Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: Die Zauberflöte
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, New Athenaeum Theatre, Glasgow 15/3/25
Matthew Kofi Waldren (conductor); Stephanie Wong, Anna Marmion, Qi Liu, Julia Callander, Elinor Gent (sopranos); Caitlin Mackenzie, El Rose Trew-Rae, Mollie Quinn (mezzo-sopranos); Haydn Cullen, Rowan Gillard, Benjamin Smart (tenors); Fraser Robinson, Joshua McCullough, Seamus Brady, Shaojun Feng (baritones)
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We have been dealing with some ‘editorial indisposition’ at the EMR in the last 2-3 weeks, all happily now resolved. Unfortunately a group of reviews fell through our ‘safety net’ and have been posted late. Our apologies to the companies and performers affected.
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The New Athenaeum Theatre in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland was the venue on the night of 15th March for the first of four performances of Mozart’s masterpiece, ‘Die Zauberflöte’, featuring emerging talent from the Alexander Gibson Opera School, chiefly from their MMus programme. The full Mozart orchestra was conducted by Matthew Kofi Waldren. The production was directed by Jim Manganello, designed by Anna Yates and lit by Kai Fischer. The opera was sung in German with English surtitles. The chorus of 31 was trained by Alexander Wigglesworth. Regular readers will know how much this reviewer looks forward to these productions. The designs are invariably ingenious and witty, while the opportunity to trace the development of the stars of the future while they hone their vocal technique and stagecraft is too good to miss.
The set was initially deceptively minimalistic: a typical open-plan office space with grey panelled walls and doors and high interior windows. Furniture and props initially matched the office theme. Tamino wore a smart office suit; the Three Ladies power-dressed for the office, while the evil Queen of the Night was the power-dressing micro-managing boss from Hell par excellence. Sarastro’s austere black suit spoke of purity and authority. But there were splashes of colour and contrast which unfolded. ‘Captive’ Pamina wore feminine floral prints. The Queen’s ‘office’ wheeled out from stage left as a computer console from which she controlled the sky. The reptilian ‘monster’ arrived on a pedal quadracycle, its severed tail adorning the wall of the set after its dispatch. The same quadracycle with a different colour scheme served as the mode of transport of the Three Boys, dressed in gaily coloured holiday clothes. For the ‘Final Farewell’ of the Trial of Separation, the set is transformed to a departure gate of an airport. For the Trial of Fire, the ceiling lights at the edge of the set descended and flared bright red, changing to calm blue as chorus members in silvery fire-retardant suits turned fire extinguishers on them. At the end, symbolising the triumph of the dawn of Sarastro’s Enlightenment over the Queen of the Night’s superstition and hypocrisy, the corner of the set slid open to reveal a circular array of lamps which glowed intense sun-like bright orange for a time.
Northern Irish tenor Haydn Cullen (Tom Rakewell and Albert Herring in the 2024 Opera Scenes; Nencio in ‘L’infedeltà delusa’ in January) was a charismatic and courageous Tamino. Mozart’s generosity was handsomely repaid throughout, with the early aria ‘Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön’ being particularly lovely. As a misguided quest of rescue becomes a quest of self-realisation, it is the interactions with the other characters that make the role. These were thoroughly excellent.
Hong Kong soprano Stephanie Wong (Governess in ‘The Turn of the Screw’, Sister Blanche in ‘Dialogue des Carmélites’ for Opera Scenes; Vespina in ‘L’infedeltà delusa’) was a conflicted but courageous Pamina. She gradually comes to the realisation that Sarastro is not her kidnapper but her protector from the evil intent of her mother, the Queen of the Night, and that she and Tamino, purified by ordeal, are destined for each other. Yet her journey is the hardest, enduring rough treatment from the slaves (decidedly neddish in this production), molestation from Monostatos, feeling forsaken by Tamino and close to suicide. Her mid-Act 2 aria of abandonment, ‘Ach, ich fühl's, es ist verschwunden’ was heart-rendingly beautiful. The emotional and expressive range of her duets with Papageno, Tamino and the Queen were also compelling.
