Mozart Magic with twist

Indiana Opera – cast members Andrew Moran as Papageno, Hannah Dahlenburg as 1st Lady, Nicholas Jones as Tamino, Emma Castelli as 2nd Lady and Anna Yun as 3rd Lady. 123729_01. Picture: Albert Comper

OPERA returns to Marysville on Saturday 26 July, with Opera Australia’s Indiana Jones-inspired The Magic Flute.
The much-loved opera will retain the music and storyline of Mozart’s original, but director/designer team Michael Gow and Robert Kemp have transformed the setting to make it fresh, fun and designed to entertain people of all ages.
The cast includes 12 principal artists from Opera Australia, plus a live touring orchestra of nine under the baton of conductors Simon Kenway and Paul Fitzsimon.
Gow and Kemp describe The Magic Flute as a timeless story of a hero in search of adventure. “It’s a sort of classic quest, really,” says Gow.
“We have a young man who wants to find enlightenment and true love. But he’s got it all the wrong way around, and has to deal with his own ego. So much of this opera is about letting go of what you want, and finding a way to meet people halfway.”
Unlike traditional productions, however, theirs is full of references to movies such as The Mummy and Indiana Jones.
Artistic director, Lyndon Terracini, is on a mission to make people fall in love with opera.
“I think audiences are going to really enjoy this new touring production of The Magic Flute. It’s funny, it’s original and it’s unexpected,” he said of the production.
The Marysville and District Lions Club is presenting the event, including a two-course dinner, at the magnificent Marysville Community Centre.
All proceeds support local projects.
For further information, phone 5963 4567 or visit www.marysvilletourism.com/ozopera.