THE MAGIC FLUTE in Pop Culture

The Magic Flute is one of the operas with tunes so catchy and recognizable, even those who have never seen a performance of it have probably heard its music. Whether it’s the overture played as background music at the mall on an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or a music box on an episode of House bringing Papageno’s "Das klinget so herrlich" front and center, The Magic Flute is definitely in the pop culture landscape.

In 1995, Disney released Operation Dumbo Drop, a (family-friendly) movie starring Danny Glover, Ray Liotta, and Denis Leary about an Army mission to deliver an elephant to a village during the Vietnam War. The over-the-top plot also features a moment in which one character sings along, horribly, to the Queen of the Night’s famous aria, “Der Hölle Rache”:



"Der Hölle Rache" was also discussed in a 2009 episode of the CW’s popular Gossip Girl TV series, during the second season episode “You’ve Got Yale!” in which the main characters attend a performance of The Magic Flute. Opera is mentioned throughout the episode, and this short video features a few notable references (embedding is disabled, but clicking the photo will take you to YouTube to watch):



In these clips, the anonymous Gossip Girl compares the drama of the main characters to Flute; Dan and Nate talk about going to the opera, and make a bonus reference to The Ring; and Eric breaks down Magic Flute to opera newbie Rufus, while they listen to "Der Hölle Rache." By the way, we definitely disagree with Eric’s assertion that Flute is "opera for amateurs." While it's a great introduction to those unfamiliar with opera, there's something for everyone in this Mozart masterpiece.

More recently in film, that same aria was included in the soundtrack for Eat Pray Love, released last year and starring Julia Roberts. It was an interesting choice of music, considering the context: this very German aria is played to highlight the joy Roberts' character is experiencing while traveling through Italy and savoring Italian cuisine. See the clip below.



Flute's music has also been in numerous commercials, for everything from cars to macaroni and cheese. Papageno might enjoy Red Bull based on its "Red Bull gives you wings" slogan, but we bet he wasn’t so pleased with the outcome of this clever commercial for the energy drink, featuring Papageno’s entrance aria “Der Vogelfänger Bin Ich Ja” (“I’m a bird catcher”):



In 2006, Kenneth Branagh made a film adaptation of The Magic Flute that set the story during World War I, with the German libretto translated to English by Stephen Fry, and music conducted by James Conlon. Branagh's film is the first time The Magic Flute was made specifically for the big screen (in 1975, Ingmar Bergman created a wonderful made-for-TV version). Branagh's Magic Flute screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, but has been largely overlooked since its release, and there doesn't appear to be a U.S. edition of the DVD yet. For now, you can watch bits and pieces online, including the duet between Papageno and Papagena. Here's how Branagh filmed the overture:



It's not just The Magic Flute's music that has been referenced in film and TV over the years. Several movies, for example, have featured plot lines involving magical flutes--like the 1976 animated film The Smurfs and the Magic Flute. Set in the Middle Ages, the movie focuses on a court jester who discovers a magic flute that, when played, makes the townspeople dance uncontrollably. Sounds innocent enough--until a thief snatches away the flute and uses its powers to rob people of their gold. It's not quite the same adventure as in Mozart's opera, but it's a magic flute nonetheless!

The entire movie is available for viewing on YouTube.

Have you noticed nods toward Flute that we haven't yet mentioned? We'd love to know, so please share them in the comments!

MEET OUR SINGERS: Anya Matanovic, Marcy Stonikas, and Lindsey Anderson--The Three Ladies

Those who follow our Young Artists Program might recognize our Three Ladies: soprano Anya Matanovic, soprano Marcy Stonikas, and mezzo-soprano Lindsey Anderson. Matanovic was a Young Artist in 05/06 and 06/07, and made her mainstage debut last season as Nannetta in Falstaff (she's pictured on the right, in a photo by Alan Alabastro, as she rehearses with Philip Cutlip); Stonikas and Anderson are current Young Artists, with Stonikas making her mainstage debut in The Magic Flute, and Anderson following up her role as Alisa in last fall's Lucia di Lammermoor.

Today, we speak with this lovely trio and find out what else they've been up to lately...as well as what the Three Ladies actually do with all the birds they buy from Papageno.


In the first scene, Tamino faints and the Three Ladies quickly dispatch his serpent for him—and then fall madly in love with him. What is so attractive about this guy?

MARCY: In general, I think these ladies are a little attention-starved. We're used to working for the Queen and doing all of our tasks together, but a man is something new and unusual to us. I'm sure we see and slay monsters much more often than we see a handsome, young prince at such a close distance.
ANYA: Yes, we take care of business like that every day, so it really isn't that big of a deal to defeat a huge, deadly monster for us. But the temptation of love…well, that sparks something entirely new in each of us. Tamino is the most handsome and brave man we ladies have seen and I think it really takes us by surprise. Of course, I discover him first—and if only I didn't SING every darn thought I had, the other two ladies wouldn't have taken notice of him…and then, believe me, this opera would end VERY differently.
LINDSEY: Life in the Queen's kingdom has become very boring and predictable. The Three Ladies sit around for hours on end listening to the Queen brood about betrayal, and then go for their daily outing to collect birds from Papageno. On a busy day they may have to kill a monster or two. But Tamino's arrival puts an end to their monotonous way of life.

Lindsey Anderson and Marcy Stonikas work with choreographer Rosa Mercedes during rehearsals for The Magic Flute.
Photo by Alan Alabastro

The Queen has a complicated relationship with her daughter, but how do the Three Ladies feel about Pamina?

MARCY: The Ladies like Pamina. We don't have a complex relationship with her, as her mother does. We probably think of her as a little girl still and think of her fondly.
LINDSEY: The Three Ladies share a strong sense of solidarity with the Queen, but I believe they still care for each other on a familial level. Pamina is like a niece to them and they care for her very much.

What do the Three Ladies do with the birds they purchase from Papageno every day?

