Die Zauberflöte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, or in English, The Magic Flute, is an opera performed in two acts. The opera is well loved and often performed around the world. While the opera was originally written and performed in German, there are translations available in a variety of languages for ease of performance or understanding. The Magic Flute opera was first performed in 1791, at the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna and is the first opera that Covenant College has ever done. It was directed by Keturah Stickann, with costumes by Courtney McKenzie.
photo by Nate Stewart
The opera opens with a grand Overture conducted by Professor Lok Kim and played by the student orchestra members, featuring a few hired musicians, parents, and a few professors, and contains elements of the famous Queen of the Night aria and themes throughout the show. While the beginning Overture is played, the beautiful daughter of the Queen of the Night, Pamina, played by Mary Brook Diamond ‘22, is kidnapped by her father’s henchman Monostatos, played by Jackson Murray ‘23.
At the Overture’s conclusion enters Prince Tamino, played by senior Ian DeGraaf, who is petrified by a snake’s presence and faints and the front of the stage after singing. The Queen of the Night's three ladies come to his rescue, commanding “Die monstrous snake at my command.” The three ladies, played by Isabelle Torokwa ‘24, Josie Aalsma ‘25 and Sydney Bryan ‘22, see Prince Tamino and are entranced by his beauty, arguing in a playful and funny trio about who will go to tell their Queen, before deciding that all three will go instead.
Then enters Papageno, a half-bird half-man like creature with a love of food and drink and little want for conflict. Papageno is played by graduate William Darby. After Papageno lies and says that he killed the snake that scared Tamino, the three ladies appear, and in an effort to discourage Papageno from lying, lock his mouth shut with a padlock.
The ladies then give Tamino a portrait of the lovely Pamina, played by senior Mary Brook Diamond, and insist that he marry her at the Queen of the Night’s command. The Queen of the Night, played by Sophia Newcomb ‘22, then makes a brief appearance, singing about how her daughter has been abducted and that Tamino must save her, and in a hilarious turn of events, the half-bird half-man who avoids conflict is roped into the journey that Tamino must go on, aided by a magical flute gifted to him by the three ladies.
The abducted Pamina is led to her father’s compound where she is welcomed kindly by Sarastro, played by Dylan Hughes a graduate of Samford University. The two lovers, Pamina and Tamino are reunited briefly at the end of Act One, before Sarastro decides that he would like Tamino to take over his leadership position in his compound and therefore must be tested in the most difficult of ways before he can be deemed worthy of both Sarastro’s command and daughter.
photo by Nate Stewart
Act Two features the trials that Tamino must face. He must be silent in the face of the one he loves, before facing a trial by fire and by water. He is led through the trial by Pamina and plays the magical flute to aid him in the trial. Once all of the trials are complete, Sarastro and those in his compound welcome Pamina and Tamino with open arms, placing the pair of them in charge and ending the trials on a happy note.
But rather than end the music on a final happy moment, the show ends on a hilarious aria and duet performed by Papageno and Papapgena. Papageno sings about the fact that he has lost the love of his life and would rather die than continue on alone. Prompted by the three ladies he begins to play his bells in an effort to call her to him. When Papagena appears, played by Emily Kueh ‘24, the pair share a bird-like duet proclaiming their love for each other and how they will have many children to fill their nest.
While well known names like Mozart and Handel do not often lend themselves to the idea of being a comedy, or in any way funny, The Magic Flute has innumerable moments of laughter, mostly at the expense of Papageno and his bird-like features. The opera is a beautifully written production and wonderfully staged by the Director, Keturah Stickann. The work of the Assistant Director, Caitlyn Grammer and the stage manager Cara Smole must also be acknowledged, as well as Professor David Tahere and Professor Claire Slavovsky, and the countless hours that the four of them dedicated to the actors to be sure that the production would have a beautiful result.
If you did not have the chance to see the opera this past weekend, then you truly missed out. With the amazing talent of the entire cast, including the “Star-Blazing Queen of the Night” soprano Sopia Newcomb in her gorgeous midnight blue dress alongside the deep voice of Dylan Hughes, created a beautiful opposition. The chemistry on stage created by not only Ian DeGraaf and Mary Brook Diamond, but also William Darby and Emily Kueh, brought a true lifelike feeling to the audience members watching the performances.
The work that each cast member, crew, professor, performer, and instrumentalist put into the final production yielded absolutely beautiful results, and I am sure that the entire campus is looking forward to further productions from the Music and Theater Departments.