Mozarts "The Magic Flute!"...movie version.

Mozarts "The Magic Flute!"...movie version.

Home » General » The Reading/Watching Room

http://forum.thefreemason.com/Topic3756.aspx

Print Topic | Close Window

By Sunburst - 27/02/2009 16:23:01

Firstly, let me explain somthing of the story and the back ground of this fantastic opera, for the benifit of those who don't know the story, but I am sure most of you will know it.
Written in 1791 just before his death, Mozart was given this awesome libretto to work on, written by his good friend (and fellow Mason) Emanuel Schikaneder, and is the age old story of a battle between goon and evil, which is almost the same as the Ramayana story. It involves the young princess Pamina being in the clutches of Sarastro, and the Queen of the Night begs Prince Tamino, who has fallen in love with Pamina's portrait, to free her!! My favorite character in Papageno, the bird catcher who is Tamino's friend, but he is a very funny, strange but loveable character. This is most certainly Mozart's most Masonic Opera, and its totaly fascinating!
Now its available on DVD I watched in total awe as it works surprizingly well on the small screen. Originaly written in German and is nearly always performed in German too, this movie version is sung in English!!
I can well recommend this one. But if you have already seen it, please let me know what you thought of it.
:)

By BrotherSteele - 14/03/2009 17:28:37

Sunburst (27/02/2009)

I have seen a live version of the Magic Flute many years ago in the Grand Opera House Belfast. It was fantastic. Although I do not often go to the opera I can well recomend "The Magic Flute".

Der Holle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen (Hell's vengeance boils in my heart) by the Queen of the night is possibly the most beautiful aria I have ever heard.

By Fire Mist - 17/03/2009 14:55:15

I will have to find it.

That opera is my absolute favorite. When playing the flute and french horn I had the pleasure of playing much of the music as well that incudes the Marsch der Priester. ....sigh...many years past.

In diesen heil'gen Hallen is my favorite.

I used to speak a tiny bit of German, so that helped. The rest I looked up word for word from the dictionaries. Quite beautiful.

By Sunburst - 20/03/2009 09:33:11

Hope you find it, as it realy is superb! :D
I fully expected the movie version to be in German with English subtitles but its sung in English and takes a bit of getting used to. I have seen The Magic Flute performed several times now and its always sung in German, but the last time I went to see it there was a screen displayed descreatly by the stage with English subtitles, and I wasen't sure if this was a good or a bad idea as I found it quite distracting from watching the performance.
It works surprizingly well on film, and keeps very well to the story, although I am not sure why its set in the trenches of WW1?

By mindmagic - 21/03/2009 09:55:08

My favourite film version is the one directed by Ingmar Bergman, in Swedish with English subtitles.

In general, I don't like opera sung in English - it's too difficult to hear all the words. I much prefer subtitles.

Barry

By BrotherSteele - 22/03/2009 13:08:59

I will certainly keep a look out for that. As regards to English Opera I am not so keen on it sung in English either. I did so a fantastic performance of Wagners Parzival on the BBC with English Subtitles.