MARCY: We eat the birds, of course.
LINDSEY: And maybe make a few new accessories with the feathers. The Third Lady's favorite recipe is Chicken à la King—or, in the case of the production, Emu à la Queen!
ANYA: I'd like to think the First Lady goes about her days humming to herself and making wreaths of flowers for the beloved pet birds that the Queen lets roam freely around her quarters, and nuzzling the beaks of the babies in their nests.

Anya, we hear you recently visited Slovenia, where your family is from. Tell us a little about your trip! Is there much opera being performed?

Yes, it was a wonderful trip, and it had been 15 years since my last visit. My father's side of the family still lives there, in the capitol Ljubljana. Slovenia was the first country to leave the socialist Yugoslavia in 1991 and has a very rich history, with a wonderful mixture of Mediterranean and Alpine influences. It is a very special experience to wander though cities that hold so much history (Mahler studied in Ljubljana!). I could go on and on about the beauty of this country, but instead I will just say that if you have the chance to visit Slovenia - do it! Also, within a two-hour drive you can be in Italy, Croatia, Austria or Hungary. But the best part of my trip was reconnecting with my family. It was a very different experience to be there without my father, who speaks the language.

As for the opera world, my impression was that there is a lot of opera being performed there. But that could be due to the fact that my two uncles and cousin happen to be some of the biggest opera fans I know! One of my uncles is president of the Wagner Society of Slovenia, and to say my other uncle is an "opera fanatic" might be an understatement. Slovenia has several small opera companies, and Zagreb and Graz are just a short drive away. And their favorite houses—Vienna, Barcelona, Zurich and Berlin, Bayreuth—are just a bit further away. They travel all over Europe, and occasionally to New York, to hear their favorite singers or see their favorite operas.

Marcy, you’re in two Mozart operas back-to-back with us, Don Giovanni with the Young Artists and now The Magic Flute. What do they have in common, and how are they different? Do you prefer one or the other?

Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute are very different shows, with different themes, moods, and characters. For starters, our production of Don Giovanni only had nine people in it and The Magic Flute has what at times can seem like hundreds. Both shows have such beautiful, recognizably Mozartian melodies but that's really where the similarities end, if you ask me. Well, I lied: the other thing they have in common are the unmistakable musical nuances that help the audience understand the relationship between the characters—and that's an amazing thing!

Lindsey, you had to sing the Flosshilde (lowest Rhinedaughter) line in Siegfried and the Ring of Fire a few months ago, and now you’re the lowest of the Three Ladies. Which trio is harder? Will you ever sing a middle voice in an ensemble?

I love singing in ensembles. I find it very gratifying to join with other voices to create such beautiful music. The Rhinedaughter trio, overall, has longer vocal lines with numerous opportunities to celebrate dissonance, and the end product was stunningly beautiful. The music of the Three Ladies is completely different from the Rhinedaughters but still presents its own challenges. When singing in a trio that has such close-knit harmonies, rhythms, and crisp texts, you have to develop an awareness of what the others are doing so that your musical intentions as a group are clear to the audience. There is a certain ebb and flow between the vocal lines of the Three Ladies that contributes to making their music some of the most beautiful and evocative in the entire opera. Singing the lowest part is something I've grown accustomed to and enjoy very much, but as my voice is maturing and becoming more comfortable in repertoire that sits a bit higher, I'm sure singing the middle voice of an ensemble will be in my future.

Checking in Again with Director Chris Alexander

Time now for a second check-in with stage director Chris Alexander, who's ready to finish his rehearsal-room staging and head over to McCaw Hall for the final week of Magic Flute rehearsals.

We’re now in the third week of rehearsals for The Magic Flute. What have you been up to since we last spoke?
The second week was consumed with getting the second act blocked out, meaning getting it on stage, getting the positions for everybody, working on the emotions and the magic tricks—and the second act has had more tricks than the first act. Now where we are this week—we’re setting everything together. Tonight and tomorrow night we are doing run-throughs on the rehearsal stage, where we can see how far we are and hopefully have a show. The interesting thing is that the lighting designer is coming in to take a look, and lighting is a very important part of this show.

What’s up next, after you finish running through Flute in the rehearsal studio?
Then we have to discover the McCaw Hall stage. On Friday, we go on stage and the first rehearsal there is called the “Cue to Cue.” That’s a technical rehearsal where we check out people’s entrances—all sorts of entrances, not only from the stage wings, but also coming from above on a catwalk, for example. We sort all that out at that rehearsal, and make sure everyone knows where they’re coming from and that it’s safe.

Have there been any new developments or surprises in the past week and a half?
We’ve added one or two magical surprises and tricks that I shouldn’t give away to the audience yet. If you’re in an opera like The Magic Flute, it’s inevitable that you discover new ideas during the rehearsal process. With a company like Seattle Opera, you can do that, and add new details. It’s very different from where I come from, in Germany, where you have to have everything organized ahead of time because you don’t have any time during rehearsal to add anything new.

MEET OUR SINGERS: John Tessier and Jonathan Boyd (Tamino)

It's time for us to chat with our two Taminos, tenors John Tessier (Saturday/Wednesday performances) and Jonathan Boyd (Sunday/Friday performances). Both are making their Seattle Opera debuts in The Magic Flute, and both shared their insights into this production and the role of Tamino. (To the right, see a sketch of Tamino's costume, by costume designer Zandra Rhodes.)

Read on to find out what they think about this hero on a quest, as well as learn what else Tessier and Boyd have been up to lately. And, stay tuned for more Q&As with our cast in the coming weeks!


Tamino is a Luke Skywalker/Frodo-on-a-quest type of character. Do you worry about personalizing such an archetypal character?

John: I think it is exciting to play a character on a quest, especially this quest for good. Tamino is young and naive so he does not know real fear yet. This makes playing him fun because he feels, as most young people do, that he is invincible.
Jonathan: For me, Tamino is certainly on a quest—just as each of us have been, or perhaps are currently experiencing, in our own lives. I am honored that such modern-day iconic names as Frodo, Skywalker, and even Indiana Jones have been used to describe the young Tamino. Yes, these are fictional characters. However, we have all experienced true human emotions as Frodo carries the ring around his neck, Skywalker learns of his true family, and Jones uses his whip to get himself out of harm’s way. Tamino, too, will carry his own "ring" (the locket), be faced with honor and family (Queen or Sarastro?), and use his "whip" (the flute) to keep him from harm in the pit of snakes (which, for him, is the trials of fire and water).

