| Arthaus DVD | It was certainly remarkable that only a year after all the Mozart anniversary performances (1991), the Ludwigsburg Castle festival decided on a Magic Flute production. (The premiere of the production recorded here took place on 26 August 1992.) This was no easy task for director Axel Manthey and conductor Wolfgang Gonnenwein. With clear, naive images combining in a beautiful, dramatic play of colors, Manthey succeeds in teasing out the different aspects of this opera. The larger-than-life symbols (snake, lightning, tree) also help with this. "This is visually enchanting, yet at the same time avoids overlooking the characters' frailties; there are really moving moments, and sometimes one holds one's breath in wonder (...) That particular Magic Flute note of marvel and surprise is rarely sounded so clearly as here in Ludwigsburg (...) The conductor Wolfgang Gonnenwein creates real suspense and excitement with music of effervescence and vitality. Avoiding all obsequiousness as well as sentimentality, leaving enough time for Mozart's heart-tones to calmly unfold and resonate, Gonnenwein gives this Magic Flute an inner tempo, which leaves no place for portentousness." (Horst Koegler in Opernwelt ("Opera world")) |
| Disc No: 100 188 | |
| Price: Sek. 80 | |
| Name: Mozart - Die Zauberflöte | |
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| Order Arthaus Index |
| System | Regional Code | Picture format | Sound format | Subtitles | Length |
| PAL | 0 | 4:3 | PCM Stereo | GB, D, F, SP | 147 min |
| Composer | Name | Opus | Key | Performer | Cast |
| Mozart, W A | Die Zauberflöte | Ludwigsburger Schloßtheater - Wolfgang Gonnenwein Chorus and Orchestra of the Ludwigsburger Festspiele | Deon van der Walt Ulrike Sonntag, soprano Cornelius Hauptmann, bas Andrea Frei Thomas Mohr Patricia Rozario, soprano Helene Schneidermann |