The Magic Flute Is Dec. 9, 2017, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: The Dec. 9, 2017. Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is The Magic Flute, an English language, family friendly version of Mozart’s fairytale opera.

American operatic baritone Nathan Gunn (center) has regularly appeared as Papageno since the 2006-2007 Met Opera season's debut of an abbreviated, English-language, family friendly version of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte; 2010-2011 Met Opera season's holiday presentation of The Magic Flute; Dec. 24, 2010: Ralph Daily (ralph and jenny), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

The Magic Flute, an English language, family friendly version of Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart’s fairytale opera, Die Zauberflöte, is the Dec. 9, 2017, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast.

The 2017-2018 Met Opera season stages a special holiday presentation that targets families with an English libretto and an estimated run time of 104 minutes (1 hour 44 minutes). Five performances are offered, beginning in late November and ending in early December.

Two performances are scheduled for November. The opening performance takes place Saturday, Nov. 25, at 2 p.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time). After Thanksgiving weekend’s performance, the next presentation is Thursday, Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m.

Three performances are scheduled for December. Two are evening performances, offered Monday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m. The third performance takes place Saturday, Dec. 9, at 12:30 p.m. as second in the 2017-2018 Met Opera season of Saturday matinee broadcasts.

Evan Rogister conducts all performances of The Magic Flute. A dual citizen of Germany and the United States, he was born in Durham, north central North Carolina. His role as conductor of 2017-2018’s The Magic Flute marks his Metropolitan Opera debut.

Hanna-Elisabeth Müller plays Pamina, beautiful daughter of the scheming Queen of the Night. She was born in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg state, southwestern Germany. The German soprano made her Metropolitan Opera debut March 16, 2017, as Marzelline in Fidelio, the only opera by Classical-Romantic composer Ludwig von Beethoven (baptism Dec. 17, 1770-March 26, 1827).

Kathryn Lewek appears as the Queen of the Night, a schemer whose power is no match for a magic flute and silver bells. The American coloratura soprano grew up in East Lyme, New London County, southeastern Connecticut. She reprises her Metropolitan Opera debut role as the Queen of the Night. Kathryn Lewek's Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 28, 2013, in the opera house's 413th performance of Die Zauberflöte.

Charles Castronovo plays Prince Tamino, who finds protection in a magic flute and love with Pamina at the end of his journey through trials of wisdom set by high priest Sarastro. The American tenor was born in Queens, New York City, New York. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut Sept. 27, 1999, as Beppe in Pagliacci by Italian opera composer Ruggero Leoncavallo (April 23, 1857-Aug. 9, 1919). This season, he also performs as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte.

Nathan Gunn appears as Papageno, a birdcatcher who is entrusted with silver bells that lead him to true happiness with Papagena. The American operatic baritone’s birthplace is South Bend, St. Joseph County, north central Indiana. He debuted April 3, 1995, at the Metropolitan Opera as one of the three traders in The Ghosts of Versailles by American classical composer John Corigliano (born Feb. 16, 1938). His debut coincided with the Metropolitan Opera’s celebration of American mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne’s 25th anniversary with the opera house.

Tobias Kehrer performs as Sarastro, head priest of the council of priests of Isis and Osiris whose set of wisdom trials ends in happiness for Prince Tamino with Pamina and for Papageno with Papagena. The German bass was born in Dessau, Saxony-Anhalt state, east central Germany. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut Oct. 21, 2014, as Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte. He reprises his debut role in this season’s five autumn performances of the full length, German original.

Alfred Walker appears as the Speaker, a priest who clues Prince Tamino in on the true natures of the Queen of the Night as evil and of Sarastro as benevolent. The American bass-baritone’s birthplace is New Orleans, Orleans Parish, southeastern Louisiana. He debuted March 16, 1998, at the Metropolitan Opera as Grégorio in Roméo et Juliette by French composer Charles Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893). This season, he also appears as Titurel in Parsifal by German composer Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883).

The 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s production of The Magic Flute revives American film, opera and theater director Julie Taymor’s 2006 staging. The abbreviated, family friendly version of Mozart’s German original emerges from an English adaptation by American literary critic and poet J. D. “Sandy” McClatchy. Radio listeners miss the visual spectacle but appreciate the production’s great audio éclat.

The Metropolitan Opera's family friendly production of The Magic Flute appears as the second of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season's 23 Saturday matinee broadcasts. A concert performance of Messa da Requiem by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901) opened the 2017-2018 Met Opera's Saturday matinee broadcast series on Dec. 2, at 1 p.m.

The season's third Saturday matinee radio broadcast is Norma by Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini (Nov. 3, 1801-Sept. 23, 1835). Norma airs Dec. 16 at 1 p.m.

The takeaways for The Magic Flute as the Dec. 9, 2017, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast are that the abbreviated, English language version of Wolfgang Mozart’s operatic fairytale is family friendly and joins with the season’s first Saturday matinee, Giuseppe Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, in opening 2017’s end-of-year holidays.

The 2017-2018 Met Opera season's holiday performances of Mozart's The Magic Flute revive Julie Taymor's staging, which debuted at Met Opera Oct. 8, 2004, as a new production, with Taymor's costumes and George Tsypin's sets: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera via Facebook Feb. 15, 2017

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

American operatic baritone Nathan Gunn (center) has regularly appeared as Papageno since the 2006-2007 Met Opera season's debut of an abbreviated, English-language, family friendly version of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte; 2010-2011 Met Opera season's holiday presentation of The Magic Flute; Dec. 24, 2010: Ralph Daily (ralph and jenny), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ralphandjenny/5434309795/

The 2017-2018 Met Opera season's holiday performances of Mozart's The Magic Flute revive Julie Taymor's staging, which debuted at Met Opera Oct. 8, 2004, as a new production, with Taymor's costumes and George Tsypin's sets: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera via Facebook Feb. 15, 2017, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.10158357868585533.1073741928.20807115532/10158357949795533/

For further information:

Howe, Brian. “Q&A: Raleigh Native Evan Rogister Returns to Conduct the NC Symphony.” Indy Week > Music > Shows of Note. Jan. 16, 2014.
Available @ https://www.indyweek.com/music/archives/2014/01/16/qanda-raleigh-native-evan-rogister-returns-to-conduct-the-nc-symphony

Marriner, Derdriu. “Met Opera Premieres Verdi Requiem and The Magic Flute Nov. 24 and 25.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 13, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/11/met-opera-premieres-verdi-requiem-and.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Verdi Requiem Is First 2017-2018 Saturday Matinee Broadcast Dec. 2." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 27, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/11/verdi-requiem-is-first-2017-2018.html

Metropolitan Opera. "Julie Taymor on The Magic Flute." YouTube. Dec. 14, 2016.
Available @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DSmNlCdJeg

Metropolitan Opera. "'The Magic Flute' -- Nathan Gunn (Met Opera)." YouTube. June 14, 2011.
Available @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2NxvM-rIkQ

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Mozart’s The Magic Flute November 25 – December 9 (English Language Family Presentation) bit.ly/2kxRGG6." Facebook. Feb. 15, 2017.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.10158357868585533.1073741928.20807115532/10158357949795533/

“Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Magic Flute.” Metropolitan Opera > On Stage 2017-2018 > The Magic Flute - Holiday Presentation.
Available @ http://www.metopera.org/Season/2017-18-Season/magic-flute-holiday-mozart-tickets/