John Tessier (Tamino) and Philip Cutlip (Papageno) in rehearsals for The Magic Flute, with the two of the Three Ladies visible in the background (Anya Matanovic and Marcy Stonikas; Lindsey Anderson is hidden from view in this photo by our Papageno!).
Photo by Alan Alabastro

As heroes go, Tamino isn’t very impressive at first. He fails to defeat the dragon and he is easily manipulated by the Queen. Is it fun to play this kind of a character that has a large growth arc in the story, or would you rather come in as a triumphant conquering hero from the get-go?

Jonathan: I respectfully disagree that our hero Tamino is unimpressive at first. We first see Tamino as he begins to explore a world that his father has told him is magical. I believe it takes great courage to set out solo to explore the unknown and dangerous. Imagine, if you will, having only the clothes on your back and a map, with nothing familiar around you. On your mark! Get set! Go! I hope you survive! When Tamino finds himself faced with a portal of darkness and unknown dangers, he actually enters inside only to be chased out by a being that is many times larger than he is physically, and yet Tamino attacks this obstacle with his bare hands. Since Tamino has only human qualities—i.e. no magical powers—he is thrown (quite literally) off his feet. As for the manipulation he experiences: I don't believe Tamino is manipulated by the Queen, but more by the human condition of love. It is this love that leads Tamino to say in the text, “das schwör’ich bei meiner liebe” (“I swear it by my love”). So, our hero Tamino starts out strong, but in a way similar to that of a teenager with a naïve feeling of being indestructible. He’s quickly humbled through the life lessons of responsibility and truth.
John: I think Tamino is only defeated by the dragon because he has no weapons and it's a big dragon! He does make an attempt to fight it heroically, so I think he is impressive. Yes, 'manipulated by the Queen' is an accurate description, but I think Tamino falls prey to her because of his sheltered upbringing and youthful gullibility.

In Chris Alexander’s production, Tamino won’t join the brotherhood at the end of The Magic Flute. Does that change how you play Tamino’s attitude toward Sarastro and his priests through the whole opera?

John: This is a different take on the ending and I think a great one. In this case, Tamino still has respect for the priests and Sarastro throughout the opera but chooses to take Pamina back to his own land, or maybe even to live a simple life with her in the forest.
Jonathan: Tamino's journey is always that of finding truth. So I have no need to "change" his attitude. He experiences true love and true friendship as well as true deceit. One makes life decisions only from knowledge. So Tamino, just as any adult must eventually do, uses the wisdom he has acquired to make his own decisions. Chris Alexander has created a brilliant platform for Tamino to discover true-to-life situations even in this magical world--wonderfully set up, I might add, by the use of some of the best theatrical technology available to us today. I play Tamino honestly, and any attitude that Tamino shows toward Sarastro and the priests stems from the overall experiences he has throughout his journey.

John, what can you tell us about Waiting for Monroe, a new opera you'll be doing with Netherlands Opera in 2012, in which you play the opera version of John F. Kennedy?

I really can tell you very little about the opera, as it is still being composed. I can mention that Robin de Raaff is a great composer and I am looking forward to singing his music. But I think playing such a historic character that was loved by so many will be exciting and challenging.

Have you ever been to Seattle before? Opera Canada has called you a “sports fanatic.” Now that the weather is getting nice, are you going to take advantage of the opportunity for outdoor recreation in this area?

I have sung with the Symphony here, and was able to enjoy the Washington Athletic Club pool. It looks like I’ll maybe able to swim there again, which is fantastic. I also have plans to see a baseball game and maybe rent a kayak, too. I think it might be too cold to seek out a windsurfing rental place, but there is a month left so you never know!

What about you, Jonathan? I heard that you enjoy sailing. Do you plan on going out on the water while you’re in town?

I was in Seattle once before, for about 48 hours. I do enjoy sailing, it’s true, and I’m currently working towards my Coast Guard captain’s license. My performance schedule has not allowed me to log as many hours on the water as I would like. However, I will take every opportunity possible as I need a few more logged hours before my Coast Guard exam. At the moment, I am certified for a 22-foot sailing vessel, which happens to be the size of my 1979 Buccaneer docked on the Hudson River back home in NYC.

Tell us about your upcoming engagement singing Moby Dick for San Diego.

Speaking of sailing...what an exciting opportunity--the ultimate in sailing stories! Though I was not able to see the actual premiere of Moby Dick live, I was fortunate enough to view an archival recording, sitting in the offices of Dallas Opera, while on the roster there singing in a production of Don Giovanni. (They allowed me to view the recording because they knew I would be performing it in San Diego.) The video I saw was from a fixed camera from the back of house, but it gave me a glimpse at what technology and the brilliant minds of our directors and musicians of today can create.

I truly believe my skills as a real-life sailor will come into play, since the set is made up of various ropes and rigging on which the cast climbs and hoists themselves, just as one does on a real ship. I was told by cast members in that production I should go out, climb on something, and try singing while hanging 20 feet in the air by the tips of my fingers—then I will be ready for the production. As with any production, the first step is to learn the music, and it was only recently the revised music score became available. After any premiere, there are bound to be some slight changes made—even Seattle Opera's version of The Magic Flute will have "new" text in it that was found in a score owned by his wife, scribbled in Mozart's hand. That said, like Magic Flute, I am certain there were not any major changes, but the details that have been re-examined will only make the presentation that much stronger.

Benjamin Richardson Reports from Rehearsal, #2

Hello, this is Benjamin Richardson, the Second Spirit in the Gold Cast of Seattle Opera’s production of The Magic Flute, back to report on a second exciting week of opera rehearsal.

