The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart returns to Toronto this May, celebrating 70 years of delighting audiences at the Canadian Opera Company. The fantastical opera centres on the timeless search for wisdom, truth, and love, following Tamino as he sets out with hilarious bird-catcher Papageno to rescue the kidnapped Princess Pamina. The duo’s journey brings them face to face with armed villains, enchanted animals, and evil henchmen — but lucky for them, a magical instrument proves to be their secret weapon. The Magic Flute runs for seven performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on May 6, 8, 11, 14, 17, 19, and 21, 2022.

Canadian director Anna Theodosakis leads the revival of the audience favourite that’s cleverly framed as a play within a play; it’s the name day for an aristocratic young woman and celebrations involve a massive party, complete with a staging of Mozart’s opera. “I'm excited to welcome families and opera lovers back with this timeless fairytale,” says Theodosakis. “The Magic Flute celebrates humanity's resilience and it's the perfect opera to reunite audiences and artists under the same roof. Mozart’s music here, with its iconic and hummable tunes, is like a big warm hug that leaves you feeling completely rejuvenated!”

Theodosakis is joined by acclaimed set and costume designer Myung Hee Cho, whose “whimsical designs…create a frothy, fun atmosphere” (Toronto Star), and lighting designer Michael Zielinski.

Turkish-born, Austria-based tenor Ilker Arcayürek stars as Tamino in a COC debut, with two recent COC Ensemble Studio graduates also leading the cast: soprano Anna-Sophie Neher is Pamina and bass-baritone Gordon Bintner takes on the role of Papageno; both were recently seen on the COC’s mainstage in 2018, with Bintner in the title role in Eugene Onegin and Neher featured in the world premiere of Hadrian. A number of current and graduate Ensemble Studio artists also join the cast, in a celebration of Canadian artistry and a testament to the success of the COC’s prestigious career development program: soprano Midori Marsh (who recently starred in the COC and Against the Grain Theatre’s powerful 2021 production of Mozart’s Requiem) is Papagena; Michael Colvin, lauded by Opera News as possessing a voice that’s “one of the most beautiful tenor instruments around” is Monostatos; and sopranos Jamie Groote and Charlotte Siegel, and mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal take on the roles of First Lady, Second, Lady and Third Lady, respectively.

Norwegian soprano Caroline Wettergreen makes her COC mainstage debut as the iconic Queen of the Night, a role in which she consistently “dazzles with her top notes” (The Financial Times) and “delivers her moments with oompf, wow, and pinpoint accuracy” (Bachtrack). Juno-award-winning baritone Russell Braun returns to the COC as The Speaker, following his headlining concert with the company in fall of 2021. American bass David Leigh brings his vocal “agility, depth, and darkness” (Opera News) to the role of Sarastro. And Canadian tenor Asitha Tennekoon completes the cast as First Priest, alongside three current Ensemble Studio artists: baritone Jonah Spungin as Second Priest, tenor Matthew Cairns as First Armoured Man, and bass-baritone Vartan Gabrielian as Second Armoured Man.

German conductor Patrick Lange returns to the COC, leading the COC Orchestra through Mozart’s whimsical Singspiel, a piece that features spoken word and song, similar to a musical. Price Family Chorus Master Sandra Horst guides the COC Chorus.

The Magic Flute is sung in German and presented by the COC with English SURTITLES™.

TICKET INFORMATION

Single tickets for The Magic Flute range from $35 – $250 for adults, with Grand Ring seats available at $290 and $350, and $22 tickets available for guests between the ages of 16 and 29 through the COC’s Opera Under 30 program. Tickets can be purchased online at www.coc.ca or by calling the Four Seasons Centre Box Office at 416-363-8231. For more information on booking student groups, standing room, and rush tickets, as well as other specially priced tickets available to young people under the age of 15, please visit www.coc.ca.

A SAFE RETURN

For the most up-to-date information regarding current health and safety protocols, please visit coc.ca/SafeReturn.

Photo: Andrew Haji as Tamino and Elena Tsallagova as Pamina in COC’s The Magic Flute. © 2017 Michael Cooper.