The story of The Magic Flute begins like an adventure: a prince rescues a princess from a dark ruler, accompanied by a birdcatcher and magical devices. But the boundaries between good and evil, light and dark become blurred and the characters are far more complex.

The story of The Magic Flute has been interpreted and reinterpreted in many ways. But one of the reasons it continues to captivate audiences to this day is that it features complex characters, who are portrayed as diverse and dazzling as real people. A mother, for example, who wants to save her daughter – or perhaps uses her as an instrument of revenge. A young woman who discovers a strength within herself she didn’t know she had. A coward who might actually be braver than he believes. A villain who, on second glance, no longer appears (only) evil.

In Lotte de Beer’s production, the opera remains a beautiful, magical fairytale. At the same time, however, she seeks an emotional anchor for the story – someone who draws the audience into the narrative. "For me, The Magic Flute has a lot to do with growing up," she says, "which is why a young person invites us into their world of imagination. Imaginatively animated videos open a path into this world." This gives rise to fantastical, striking, unsettling, and captivating places and spaces, where Mozart and Schikaneder’s fable is told in all its complexity.

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(Source: volksoper.at)