We began last week by polishing up what we had already worked on, especially the marching. Rosa Mercedes, the choreographer, said to imagine a string pulling up from the head, so that our posture was straight. We also worked on the choreography that we didn’t know so well, like when to turn, when to wave, and when to march. I’m SO excited to try this out on our set! We also fixed some of the scootering parts, and it was quite a challenge to not run into the other spirits. They also said to enjoy the ride and swing your legs up while you kick.

It was very fun working with the conductor who was there, and the pianist who will soon be replaced by an orchestra! Philip Cutlip, who plays Papageno, was also wearing part of his costume. He wore long pointed green shoes, a long tail feather that was clipped to his back, and a small hat with a very long beak that was facing straight up.

Alissa Henderson, Benjamin Richardson, and Casi Goodman rehearse for The Magic Flute.
Photo still from a video by Bill Mohn

The second rehearsal was Pamina’s suicide scene. At the beginning, we blew some bubbles out to where the audience will be, which we weren’t very good at doing yet. We also saw Pamina’s dagger, which has a really beautiful crystal blade look, and the handle has a switch which will light it up with colors. Also, we wore our costume shoes, which are all silver. Sometimes the wings on the back trip me a little bit. I can’t wait to wear the full costume. We had a wonderful time working with Christine Brandes, our Pamina, and doing choreography with her. It was fun working out the movements for when we steal the dagger before she can kill herself.

The second rehearsal this week was a complete run-through of the opera, which was very fun to watch. At the beginning, Tamino is chased by a dragon, and the one that we have is amazing! It's all purple with colorful whiskers, and it can hold about ten people inside. The people under the dragon were magnificent at giving it a fluid movement which made it look terrifying yet angelic. Papageno had some fun things to do too. When he enters, there are a lot of birds running and flying around him. One is a girl in an emu suit, another is a tiny bird that is controlled by a hidden person (one of our "Anubi"), and others are flying, controlled by high sticks.

Alissa Henderson, Benjamin Richardson, and Casi Goodman work with Magic Flute Assistant Director, Jeffrey Buchman.
Photo still from a video by Bill Mohn

We also got to hear the Queen of the Night. She sang her famous aria, and we were blown away. I wish I could sing that well! I also can’t wait to see her costume. It’s going to be dark and blue, and it should have a snake around the middle. The three ladies were very good too. I love the scene where they first find Tamino, and they fight and argue over who should guard him because all of them think he’s handsome.

All those rehearsals were very fun. I hope you can come to our performances! I'll check in again next week.

MEET OUR SINGERS: Doug Jones, Monostatos

It's been 12 years since Seattle Opera last presented The Magic Flute, and while next month's run of this popular Mozart opera is a new production, it does have at least one thing in common with its 1999 predecessor: tenor Doug Jones, who returns in the role of Monostatos.

Since then, Jones has appeared several times on the Seattle Opera stage, including a few previous productions working with Chris Alexander, who directs this Magic Flute. We asked Jones what it's like to collaborate with Alexander again, and also talked to him about the character of Monostatos, along with what it is he loves about Mozart's music.


So far, how is this Magic Flute production and experience different from the last time around in Seattle?

In 1999, we were using an existing production (Scarfe's production from L.A.) that, as a total package, was pretty much predetermined. Now we are creating something new—a completely new set shaped by a new concept or vision for the piece, and the costumes from San Diego are also being re-thought and modified. So this time there’s the sense of making something new, which of course I prefer, as anyone would.

Also, the production in 1999 was my first Flute; this production is my fifth (Kansas City, Bordeaux, and Toulouse, with two more this year, in Israel and Austin). I'd like to think I have figured out at least what I want to do with the role, and how I wish the character to be portrayed. Back then, I also had the sense of being the beginner, to some degree, as it was my first Flute, only my second opera in Seattle (after Tristan), and my colleagues were very much seasoned professionals (Cynthia Sieden, Gabor Andrasy, Nathan Gunn, Anna Maria Martinez). This cast now is primarily younger singers at the beginning of their careers, and I am the old hand, as it were.

Doug Jones as Pitichinaccio in Seattle Opera's 2005 production of The Tales of Hoffmann, along with John Relyea and Nancy Fabiola Herrera.
Photo by Rozarii Lynch

You've played eccentric characters in several previous Chris Alexander productions at Seattle Opera (the Tanzmeister, Hoffmann's four weirdos). Which of you is responsible for the entertaining wackiness of these figures?

Well, I hope the characters are memorable. That is certainly my goal, as well as Chris's. We certainly do not consider them "wacky"—or better said, we do not dwell on their wackiness. We try to find the human qualities in outrageous (or bigger-than-life) characters.

Our first collaboration was for the Holy Fool in Boris Godunov, and although it was my first time in that role, I had sung Missail in two other productions; I felt secure enough in my understanding of what the role was "about," but also open to his ideas. And really that’s the ideal situation—knowing what the role is, understanding what the character does in the opera and why, and having an open mind about the possibilities. Chris is very good at bringing out the aspects that best SHOW an audience a character's story. Like all good directors, he will use a performer’s qualities to express the character's feelings, rather than impose his own physical language or interpretation onto a performer. It is a wonderful marriage of two creative minds—at least I hope so; it should be difficult to see, I hope, in one of our characterizations, which ideas are his and which are mine.

So, the short answer is, our characters come from both of us. It is a true collaboration. We trust each other implicitly, having worked together as we have, and that is what truly nurtures creativity.

A sketch of the Monostatos costume that will be used in this Magic Flute, by fashion designer Zandra Rhodes.

Do you find Monostatos sympathetic? Why is he the way he is?

Well, he is not evil. I read somewhere that Monostatos is the only person in the opera who doesn't lie. There is a reason Sarastro trusts Monostatos to be commander of his guards/slaves. He is a Moor, so he is an outsider within the society of the opera. He is the victim of unrequited love for Pamina. So there is a lot there to grab onto and make personal, to the degree that the performer wishes. There is certainly much to explore. What is interesting is that you never know how a director will see the character. Some want a serious romantic lover and threat for Pamina, some want a clown. You can do it either way and, no doubt, countless other ways. Ideally there should be a balance between the funny, dangerous, and wounded elements. He is the way he is because he is longing to be loved. And when it is denied him he resorts to desperate actions.

