Master storyteller Sir Thomas Allen returns to Scottish Opera, with his first staging of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, set in a spectacular visual world inspired by ‘steam punk’ Victoriana. To re-tell this story of love, wisdom and truth, director Thomas Allen is joined once more by designer Simon Higlett, known for his vibrant and imaginative sets. For this production, Allen has taken references from a variety of historic locales in Glasgow at the height of its industrial powers – from the Empire Theatre to the Govan shipyards – and draws on the aesthetics and ideas of the Enlightenment, particularly the work of the Hunter family and the vast scientific collections housed in The Hunterian Museum.

The Magic Flute follows the story of Tamino, who is in love with Pamina. She is the daughter of the mysterious Queen of the Night who has been abducted by her mother’s arch enemy, Sarastro. Tamino sets out to rescue her with just a magic flute and Papageno, a bumbling bird-catcher looking for love, to help him. But as their quest progresses the men start to question the motives of those around them, and they soon realise that all is not quite as it seems.

Allen says the production has taken him on a creative journey through Glasgow: ‘Glasgow’s boilermen of yesteryear have found a place in this Viennese comedy. I wanted to hold on to the images of that industrial time, which was dirtier, busier and harder, and also grab the sense that it co-existed with the world of science and the brotherly debate of the Enlightenment. The Magic Flute is a gem of entertainment provided by one genius of composition for another – librettist and theatre manager Emanuel Schikaneder – who had no doubts about the comedy potential in Magic Flute’.

This is Allen’s third production with the company. He previously directed two hit productions: Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (2009) and Rossini’s The Barber of Seville (2007, revived in 2011). He worked alongside designer Simon Higlett and lighting designer Mark Jonathan on both operas.

Presiding over Mozart’s celebrated score is conductor and Magic Flute expert Ekhart Wycik, who has previously worked with the company, and is currently Associate General Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Dortmund Opera Theater in Germany.

Scottish tenor Nicky Spence (Intermezzo, 2011) sings Tamino, and internationally acclaimed soprano Mari Moriya is the Queen of the Night. Rising young soprano Laura Mitchell makes her Scottish debut singing the role of Pamina, and Glasgow’s own Jonathan Best is Sarastro.

The Magic Flute is supported by Dunard Fund and The Scottish Opera Syndicate.

Source: Scottish Opera