Beginning on Friday April 19 Houghton College’s lyric theatre program will be putting on a performance of Mozart’s whimsical opera, “The Magic Flute.” According to the director’s note written by Dr. Conor Angell, the production is a fairy-tale narrative that mixes “slapstick humor with serious moral messages.” It mixes humor with powerful themes such as “light overcoming darkness”, making the production an enjoyable show for children, students, and even parents alike.
This “outlandish, fairytale kind of plot” will be brought to life by a chamber orchestra and a full cast and chorus, all led by director Angell and conductor Andrew Dibble. This opera features characters such as the Bird Catcher; an energetic, simple, and bumbling man by the name of Papageno played by graduate student Chris Olsen; and the sinister, cruel, and vengeful Queen of the Night played by sophomore Rachel Anacker.
In the director’s note, Angell said that Mozart “wrote some of the most beloved music of all time for his last opera, ‘The Magic Flute.’” This opera, a result of the collaboration between Mozart and his librettist, Schikaneder, was written primarily for the middle-class suburban theatre crowd, said Angell. Angell also said that it is unique that this production will feature more spoken dialogue than is typical, making it “similar to modern musicals.” Alongside slapstick humor and some strikingly serious and cruel instances, this beloved show also features a love plot full of twists that is sure to “pull the audience’s heartstrings,” as Angell said.
Though perhaps an unexpected choice as an opera, Angell said that those involved wanted to “balance the feasible with the ambitious.” Additionally, this opera will be performed in English, helping it to resonate with an audience that may not frequent the opera. Angell hopes that by using the chapel as a venue, the full opera experience will come through, aided by spectacular sets, powerful vocalists, and a superb chamber orchestra.
Angell went on to praise the work on the set design, led by junior art major Amy Coon. This production has been made possible by the initiative taken by many students to “stand up and volunteer.” “Go big or go home” seems to be the overarching idea, said Angell, with “bigger lighting, bigger sets, more costumes, and better lighting” all being a part of the show. Freshman Luke Duttweiler said, “The audience will enjoy the incredible costuming and the set.”
Everyone involved in the production has been preparing for this weekend since December, said Angell. Duttweiler said that the opera has been a “ton of work…but [that] it has a huge potential reward.” A show cannot go on without its crew behind the scenes, however, and sophomore Lara Larsson said, “we forget that a production is not simply performers on a stage. It truly is a team effort!”
“There’s this buzz amongst the cast and also around campus and the school of music,” said Angell. Larsson said that all who are planning on attending should “be prepared to smile, laugh, and be awed.” Houghton’s “The Magic Flute” promises to be a night filled with incredible sets, bright lights, and a stellar performance.