Scottish baritone Fraser Robinson (Demetrius, Nick Shadow and Sid in last year’s ‘Scenes’; Nanni in ‘L’infedeltà delusa’) was the happy-go-lucky Papageno, birdcatcher whose life would be complete if only he had ‘Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen’ (I can’t type that without hearing a celeste) and a large family to share it with. A role further removed from the Devil in ‘The Rake’s Progress’ would be hard to imagine and Fraser gave us Papageno as Mozart intended: an uncomplicated good-natured delight. Mozart’s generosity with goodies, such as ‘Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja’, his gagged mumbling (‘Hm Hm Hm’) in the Act 1 quintet with the 3 Ladies and Tamino, and much more, was richly repaid. Super.
Multi-talented coloratura soprano Anna Marmion (a chilling Jessel, a liberated Thérèse and a vivacious virtuosic Zerbinetta in last year’s ‘Scenes’ that totally blew me away) was again superb as the Queen of the Night. Suborning Tamino to her nefarious will with ‘O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn’ in Act 1 and raging against anyone who would oppose her with ‘Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen’ in Act 2, were both perfect. Battering her exit through the set wall with a fire extinguisher was a nice touch of manic direction.. I read that Anna, with her additional honours degree in Modern Languages from Durham, is in demand as a language coach for vocal performers and was the language coach on this production. As the German diction was flawless throughout the performance, the production is a compelling advertisement for her services. Wow! Yes, I am smitten.
Majestically tall Aberdonian baritone Joshua McCullough (Le Roi in ‘Cendrillon’ January 2024 and the god Neptune in ‘Idomeneo’ a year ago) was perfect for the role of an austere but benevolent Sarastro. ‘In diesen heil'gen Hallen’ was everything you would want it to be, and then some. Stage presence? Oh, yes.
English tenor Rowan Gillard was a sleazy Monostatos as neddish as the slaves, in a performance that was vocally and dramatically satisfying The Act 1 trio with Pamina and Papageno ‘Du feines Täubchen, nur herein!’ was excellent, as was his creepy Act 2 aria of molestation ‘Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden’. A fine characterisation supported by excellent direction.
Chinese soprano Qi Liu (Helena in ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and Sister Constance in ‘Dialogue des Carmélites’ in ‘Scenes’ last year; Sandrina in ‘L’infedeltà delusa’) was a delightful Papagena, appearing geriatric at first complete with Zimmer frame, but finally revealed as the girl of Papageno’s dreams. Their ‘Pa ... pa ... pa’ duet was delicious.. Qi also sang the role of Second Lady.
Mozart’s writing for the 3 Ladies, 3-part vocal harmony at its sweetest, is one of the abiding delights of the opera. Qi was joined by Jersey-born soprano Julia Callander and Lewis-born mezzo Caitlin Mackenzie. Their costumes and coordinated movement direction lent them an air of ruthless efficiency which was dramatically and comedically satisfying.
The 3 Boys whose guileless guidance keeps Sarastro’s new initiates from harm are another harmonic trio in the opera, Scottish mezzo El Rose Trew-Rae (fabulous as ‘Mysterious Woman’ and quasi-narrator in Scottish Opera Young Company’s production of ‘RED’ in July of last year), Welsh soprano Elinor Gent and Scottish mezzo Mollie Quinn did the honours. Reviewer’s note: a quadracycle is not the easiest vehicle to drive through a narrow opening.
A handful of cameo roles deserves honourable mention. The ‘Armed Men’ were Scottish tenor Ben Smart from the East Neuk of Fife and Chinese bass-baritone Shaojun Feng (Premier Ministre in ‘Cendrillon’). The 3 Priests were London-born baritone Caspian Plummer (soloist in Edinburgh Royal Choral Union’s Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem back in November), tenor Christopher Haggerty and bass Sean Nelis. Irish baritone Seamus Brady sang the role of Speaker.
In conclusion, this is a theatrically and musically satisfying production of Mozart’s delightful Singspiel. To my ears, the overture felt a tad under-rehearsed, with lack of crispness and definition in the fugato passages. But once the curtain was up, the orchestra were excellent, with plenty of evidence of the development of the unique skills of playing for voices. Dynamic balance was flawless. Recommended without hesitation.