Opera in 2 Acts

Sung in German with Chinese and English Surtitles

Libretto: Emanuel Schikaneder

A co-production of Opera Hong Kong, National Centre for the Performing Arts and Den Norske Opera & Ballett

5-9 November 2009 (Thu to Mon) 7:30pm

Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

$900, 680, 450, 300*, 150*

*The sightline of certain seats may be restricted

Mozart's German opera The Magic Flute was the last of his operas to be staged, and was still running in Vienna at the time of the composer's death in early December 1791.  The libretto was by the actor-manager Emanuel Schikaneder, who took the part of the bird-catcher Papageno, and offers a mixed picture.  The work itself draws on masonic ideals of enlightenment and universal brotherhood, but mingles this with traditional Viennese comedy.  This offers contemporary audiences heroism in the ordeals that the hero, Prince Tamino must undergo to win the hand of his beloved Pamina and enlightenment, the sacred in the solemn music of the high priest Sarastro, vocal pyrotechnics in the coloratura of the Queen of the Night, and, above all, magic in the enchanted world in which the piece is set.  There is dramatic excitement at the very start, when Tamino is found confronting a terrifying serpent.  The opera opens with the hero's unheroic cries for help and his rescue by the Three Ladies, who turn out to be no better than they ought to be.  The whole piece ends, however, with the victory of good over evil, with the forces of darkness defeated and the powers of light triumphant.  The sources of The Magic Flute have been the subject of considerable speculation.  Mozart and Schikaneder were both freemasons and masonic references are frequent throughout the work, both in the plot and in the music, the latter reflecting numerical symbolism at the very beginning of the Overture with its solemn chords.  Magic instruments, bassoons, harps, horns or flutes, are part of the stock-in-trade of contemporary Magic Opera, of which this is the most outstanding example.  In Mozart's German opera freemasonry, ancient Egypt, and popular comedy come together in a magical blend that proved seminal in the history of German opera.

Tamino, fainting in terror, is rescued from a serpent by the Three Ladies, emissaries of the Queen of the Night, an act for which the bird-catcher Papageno claims the credit, when Tamino recovers his senses.  The Three Ladies punish Papageno for his deception by padlocking his mouth.  They give Tamino a miniature of Pamina, which he finds bewitchingly beautiful.  The Queen of the Night appears, enlisting Tamino in the rescue of her daughter Pamina from the clutches of the allegedly wicked Sarastro, and the Three Ladies release Papageno from his padlock.  They give Tamino a magic flute and Papageno a glockenspiel and promise the guidance of Three Spirits.  In a finely decorated room Pamina is held prisoner by the black Monostatos and slaves.  Papageno enters, and Monostatos and Papageno are equally amazed at the other's outlandish and diabolical appearance.  Papageno returns and comforts Pamina.  The scene changes to a woodland grove with three temples, one of wisdom, the others of reason and nature.  Three Spirits lead Tamino in, telling him to be patient in his quest for Pamina.  He attempts to gain admission to the temples, but is refused, with the Speaker, at the Temple of Wisdom, questioning him as to his motives, while voices tell him he will soon see Pamina.  He plays his magic flute and Papageno replies on his pan-pipes, bringing with him Pamina, while Monostatos, pursuing his prisoner, is bewitched.  Sarastro's solemn appearance, with his priests, establishes him as a representative of enlightenment.  He sets ordeals of fire and water for Tamino to pass through, before he can join their fellowship and be united with Pamina, while Papageno is promised his own Papagena, in due course.  Eventually, in spite of the machinations of the Queen of the Night, Tamino and Pamina are united, ordeals successfully surmounted and with the forces of darkness defeated and banished.

Opera Hong Kong

Opera Hong Kong was founded in 2003 and it is the first opera company in Hong Kong.  The company is committed to the mission of enhancing the appreciation of the art of opera in Hong Kong, nurturing and promoting local music talents.  Under the artistic direction of Warren Mok, the internationally acclaimed Hong Kong tenor, they have produced many concerts and operas including Samson et Dalila, La Traviata, Turandot, Carmen, Le Nozze di Figaro, Roméo et Juliette, Aïda, Werther and Don Carlo.  Opera Hong Kong Chorus and Opera Hong Kong Children Chorus were established in 2004 and 2008 respectively and they are becoming recognised forces in the local choral scene.

