Free Readers Ensemble

Oak Park
 Festival Theatre








Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebotes (1767)
Apollo et Hyacinthus (1767)
Bastien und Bastienne (1768)
La finta semplice (1769)
Mitridate, re di Ponto (1770)
Ascanio in Alba (1771)
Il sogno di Scipione (1772)
Lucio Silla (1772)
La finta giardiniera (1775)
Il re pastore (1775)
Thamos, König in Ägypten (1779)
Zaide (1780)
Idomeneo (1781)
Die Entführung aus dem Serail (1782)
L'oca del Cairo (1783)
Lo sposo deluso (1784)
Der Schauspieldirektor (1786)
The Marriage of Figaro (1786)
Don Giovanni (1787)
Così fan tutte (1790)
La clemenza di Tito (1791)
The Magic Flute (1791)
Printed  Poster from the Original Premiere  of  Die  Zauberflöte
in  1791




Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebotes (1767)
Apollo et Hyacinthus (1767)
Bastien und Bastienne (1768)
La finta semplice (1769)
Mitridate, re di Ponto (1770)
Ascanio in Alba (1771)
Il sogno di Scipione (1772)
Lucio Silla (1772)
La finta giardiniera (1775)
Il re pastore (1775)
Thamos, König in Ägypten (1779)
Zaide (1780)
Idomeneo (1781)
Die Entführung aus dem Serail (1782)
L'oca del Cairo (1783)
Lo sposo deluso (1784)
Der Schauspieldirektor (1786)
The Marriage of Figaro (1786)
Don Giovanni (1787)
Così fan tutte (1790)
La clemenza di Tito (1791)
The Magic Flute (1791)
Printed  Poster from the Original Premiere  of  Die  Zauberflöte
in  1791



Printed  Poster from the Original Premiere  of  Die  Zauberflöte
in  1791




Printed  Poster from the Original Premiere  of  Die  Zauberflöte
in  1791





 
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo



Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart's "Magic Flute" cast (back row)
Robert Swan, as Sarastro,Carl Ratner, as Papageno,
John Concepcion, as Prince Tamino, and Nathan Munsen, as Monastatos
(front row) Robin Blitch Wiper, Queen of the Night, Amy Fuller, as Papagena, and Christine Steyer, as Princess  Pamina
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

Die Zauberflöte
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
review by Ed Vincent

Die Zauberflöte premiered in Vienna, Austria on September
30, 1791. The Freihaus-Theater hosted the first show, it was
a suburb of Vienna (like the Acorn Theatre is in the suburbs) and Mozart conducted the opera with Schikaneder (the man who
wrote the lyrics for the Die Zauberflöte--theMagic Flute) playing the
role of the gifted and magical Papageno.   The Acorn's
Papageno was performed by the multitalented Carl Ratner,
a singer, director, teacher, and actor--plus a magical flute
player.


Patrons eagerly await the opening of the box office.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

Mozart would have been pleased to find some of the folks in
line had just flown in from Sweden,  to see this evening's performance?---No, not really, but she was taken here as
a treat by the person who she is staying with ( both women
were medical researchers and they loved the show ).




A gathering of music lovers, opera patrons, intellectuals, farmers, architects, and folks escaping the big cities.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

The musical motif, a sing spiel, a spoken and sung light hearted fairy tale opera gave Mozart and his lyricist Schikaneder a
chance to have some fun with plots and themes.  Both gentlemen were Masons, from the same lodge.  Philosophical distinctions of varied schools of the given day, some in line
with common Masonic thoughts of the day--but also lots of irony, evil, and well sung roles.  Part of the humor in its design
might very well be  manifest in the singers and their roles.

One of the most recognizable songs is sung by the Queen of the Night in her aria "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" ("The vengeance of hell boils in my heart"), and it is a beautiful
aria--though terrible in the requests it makes for murder.
 
The humor, the irony is also expressed with casual spoken
lines given here and there and then mixed with beautiful arias like "Ach, ich fühl's, es ist verschwunden" (Ah, I feel it, it is vanished) — Pamina in Act II, Scene IV .  Christine Steyer,
the star of the show with her fantastic ability to complement
each sung note with emotive clarity. Christine Steyer brings warmth and depth to her lower registers required by Mozart
and adds angelic beauty to her assents into higher octaves
portraying perhaps a prayer for help, all with beautifully executed high pianissimos.  Steyer had performed the role
of Princess Pamina earlier this year at the Tulsa Opera and
was a hit with the audience.  This virtuosa of song, plays her
role well too, with furtive glances planted across the stage at
just the right times, always a thrill.
 


Carl Ratner, as Papageno

John Concepcion, as Prince Tamino and Robert Swan, as Sarastro.


Nathan Munsen, as Monastatos, Christine Steyer, as Princess Pamina,
with Carl Ratner, as Papageno to the right.
Christine Steyer, as Princess Pamina, and Carl Ratner, as Papageno.



Nathan Munsen, as Monastatos gazes upon Christine Steyer, as Princess Pamina.



John Concepcion, as Prince Tamino.

Carl Ratner, as Papageno says no thanks for the noose to Robert Swan,
as Sarastro.

Mozart, Christine's dog was pleased himself with Steyers work, he
loves the high notes.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photos

This was the most fun I have ever had at any Magic Flute, everyone was fantastic and then some and all hats should go
off to Mr. Robert Swan for putting all of this grand art together for the residents of Michigan and visitors from around the world.  Thank you Mr. Swan.

June 27th, 2008
Tickets $25
Opera at the Acorn presents a concert version of Mozarts' "The Magic Flute"; featuring Christine Steyer and John Concepcion.

Come enjoy a concert version of Mozarts' The Magic Flute, featuring Acorn favorite soprano Christine Steyer as Pamina, and John Concepcion as Tamino.


http://www.AcornTheater.com

 








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published by Suburban Journals of  Chicago Inc.
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