Having played to half a million people in 22 cities around the world, The Magic Flute finally comes to Australia for the opening weekend of the 2019 Adelaide Festival.
“Artistic Masterworks” and “Crowd Pleasers” are categories that rarely intersect. Arguably, only once: in The Magic Flute. In 1791, long before anyone knew what demographics were, it crossed them all to become an instant hit and has remained so ever since.
This staging by Barry Kosky and Suzanne Andrade (from 1927, the company that wowed Festival audiences with
Golem in 2016) is marvelous in the true sense of the word. It manages to keep Mozart’s unique coin spinning so that we never fail to appreciate either of its dazzling sides: on a musical level it is sublime but its operatically game-changing blend of live action and animation make it endlessly delightful to audiences of all ages and experience.
Drawing heavily on the imagery of 1920’s cartoons (
Felix the Cat,
Betty Boop) and the silent films of Weimar Germany (Murnau) and Hollywood (Buster Keaton) its dark edge is reminiscent of Tim Burton but always leavened by innocent warmth and flecked with unexpected touches that are laugh out loud funny.
Book early! And if there are children in your life bring them too. IT'S A KNOCKOUT.
Adelaide Festival Friends enjoy 15% discount on tickets (max two per event) and access to a priority booking period. For more information about the membership, click here
Presenting partners
Presented by the Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Adelaide Festival Centre by arrangement with Arts Project Australia.
The presentation of
The Magic Flute has been made possible by the Adelaide Festival Chairman's Circle, the Adelaide Festival Opera Donor Circle, MM Electrical Merchandising and the Goethe-Institut.