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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb Star-Studded 'Magic Flute' Directed by Peter Ustinov, 28 Nov 2006
In 1971 there was an acclaimed new production of Die Zauberflöte at the Hamburg Opera directed by Peter Ustinov; this was during that house's golden period under the artistic direction of Rolf Liebermann. The production was taken into a TV studio and filmed, using the original sets and costumes, and this DVD is the result. It was shown on German television and wildly praised at the time. As far as I know this is its first release on DVD. There are only some mild drawbacks. First, the video quality is slightly grainy when compared with today's digital video. Second, the sound is in mono, very clear and lifelike mono to be sure, but mono nonetheless. Otherwise this presentation is absolutely first-class even by today's standards. Indeed, the casting is so amazing rich and deep that I doubt it could be matched these days.
For sure, the plusses far outnumber the minuses. Can you imagine casting so luxurious that the small part of The Speaker is taken by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau? Most of the cast were at the very height of their powers, and every single one them physically attractive as well as in good voice. The young (and handsome) Hans Sotin as Sarastro, laser-voiced Cristina Deutekom as a musically thrilling and spookily dramatic Queen of the Night, Franz Grundheber as a comically threatening Monastatos. The young, full-voiced American baritone William Workman as Papageno is a comic gem. His Papagena is taken beautifully by the pert American soprano Carol Malone.
Best of all, though, are the leading couple: a still-young Nicolai Gedda, in splendid voice, as Tamino, and the gorgeous and gorgeous-voiced Swiss soprano Edith Mathis as Pamina. This is a dream couple, believe me. The production is under the musical direction of the redoubtable Horst Stein and the Hamburg Philharmonic in the pit is excellent. The Hamburg chorus is full-voiced, capable of causing goosebumps to the ceremonial choral passages.
Peter Ustinov's direction is both traditional and creative. We have none of the liberties so often taken by European opera stage directors, yet Ustinov manages to give us small felicities (and not just of the comic bits) as Tamino and Pamina make their way to the final denouement.
I absolutely adored the Colin Davis/Covent Garden DVD of 'Magic Flute' and gave it a rave review three years ago. But this 35 year old production goes right up there to the top of the list with that one. I know I'll be viewing it again and again. (And for what it's worth, my 22-month-old grandson sat unmoving on my lap, transfixed by the comic action and colorful costumes as well as -- one likes to imagine -- the music. It's never too early to introduce the young ones to Magic Flute, right?)
Enthusiastically recommended.
[Sound: Mono; Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian; Picture format: 4:3 Color; Region Code: 0 (worldwide); TT=156 mins.]
Scott Morrison
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