Magic Flute! I Love it! – A production of the MoltOpera Company

“Is opera banal?” asks one of MoltOpera’s Youtube videos, in which the starring role is played by a cuddly mole. “Opera is more than you would think” is the eventual answer. MoltOpera was established in 2011 mostly from fresh music graduates, and although the average age of its singers is only 25, all of them already have significant stage experience and impressive achievements in competitions under their belts. Their goal is to confront the stereotypes that surround opera and to popularise the ...genre among those who have shown little interest in classical music until now – be they young people or adults. You don’t need to have taken classes in sol-fa or to have read the libretto prior to a performance – any more than a cinema-goer would be unprepared if they had not read the screenplay before watching a movie. The direction, build-up and performance all serve to render the story intelligible. Further, MoltOpera’s Magic Flute cross-section is by no means merely an “introduction” or a way to get the audience “in the mood”: one of the most enduringly popular masterpieces in the history of music will also doubtless hold beautiful moments for seasoned opera-goers.