Word on the street is that you're an inhabitant of Queen Anne. What is it you like about this neighborhood?

I like being able to walk to the opera house. Living in Europe, I learned the value of being able to walk to performances, with no worries about strikes or subways not working. That was the initial reason I located there. But I love the area of lower Queen Anne. It is not crazy busy, it is relatively safe, and feels like a settled community. It seems to be losing a bit of its quirkiness with all the recent development, but I still like the area very much and cannot really imagine living somewhere else while working in Seattle.

Doug Jones (on the right) as Beppe in Seattle Opera's 2008 production of Pagliacci. On the left is Mark Holland as Tonio.
Photo by Rozarii Lynch

What Mozart do you sing, other than Monostatos? Is he a favorite composer of yours?

Mozart is very important to me though I do not sing enough of him. I lived in Vienna where Mozart is king (perhaps there is a trifecta of Mozart, Strauss, and Strauss), and I have also worked on many of Mozart's more serious tenor roles (things I would not sing in public) simply for vocal technique. I think it is basically true that if you can sing Mozart well, you can sing anything. I have done a lot of modern opera, and I remind myself constantly to sing it as if it were Mozart. That is something an audience member would not consciously notice; it is a frame of mind for singing. I won't get into singing technique or philosophy, but it basically is about not changing vocal production to go after notes—to keep a steady line in the voice, make it even and musically expressive.

I have done a lot of Pedrillos in The Abduction from the Seraglio, and a few Basilios/Curzios in Marriage of Figaro. Along with Monostatos, those are the limit of my Mozart roles for my "fach." I have learned arias from Titus, Idomeneo, and Don Giovanni, which I use as technical exercises. But I have no pretensions as to my ability to sing the lyric tenor Mozart roles; I only hope that my character tenor roles will also be beautifully sung as well as expressive.

The Magic Flute: Director's Talk with Chris Alexander

Learn about the magic of The Magic Flute with Stage Director Chris Alexander's plans to make an imaginary world come to life onstage. Watch rehearsal footage along with Alexander’s exciting ideas, and see that it's no wonder Alexander is a two-time Artist of the Year recipient!




Learn more about The Magic Flute on the Seattle Opera website.

The Magic Flute: Behind the Scenes: Vocal Acrobatics

Mozart uses the characters in The Magic Flute to sing virtually every note within human vocal range. From the deep bass of Sarastro to the extremely high coloratura of the Queen of the Night, learn from Maestro Gary Wedow (and the singers themselves) about the voice types required to portray these characters successfully.




Learn more about The Magic Flute on the Seattle Opera website.

MEET OUR SINGERS: Emily Hindrichs and Mari Moriya, Queens of the Night

Now that both our talented casts for The Magic Flute have had some time to settle into town, we've begun chatting with the singers about their roles here and their careers in general.

Today, we introduce you to our two Queens of the Night: soprano Emily Hindrichs, who performs on Saturdays and Wednesdays, and soprano Mari Moriya, who takes on the role on Sundays and Fridays. (To the right, see a Queen of the Night costume sketch by designer Zandra Rhodes.) Both are making their Seattle Opera debuts in the role, though you may recognize Hindrichs from the Young Artists Program in both 07/08 and 08/09. We asked them about the Queen's famous arias, and also find out what they've been up to lately.


The Queen’s two arias are so impressive. Do you find them really hard to sing?

Emily: The Queen's first aria, "O zittre nicht," is one of my favorites to sing. It's a lot less flash and dash compared to the more famous Vengeance Aria, but it's one of the only opportunities the Queen has to show that she can really SING. But the Vengeance Aria presents its own set of challenges, especially if the director has you dragging Pamina across the floor by the wrist (which I've done before, but not in this production!).
Mari: Yes, it is definitely something hard to sing because all the notes should be very precise. And everybody knows these arias! Singing the Queen has some unique stresses that I do not have with other roles.

Should the audience be able to read between the lines in “O zittre nicht,” even if Tamino can’t? Or are you trying to seduce us, too?

Mari: What the Queen delivers should be believable, so the goal is to seduce both Tamino and audience.
Emily: Director Chris Alexander's vision of the Queen is more faceted than most. He wants her to be real, genuinely hurt, and vulnerable when she first comes to the stage. She's trying to get her way, to be sure, but it's in the interest of saving her daughter. I think it's a rare opportunity to play her as something more than manipulative and power-hungry.

Does the Queen love her daughter?

Emily: Absolutely. Only from deep love could such incredible anger and venom spring forth. She's a woman of extremes!
Mari: Yes, I think so. Pamina is the Queen's daughter—she is hers.

Emily, your first audition for the Seattle Opera Young Artists Program, in December of 2006, was the Queen’s first aria. How long have you been singing these pieces, and how have they changed?

The Queen was my first operatic role—ever. I was just discovering this crazy upper extension in my voice, and singing really high was the most fun thing I had ever been asked to do. After auditioning for doctoral programs with those arias, I knew I had to put them on the shelf for a little while.

When I returned to “O zittre nicht” in 2006, she was a lot more ready to be seen, and I was a lot more ready to sing her. Every year, the arias evolve for me—it's a very long-term relationship we have!

Emily Hindrichs as Tytania in the Young Artists Program production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2009. Also pictured is Jeffrey Madison as Bottom.
Photo by Rozarii Lynch

Tell us about your career as an academic. What are you researching/writing/teaching these days, when you get a chance to get off stage?

I finished my dissertation during a run of Magic Flute a few years ago. When it was finally submitted and approved, I felt this huge sense of relief, followed by incredible restlessness. Getting my doctorate was the big goal since I was in junior high school, and suddenly it was over. Since then, I've been rattling around ideas for academic papers and maybe even a book, but I have the opportunity to do some really great singing—that thing I spent so many years writing about—and I'm focusing on doing that to the very best of my ability.

Mari, does the Japanese language have more in common with German or with Italian?

