed the music for this fairytale-type opera that premiered on September 30, 1791- just two months before his death.
Originally penned by Emanuel Schikaneder, Opera North’s version was written by British theatre director, composer and lyricist, Jeremy Sams.
Directed by James Brining and performed in the English language, the opening scene showed a young girl in her bedroom while, next door, drunken grown-ups, in evening wear, partied. The youngster’s yellow pyjamas stood out from the rest of the costumes throughout the production. I wasn’t privy to this young actor’s name, but her stage presence was quite lengthy, and she was just one of two characters left on the stage when the curtain fell at the end. So, bravo to her.
But did she dream up what ensued, or did it really happen?
The story centres around a prince, Tamino (tenor, Trystan Llŷr Griffiths, in his Opera North debut), and his quest to win the heart of Pamina (soprano, Soraya Mafi), daughter of the Queen of the Night (soprano, Nazan Fikret).
Finding himself in unknown surroundings after being chased by a giant serpent, the prince faints, and is rescued by the Queen’s three Ladies, who can’t keep their hands off of him.
The three – Charlie Drummond, Katie Sharpe and Hazel Croft – dressed in blood-stained garb with huge white bonnets on their noggins, carried light sabers, which added further amusement to their madcap antics.
After checking the prince over, they leave him to recover, only for him then to be approached by the Queen’s bird catcher, Papageno (bass-baritone, Emyr Wyn Jones).
My favourite character on the night, dressed in rags, with a shock of red hair, he was a laugh-a-minute – surely a pantomime season beckons.
After being given a portrait of the Queen’s daughter Pamina, the prince is smitten, However, she has been kidnapped by the evil Sarastro (bass-baritone, Justin Hopkins), while also being pursued by Sarastro’s slave, the not so pretty Monostatos (tenor, Colin Judson).
The Queen orders Tamino to rescue her daughter, ensuring he receives a magic flute as protection; likewise, his companion on the journey, Papageno, receives a set of magic chimes.
The fun-loving Papageno is also on the look-out for a lady to love, hoping to win the heart of one Papagena (soprano, Pasquale Orchard). But do the love-lorn pair succeed?
All the action is played out on most amazing stage settings – take a bow, Colin Richmond.
Banks of tall windows and doors were seamlessly shifted about; huge rooted tree trunks fell from the sky and thanks to a see-through screen that dropped, we witnessed flooding, fire and tornado-like winds. Candlelit dining tables and chairs, plus a small staircase, were regularly wheeled on and off, never detracting from events.
Richmond also designed the costumes, many of which – in a wine colour – resembled those featured in The Handmaid’s Tale – long, shapeless dresses for the females, with corresponding trousers and shirts for the males.
Sarastro’s magnificent outfit, in white, befitted his status, while the prince’s once smart uniform, in dark hues, showed the wear and tear from his struggles.
The Queen of the Night’s black lace dress was gorgeous, as were the sequinned evening gowns in the opening party scene.
Prince Tamino’s trials and tribulations, and those of Papageno, are played out to glorious music from the Opera North Orchestra – Mozart himself would have approved.
As for the singing voices, every note sung was of the utmost quality. Stand-outs were Nazan Fikret as the Queen – her high-soprano voice surely must have shattered glasses somewhere in the theatre. At the other end of the scale was the unbelievably deep voice of bass-baritone Justin Hopkins as Sarastro. Unforgettable, both.
A group of talented children graced the stage, including three youngsters who helped the prince and his love. They had the sweetest choir voices and could act as well. Their names escape me, but they know who they are. Well done.
Opera North has outdone itself with this production of The Magic Flute. Fantastic in every way, the audience’s continued applause meant it was a while before the performers could exit the stage.
Reviewer: Jackie Foottit
Reviewed: 27th March 2025
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 5 out of 5.
