THE SOUND OF MAGIC
JAMES REANEY

London Free Press
June 2 2009
Ontario

OPERA

The marvels of The Magic Flute continue this week and are not to
be missed.

Such a recommendation is perhaps all the review you need about the
latest collaboration between Orchestra London and Pacific Opera
Victoria.

To add some context, these marvels include glorious singing, rising
and established Canadian-tied opera stars, the performance of Orchestra
London and the presence of a strong London contingent.

The Magic Flute marks the fifth time a work first staged by the
B.C. opera company has travelled through a transformation in reaching
the Grand Theatre stage. Of these five joyous rites of spring in
London arts & entertainment, The Magic Flute is the production with
the broadest sweep of popular appeal.

Conceptually, this magical production’s singing, design and pace
choose to celebrate the joy and light in Mozart’s masterpiece without
ignoring the serious themes or darker side.

The production rightfully has Canadian soprano Shannon Mercer showing
the power and grace of Pamina, the daughter of a queen and beloved
of a prince, Tamino.

In one moment standing for many, Mercer’s steel emerges when Pamina
resolves to tell the truth whatever the consequences. The way she
handles this first-act section of the Mozart score provides a flash
of character illumination as the terrified girl becomes a woman.

By contrast, Canadian tenor Joseph Schnurr is a boyish Tamino. So, his
vocal performance begins lightly and gathers force convincingly through
the two acts as he completes test after test in pursuing Pamina’s love.

Schnurr takes over from Colin Ainsworth, who was Tamino in Victoria.

In one of many witty touches in design, Tamino’s costume is similar
to those worn by the three schoolboys/spirits. They might be brothers.

Set against the lovers is the tremendous dark power of
armenian-Canadian soprano aline Kutan, the Queen of the night.

It would appear Kutan is making her first appearances in the London
region since dates at strathroy in the 1990s. If so, The Magic Flute
must also be recommended on the basis of Kutan’s return to our area.

On saturday’s opening night, her arias — including a stellar treatment
of Der Holle Rache in the second act — provided welcome proof the
audience would stir and respond at some point with a standing ovation.

As Papageno, Canadian baritone Hugh Russell provides the surefire
comic touches and vocal counterpoint to the lovers’ soaring melodies.

When his mouth is padlocked by the Queen’s order, Russell looks as
mournful as Will Ferrell. When Papageno finally meets his Papagena
(Canadian soprano Marilyn arsenault), the joy of the encounter is a
comic and sweet rapture.

It helps that director Glynis Leyshon has the smitten pair stripping
to their undergarments.

They depart on a bicycle built for two, one of this production’s
cleverest touches in setting the opera in Vienna about a century ago.

Another such moment has Papageno ogling a Klimt nude — shared with
the audience on a screen used for projections of symbols and images.

In other roles, bass baritone uwe dambruch provides the calm sound
of godlike wisdom as sarastro.

Tenor Michel Corbeil is given some of the silliest moments — and
relishes them — as the villainous Monostatos.

Canadian baritone Bruce Kelly, as chief aide to sarastro, is back
for his third opera in five years and good as always.

There are issues in transforming the Pacific Opera Victoria productions
for life on the smaller Grand stage. One is audibility. Over the years,
Orchestra London music director Timothy Vernon, who is also artistic
director of the B.C. opera company, and the players have adjusted to
the demands of performing opera scores.

That music is different in pace, structure and dynamics from the
orchestra’s usual repertoire. The players can be applauded not just
for such new skills, but also for adjusting to the way the singers
must sing over them because the Grand does not a pit.

On saturday night, the orchestra had found the sound place it needed
to be for the singers.

The orchestra’s position means that the bottom portion of set and
costume designer John Ferguson’s wonderful conception are interrupted
by heads, parts of instruments and other awkward visions.

The award-winning Ferguson has worked often at the Grand. The sets
and costumes for The Magic Flute, rich in symbols and colours while
being as light and elemental as Mozart, may be his best ever there.

But with the sight line issue in some parts of the house, it is as
if a section of a painting could only be seen through a crowd.

Similarly, the blink-oryou’ll- miss-it moment when evil is vanquished
didn’t have the majesty it might have in a larger setting. yes,
this is hardly fatal and, yes, the Grand is a welcome home for the
operas. End of sermon.

Among those with London ties returning with the production are uWO don
Wright music faculty grad Christopher Mayell, who went to Calgary’s
opera after studying here. now, Mayell is based in Toronto.

Among the many London-tied performers in the Orchestra London Grand
Opera Chorus are Gabrielle Heidinger Baerg, nicholas and Victoria Borg,
amber Cunningham, nadia Petrasiunas and ernie Redekop.

Along with three members of the amabile boys’ choirs — Ben Cookson,
Joshua Rosedale and Thomas samson- Williams — who are the spirits,
these and other Londoners are part of the triumph.

They have all learned how to play this Flute in a short time. Which
is one of many reasons to get down to the Grand and marvel.

—

IF YOU GO

What: Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a collaboration of Orchestra London
and Pacific Opera Victoria. Timothy Vernon conducts. Glynis Leyshon
directs.

Principal cast: Joseph Schnurr (Tamino), Shannon Mercer (Pamina),
Aline Kutan (Queen of the Night), Uwe Dambruch (Sarastro),
Hugh Russell (Papageno), Michel Corbeil (Monostatos) and Marilyn
Arsenault (Papagena). Spoken in English, sung in German with English
surtitles. The Magic Flute opened last Saturday night.

When: Continues tonight, Thursday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond St.

Plot: The Queen of the Night directs Tamino, a prince, to rescue
her daughter, Pamina, from the tyrannical Sarastro who has had her
imprisoned by the brutal Monostatos. Tamino and Pamina fall in love,
but their love must undergo tests imposed by Sarastro. Helping the
lovers is bird catcher Papageno, who seeks simpler joys. Tamino
is armed with the magic flute of the title, while Pagageno has a
glockenspiel-like set of bells, which aid their quests.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress