Now Kenneth Branagh's The Magic Flute is not my favourite opera film- then again this is a list that includes the 1976 film Tosca, Losey's 1979 Don Giovanni, Bergman's 1975 Magic Flute, Zeffirelli's 1982 La Traviata and 1986 Otello, Rossi's 1984 Carmen, Friederich's 1975 Salome and 1981 Elektra, and Ponnelle's 1982 Rigoletto, 1975 Le Nozze Di Figaro and 1981 La Cenerentola- but being someone who loves Mozart's opera I found myself very impressed by it.
It does look stunning visually. Despite the first world war setting, the film still maintains the opera fairy-tale feel, and the setting is evoked to poignant effect. On top of that, the costumes and sets do look beautiful, the effects dazzle and the cinematography shows a lot of skill. Mozart's music alone is worth the watch, with gems like the Overture, Papagaeno's Birdcatcher song, the Act 1 quintet, Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schön, the duet between Pamina and Papagaeno, Ah Ich Fuhl, the Isis Und Osiris chorale, Der Halle Roche, In Diesen Heil'Gen Hallen, the scene between Pamina and the Three Boys and Papagaeno and Papagaena's duet, it is one of his best scores. Stylishly played and conducted, the film is a musical treat.
Stephen Fry's writing I quite liked, a lot of it is very witty and poetic. There are a couple of scenes where the writing doesn't quite work, such as in Sarastro's Isis Und Osiris, but overall I was entertained. The story, although the librettos of Cosi Fan Tutte and Don Giovanni are perhaps stronger and more compelling, is still powerful and moving to me, if missing some of the themes of the opera to make it even more gripping(ie. the whole Masonic idea). Of the characters, I was thrilled by Queen of the Night and Sarastro is noble and firm. However I was disappointed with Monostatos. Now here is a character that can either way, from overplayed, under-characterised or just right, and is perhaps the opera's most controversial character. But this is perhaps for me the first time where Monostatos' role is somewhat pointless.
Of the leads, Lyubov Petrova is the dramatic standout in a thrilling, hard-edged and often chilling performance as the fiendishly challenging role of Queen of the Night, especially with those eyes. Vocally, I have to say Rene Pape stood out by a mile. Not only is his Sarastro firm, noble and also comforting, but his voice is one of the warmest and most beautiful basso voices of recent times. He alone makes Isis Und Osiris worth watching, though as I've said I don't consider the scene in this film among the best versions of that aria, but I actually found In Diesen Heil'Gen Hallen to show off his vocal and character strengths more effectively.
Benjamin Jay Davis is a fun and charming Papagaeno, and Silvia Moi is suitably pert in the role of Papagaena. Together, they(and the older version of Papagaena) are a hoot. Joseph Kaiser is a dashing and not too stiff Tamino, and Amy Carson's Pamina is radiant and moving. These two really convince together. The Three Ladies are wonderfully kinky, the Three Boys shine with their simple charm and the chorus work is very well balanced. Branagh on the whole directs beautifully, I could tell even by the interviews and featurette of this Magic Flute that he had put a lot of thought and care into the film. It shows.
All in all, a very good, well sung and acted and magical film. I personally don't consider it the best version or production of the opera that I've seen(2003 Covent Garden, 1978 Glyndebourne, 1982 Salzburg, 1975 Bergman film and 1971 Peter Ustinov-directed version) and it is not perfect, but for any opera or Kenneth Branagh fans it is worth watching. 8/10 Bethany Cox
It does look stunning visually. Despite the first world war setting, the film still maintains the opera fairy-tale feel, and the setting is evoked to poignant effect. On top of that, the costumes and sets do look beautiful, the effects dazzle and the cinematography shows a lot of skill. Mozart's music alone is worth the watch, with gems like the Overture, Papagaeno's Birdcatcher song, the Act 1 quintet, Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schön, the duet between Pamina and Papagaeno, Ah Ich Fuhl, the Isis Und Osiris chorale, Der Halle Roche, In Diesen Heil'Gen Hallen, the scene between Pamina and the Three Boys and Papagaeno and Papagaena's duet, it is one of his best scores. Stylishly played and conducted, the film is a musical treat.
Stephen Fry's writing I quite liked, a lot of it is very witty and poetic. There are a couple of scenes where the writing doesn't quite work, such as in Sarastro's Isis Und Osiris, but overall I was entertained. The story, although the librettos of Cosi Fan Tutte and Don Giovanni are perhaps stronger and more compelling, is still powerful and moving to me, if missing some of the themes of the opera to make it even more gripping(ie. the whole Masonic idea). Of the characters, I was thrilled by Queen of the Night and Sarastro is noble and firm. However I was disappointed with Monostatos. Now here is a character that can either way, from overplayed, under-characterised or just right, and is perhaps the opera's most controversial character. But this is perhaps for me the first time where Monostatos' role is somewhat pointless.
Of the leads, Lyubov Petrova is the dramatic standout in a thrilling, hard-edged and often chilling performance as the fiendishly challenging role of Queen of the Night, especially with those eyes. Vocally, I have to say Rene Pape stood out by a mile. Not only is his Sarastro firm, noble and also comforting, but his voice is one of the warmest and most beautiful basso voices of recent times. He alone makes Isis Und Osiris worth watching, though as I've said I don't consider the scene in this film among the best versions of that aria, but I actually found In Diesen Heil'Gen Hallen to show off his vocal and character strengths more effectively.
Benjamin Jay Davis is a fun and charming Papagaeno, and Silvia Moi is suitably pert in the role of Papagaena. Together, they(and the older version of Papagaena) are a hoot. Joseph Kaiser is a dashing and not too stiff Tamino, and Amy Carson's Pamina is radiant and moving. These two really convince together. The Three Ladies are wonderfully kinky, the Three Boys shine with their simple charm and the chorus work is very well balanced. Branagh on the whole directs beautifully, I could tell even by the interviews and featurette of this Magic Flute that he had put a lot of thought and care into the film. It shows.
All in all, a very good, well sung and acted and magical film. I personally don't consider it the best version or production of the opera that I've seen(2003 Covent Garden, 1978 Glyndebourne, 1982 Salzburg, 1975 Bergman film and 1971 Peter Ustinov-directed version) and it is not perfect, but for any opera or Kenneth Branagh fans it is worth watching. 8/10 Bethany Cox