Phonetically, Japanese has much more in common with Italian than with German. I always feel it’s much easier to sing in Italian—it’s such a vocally friendly language. However, I like to sing in German, as well! German has some beauty in it, too.

When you did The Magic Flute at the Met, in the Taymor production, did you sing and do the dialogue in German, or in the McClatchy English version?

I sang in English at the Met. I have had so many combinations for The Magic Flute: German singing with German dialogue, singing in German with English dialogue, and English for both of singing and dialogues.

Mari Moriya rehearses the Queen of the Night's aria "Der Hölle Rache." (Photo by Alan Alabastro)

Do you sing much in Japan these days?

I'm not singing in Japan much, but I hope to sing in my country as much as I do in America and Europe, so I can invite all my family and friends to my performances.

Checking In with Director Chris Alexander

Last week marked the start of rehearsals for The Magic Flute, which opens on May 7 and wraps up Seattle Opera’s 2010/2011 season. Director Chris Alexander (photo, left, by Rozarii Lynch) will be giving us a weekly behind-the-scenes look at the process of getting Mozart’s fantastical masterpiece to the stage, and we touched base with him to see how things have been going so far. Here's what he said, along with a couple photos from rehearsal:

What did you and the cast work on in your first week together?
We blocked Act 1, which means setting people on stage so they know where they’re standing and so we have the set up of a scene dramaturgically. For me, it’s always an adventure in the first week because I get to know everybody, and they also get to know me. (Of this cast, I only knew two of the singers—the Monostatos, Doug Jones, and then Phil Cutlip who is one of the Papagenos.) Then we go into Act 1 and find our style, which means establishing how this Magic Flute looks in comparison to others. I have a lot of singers on stage who have done their parts many times before and so they have to adjust to my ideas. I also have to have big eyes and big ears to see what’s good for them, because they have to stand on stage afterward, not me. So this first week is always trying to get to know somebody and get the part right for them so that they can present their beautiful music in the best way.

Marcy Stonikas, John Tessier, Anya Matanovic, Philip Cutlip, and Lindsey Anderson rehearse the Act 1 Quintet.
Photo by Alan Alabastro

What will you be working on in the second week of rehearsal?
The second act. We block out Act 1 in the first week, and Act 2 in the second week, and get it so that everybody knows exactly what’s going. And then in the third week, we put it all together.

Have you come across any surprises in rehearsal so far?
Well, in Magic Flute you have a lot of animals coming on stage and you have a lot magical effects. And we’ve been dealing with a lot of that magic to find out if it works or not, and the happy surprise is that what we have looks quite startling!

Director Chris Alexander and Assistant Director Jeffrey Buchman visit with one of the animal puppets appearing in The Magic Flute.
Photo by Alan Alabastro

Benjamin Richardson Reports from Rehearsal, #1

Hello, my name is Benjamin Richardson and I am the Second Spirit in the Gold Cast of Seattle Opera’s production of The Magic Flute. For the past few weeks all the Spirits, also sometimes known as Genii (six kids) have met together every Saturday at our awesome youth vocal coach's house to rehearse. Elizabeth, our youth vocal coach, first had to teach us how to say each letter in German, such as w=v and v=f, but soon we all became familiar with them. Then we went through our music, Elizabeth saying each line of German, and us repeating. Soon, we could sing all of the words, diction, rhythm, and notes of the first two movements.

A couple weeks ago I went in to the costume shop to fit my costume. I got to meet Zandra Rhodes, our costume designer, and had a picture taken with her. I tried on the costume, which was very beautiful. On top of my shoulders are little bunches of green and silver feathers. The shoes have golden buckles with silver wings coming out from the back. The costume shop was very large, with lots of sewing machines and pieces of clothing everywhere.

A sketch by Zandra Rhodes, of the costumes to be worn by the Spirits.

A few days ago we had a banquet with most of the cast. Then we all met in a room where we went around and introduced ourselves. The director talked about the opera and we watched a slide show of what the set will look like, which is very Egyptian and like an Indiana Jones movie.

That day was also our first practice at the Seattle Opera rehearsal building. After we rehearsed in a coaching room we moved into the SORS, the stage-sized room, to practice with some of the principals. It was VERY fun singing with them, and we were amazed at their voices. It is kind of cool that the Queen of the Night’s arias have some of the highest notes of any opera, and Sarastro’s arias have some of the lowest notes of any opera! Anyway, after all the principals left, we stayed awhile to work with the conductor. We switched from the Gold cast to the Silver cast for some of the music, and we worked hard to please the Maestro. But, as Max, one of the other spirits, said, we are awesome!

The next rehearsal at the SORS was one of the most fun. We did some of the blocking and were told how we enter for the first time: we come in on this ten-foot high catwalk which hovers over Tamino and Papageno. We wave to them, and Papageno goes straight below the catwalk to look up at us. Then we sprinkle some glitter at him, which disgusts him, and he runs away. We have a good laugh after that. Then we point at the direction where they are supposed to go, and start to exit. Papageno, though, takes forever to say goodbye to the Three Ladies, and when I realize this, I turn around and pull him back offstage.

The next scene was really fun. It is our first singing scene, and we enter the stage on scooters! I’m pretty sure that the scooters are going to be black, and so is the screen behind it so it looks like we are hovering. We scooter around a few towers, then we meet up in a diagonal line and we sing to Tamino. Then we scooter offstage.

Well, that was our week! I'll be back next week to give you another report from rehearsal!

In Memoriam: Daniel Catán

Seattle Opera is very saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Mexican composer Daniel Catán, whose Florencia en el Amazonas was the first Spanish-language opera to be commissioned by major American opera companies. It was co-commissioned by Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and Seattle Opera, and was first performed here in Seattle in 1998, and again in 2005. When Speight Jenkins was asked in 2005 why he chose to bring back Florencia after only a few years, he replied: "The reason simply is that I have received more audience requests to bring back Florencia by letter, by chance encounters in the theater, and in my after-opera sessions than for any other opera."

Aside from that particular audience favorite, Catán composed several other pieces, including Il Postino--based on the life of Chilean author Pablo Neruda--which had its premiere this season at LA Opera. The Los Angeles Times has more information and LA Opera has posted a tribute page on its website.

Below, we present our own tribute to this very special composer and person.



For more information on Florencia and the last time it was performed here at Seattle Opera, click here.

A Chat with Andrew Stenson

With only two performances of Don Giovanni left, let's check in with tenor Andrew Stenson, who will sing the role of Don Ottavio at Saturday night's performance. He talks about singing Mozart, his take on this curious character, and his exciting plans for next season.

Andrew, tell us a little about your background. Why are there so many fine Korean opera singers?
I was born outside Seoul, Korea and adopted by an American family. My biological father died before I was born and my mother gave up the children for adoption. I was immediately put into foster care until I was adopted by my parents December 13th 1986. I owe my musical foundation to my elementary music teacher, Dave Nasby, who got a group of 4th and 5th graders do the same exercises I learned in the first year of college Ear Training. When I picked music up again in high school it was like riding a bike. I received my musical training at Luther College and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. I've held Apprenticeships/Young Artist positions at Cedar Rapids Opera, The Santa Fe Opera, and Glimmerglass before coming to Seattle Opera. I have no idea why there are so many fine Korean opera singers...maybe it’s genetics? I’d welcome any explanation!

Andrew Stenson as Don Ottavio (Rozarii Lynch, photo)

Don Ottavio might have come across as heroic two hundred years ago, but modern audiences tend to see him as a bit of a wimp. Do you play up his strengths, or his weakness?
What we have discovered about Ottavio over the course of rehearsals is that he is a man like you and I who wants to do right by his loved one. He loves Anna, he’s confused about the situation they’re all in, and he wants to make sense of everything before doing something rash. Anna can only talk of vengeance, and almost every time we see her on stage she is irate or stricken with guilt. I think by trying to beef up Ottavio, he could look ridiculous, because what rational person would immediately jump into the idea of violent revenge without knowing the full details? I remember during the final orchestra dress I noticed a big smudge of lipstick on Anna’s face (that was part of her makeup design), which got my thought process running: “What has she been doing?! What is she not telling me?!”

Stenson also had fiancee trouble when he made his mainstage debut last fall in Lucia di Lammermoor. Eric Neuville as Normanno, Andrew Stenson as Arturo, and Ljubomir Puskaric as Enrico (Rozarii Lynch, photo)

Beyond this Don Ottavio, are there other Mozart roles you sing? Can we consider you a Mozart tenor, or is it more that every great singer must be able to sing Mozart?
Mozart and high music are very good for me right now, but I’m not sure if I will specialize in them. I sang Tamino in English in undergrad and that fit like a glove. I feel like I could sing either Belmonte or Pedrillo in Abduction; I’d love to try my hand at Ferrando; and I would LOOOOVE to sing Mitridate somewhere down the line (if you haven’t seen it, check out Bruce Ford singing it on YouTube). I’m prepping Orphée for next season, and as high as it is, it’s fitting me very well. I also sing some bel canto, I could sing Nemorino for the rest of my life. I really enjoy singing in English, and I’d like to eventually sing some light Verdi, Edgardo, and at the heaviest, Rodolfo.

Andrew Stenson sang the high-maintenance German tenor is last fall's YAP Viva la Mamma! (Bill Mohn, photo)

What happens to Don Ottavio after the events of the opera?
As Ottavio himself says, his happiness depends on Anna’s. A whole number of things could happen. Giovanni and Anna could have been screwing around behind Ottavio’s back...and he could realize this and leave her. Maybe this will play out exactly as Anna wants them to, and after a year they finally marry and live happily ever after. Perhaps Ottavio, being a practical (although unromantic) person, pushes Anna to marry sooner because nine months after her encounter with Giovanni it would look good for them to have been married that whole time.

Stenson as Loge in Siegfried and the Ring of Fire (Bill Mohn, photo)

Next year you’ll be busy with Seattle Opera. Tell us about some of your plans. Which of these pieces are you most looking forward to?
I am thrilled for next season because it allows me to sing a very broad range of rep. I’ll be doing three French shows: Remendado in Carmen, Werther, and covering William Burden in Orphée. Fortunately I’m covering Remendado this summer at Glimmerglass so I’ll have it ready well in advance. I’ve never done a role as heavy or as dramatically challenging as Werther before, and I’m very excited to embrace the tragedy! I’m delighted to have the opportunity to cover Bill next season. He was such a fine artist and pleasure to work with during Lucia , and I can’t wait to see him in Orphée. The role is wickedly high (it can be just as high and higher than Daughter of the Regiment). I’ve always been able to live in the stratosphere, and now I’m finally getting a chance to really dig into it and stretch myself. I think the music is absolutely gorgeous and the text is both beautiful and heartbreaking.

A Chat with David Krohn

Seattle Opera's Young Artists Program has only two performances of Don Giovanni remaining--this Thursday and Saturday--so it's about time for us to chat with Giovanni himself, a.k.a. baritone David Krohn. Although Krohn has performed in other productions of this Mozart opera, this is his first time taking on the famous lead role. We asked Krohn how he feels about his character, how this YAP production stacks up against his other Don Giovanni experiences, and--because this is Seattle, after all--if he sees any Wagner is his future.

Tell us about any other productions of Don Giovanni you’ve done. Which role(s) did you play? Were the productions similar or different to this one?
This is my third production of Don Giovanni. My first experience with the opera was understudying the role of Masetto with the New Jersey Summer Opera Theatre, when I was 19 years old. It was a wonderful chance to get to know the opera in a low-stress setting. The opera was fully staged, but performed with piano in a small space, so there was little pressure for me as a young singer.

It wasn't until this past year that I revisited the opera, when my good friend Joe Walsh, who was conducting the piece with Virginia Opera, lost his Masetto two weeks before rehearsals started. It had been a long time since New Jersey, but I was able to learn Masetto and also to understudy the title role, which, by then, I knew I would be singing here in Seattle with the Young Artists Program. We did a total of nine performances in three cities with a fantastic cast, led by director Lilian Groag. Virginia Opera has a reputation for a VERY long rehearsal period and Lilian was a tireless director, rehearsing scenes in incredible detail to help paint her vision with a fine paintbrush. Because of this, I was able to learn Don Giovanni and get a deep insight into the challenges I would face with the title role in the following season, while I performed Masetto in Virginia.

David Krohn in Seattle Opera's Young Artists Program's production of Don Giovanni.
Photo by Rozarii Lynch

It's tough to compare either of the ones I've done since to the production in New Jersey, since it was the inaugural season of the company and there were minimal sets and no orchestra (I understand that in recent years the festival has upgraded to performing with orchestra in a much larger theater). But with the production in Virginia, Lilian's concept for Giovanni was much more literal than Peter Kazaras’ concept in this Young Artists production. There we used period costumes and made many traditional staging choices. Here in Seattle, Peter has taken great pains to create a different world and physical vocabulary for the characters, separating them from any other production of Giovanni I've ever seen or heard of. While this may bother some of the purists in the audience, I have great respect for what Peter has tried to do here. With the climate of opera changing so much, it is sometimes necessary to take risks to present something fresh and relevant to an audience.

Besides that, it's truly impossible to compare my experience in Virginia with Seattle. As a member of the Young Artists Program, I've been able to work closely with our conductor, Maestro Brian Garman, for the past six months leading up to this production, for Donizetti's Viva La Mamma!, our Siegfried outreach project, and the Schubert lieder recital we gave, along with countless coachings and auditions with varied repertoire. It is a huge advantage to have a conductor in the pit who fully understands your voice, and to understand your conductor's musical aesthetics. While on stage, there are times that I catch his expression out of the corner of my eye and know immediately what he is asking me to do, which is something that can only come with time and repetitive work together.

Erik Anstine (Leporello) and David Krohn (Don Giovanni) in Don Giovanni.
Photo by Rozarii Lynch

In addition to being a singer, we understand you’re quite an outdoorsman. What do climbing mountains and singing operas have in common?
Well, for one, Don Giovanni is a long role and requires a lot of stamina. While it is always crucial to pace yourself in getting through the evening, it is sometimes equally important to simply put one foot in front of the other and stay focused on the terrain around you. On my drive to Seattle, I climbed Mount Whitney in California with a buddy I had just finished singing a Barber of Seville with in Aspen. The climb took over 15 hours. We started at 2 a.m. with headlamps and made it to the summit right before noon and back to the trailhead at sunset. Focus is always important on a long day of hiking and climbing, because as soon as your concentration begins to wane, the consequences can be staggering. While the dangers of a screwing up on a mountain climb are much scarier than those of screwing up on stage, neither is fun. The feeling of accomplishment after a successful performance is unbelievable. You come home after a long night of performing and should be exhausted, but for some reason, you can't sleep. Same with mountaineering.

Don Giovanni is a hero to some, a villain to others. What do you find attractive, and repellent, about this character?
Absolutely, Giovanni is a hero and a villain wrapped into one. For me, the greatest thing about Giovanni (and perhaps the most frustrating) is that he doesn't change one bit from the start of the opera to the end. He comes on stage after having tried to seduce a woman and he does the same thing in the final scene with Elvira. Even when he is faced with his own demise, he looks death in the eye and refuses to change. He has his moral code—and while nobody can honestly consider his view on life acceptable, you have to admire someone who believes so strongly in himself. It's like the man has no doubts whatsoever. AND, he's clever. It takes a supernatural occurrence to finally do him in. Masetto, Donna Anna, Don Ottavio, Donna Elvira, and Zerlina combined can't stop him. No one can. It's almost like he's not even human, but an archetype. Of course, you have to find moments on stage to make him human, or else there is no way an actor can portray him successfully.

David Krohn (Don Giovanni) and Amanda Opuszynski (Donna Elvira) in Don Giovanni.
Photo by Rozarii Lynch

You first came to Seattle as a Wagner fan, and recently got to sing some Wagner for this company. What was that like? Perhaps Mozart is better-suited to your voice right now…but should we expect to hear you singing Wagner again someday?
You're right, I was involved with the Young Artists Program's outreach production of Siegfried and the Ring of Fire. But it can't precisely be called “singing Wagner.” The roles were transposed, sung in English, shortened to less than a tenth of their actual length and separated by dialogue and performed with piano. There are no principal roles in Wagner's canon that I feel ready to take on just yet. Sure, plenty of famous lyric baritones have taken on Wagner early in their careers—Dieskau and Hampson, for example, sang Amfortas and Wolfram regularly—but I would rather take these critical years in my career to enjoy Wagner from the audience. It's tough to say what my voice will do in the coming years, but I can say this: If I do work my way into Wagnerian repertoire, there would be no more exciting place to sing these operas than here in Seattle.

Siegfried (David Krohn) converses with the dying Fafner (sung by Marcy Stonikas, among others) in Siegfried and the Ring of Fire.
Photo by Bill Mohn

As a lyric baritone, you belong to a group of singers who must both look nice and sound good. When you’re in the audience at an opera, do you find yourself judging singers in terms of voice, appearance, or both?
When I'm in the audience, I always consider the voice first, before anything. Don't get me wrong—singers need to be able to look good and act well on stage. You're selling a whole package of looks and a good voice. But there's so much more than that, too: dancing skills, acting skills, professional behavior, collegiality, preparedness, language skills, musicianship, and the list goes on forever. Modern productions are putting more and more demands on singers, asking them to do things that the Golden Age singers would never have put up with. Could you imagine someone asking Maria Callas to stage an avant-garde production of Tosca, making her ride a bicycle during "Vissi d'arte" or something like that? Directors are requiring that kind of flexibility from singers and the reality is that if singers want to have a career in this changing world, they have to be able to adapt. I'm not saying there is no validity in the avant-garde, but we have to remember that the music comes before anything. But if lyric baritones are asked to have their shirts off more and more, I'll keep hitting the gym to meet the demand.

Erik Anstine (Leporello) and David Krohn (Don Giovanni) in Don Giovanni.
Photo by Rozarii Lynch