Producer: Warren Mok, Chen Ping, Per Larsen

Director: Paul Curran

Conductor: Jari Hämäläinen

Set Designer: Gao Guangjian

Costume Designer: Paul Edwards

Lighting Designer: David Jacques

Chorus Director: Jimmy Chan

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

Opera Hong Kong Chorus

Tamino: Bruce Sledge* / Eric Margiore#

Papageno: Paul Armin Edelmann* / Brian Montgomery#

Pamina: Huang Ying* / Inna Dukach#

Queen of the Night: Ekaterina Lekhina* / Mimma Briganti#

Sarastro: Mika Karesê / Derek Anthony+

Speaker of the Temple: Freddie Tong

Monostatos: Oliver Lo*  / Alex Tam#

Priests/ Armoured men: Chen Chen, Apollo Wong

Papagena: Joyce Wong*  / Margaret Yim#

Three Ladies: Yuki Ip, Melody Sze, Carol Lin

Three Spirits: Sandy Leung, Phoebe Tam, Shanice Ng

*	5, 7, 9/11
#	6, 8/11
ê	5-7, 9/11
+	8/11

In case of indisposition or other unexpected circumstances, artists may be replaced at short notice.

World-renowned Hong Kong tenor Warren Mok has been making frequent guest appearances in many leading opera houses throughout the world including Rome, Paris, Berlin, London, Sydney, New York, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai. His operatic repertoire exceeds 50 roles.  In recent years, Mok is very active in the promotion of western operas and music in the Mainland and has established Opera Hong Kong.  He is currently the Artistic Director of the Macao International Music Festival and Opera Hong Kong.  This year, Mok has been awarded Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella della Solitarita’ Italiana (Knight of the Star of Solidarity of Italy) by the Government of Italy and Chevalier dans I’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Art and Letter) by the Government of France.

Paul Curran

Director

Paul Curran is a graduate in Directing of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Sydney, and of the Finnish National Opera, Helsinki.  He was appointed the Artistic Director of Norwegian Opera in January 2009.  Curran has directed numerous opera productions in prestigious opera houses in Europe and the United States.  His directorial credits include Tannhäuser for Teatro alla Scala, La Bohème and Peter Grimes for Santa Fe Opera, Ariadne auf Naxos and Daphne for Teatro La Fenice and the world premiere of Pastorale for Staatsoper Stuttgart.  Curran has collaborated with designer Vivienne Westwood in Hamlet for the Clerkenwell Music Series, and has also worked as both writer and director in a new play The Rehearsal with Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Jari Hämäläinen

Conductor

Currently the Artistic Director of the Savonlinna Opera Festival, Jari Hämäläinen has a vast operatic repertoire, having conducted over 45 operas, from Beethoven's Fidelio and Hindemith's Cardillac to Verdi's Don Carlo and Puccini's Tosca.  In 1997, Hämäläinen became the General Music Director of Stadttheater, Pforzheim.  In 2003, he was named Opera Director, the first Finn to hold such a position in Germany.  He has made frequent guest appearances at the Finnish National Opera and conducted Carmen with Agnes Baltsa in the title role along with Die Entführung aus dem Serail.  Hämäläinen has also conducted the Münchner Philharmoniker, the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra, the Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen and Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz.  In addition, Hämäläinen has maintained an active career as a lieder accompanist, appearing in recitals in Japan and Germany.

Bruce Sledge

Tenor

Being the finalist in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia 2000 World Opera Competition, American Bruce Sledge has established his international career in the world’s major houses, including Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Los Angeles Opera, Teatro Real, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Deutsche Oper Berlin and Teatro La Fenice.  His repertoire encompasses the demanding operatic roles in operas including Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Don Pasquale, La Fille du Régiment, Rigoletto, La Traviata and Don Giovanni.  In 1998, he was a regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and was awarded the first place in the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition.  Sledge received his Master’s Degree in Vocal Arts from the University of Southern California.

Eric Margiore

Tenor

Eric Margiore was a selected Quarterfinalist in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia 2007 World Opera Competition, a winner of 2007 Encouragement Grant from the William Matheus Sullivan Foundation and an Eastern Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.  He has sung operatic roles in operas including Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Sarasota Opera, Rigoletto with Palm Beach Opera, Lakmé, Otello, La Bohème, West Side Story, Cendrillon, L’Enfant Prodigue, La Traviata and Lucia di Lammermoor.  In 2006, he sang Rodolfo in La Bohème with the Opera Ischia Festival in Italy.  In 2007, he joined Opera Theatre of St. Louis to cover both leading tenor roles, Arturo and Riccardo, in the Malibran version of I Puritani.  In 2008, he sang the tenor solo in Mozart’s Coronation Mass for his third appearance at Carnegie Hall.

Papageno

Paul Armin Edelmann

Baritone

A former member of the Vienna Boys’ Choir, Paul Armin Edelmann graduated from the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien in Vienna in 1992.  He began his career at the Theater der Stadt Koblenz in Germany where he performed for six years.  He has been engaged by Komische Oper Berlin, Teatro Real, Oper Köln, Oper Frankfurt, Le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Wiener Volksoper and Wiener Staatsoper.  In 2007, he sang with Elĩna Garanča and José Cura in the renowned ‘Christmas in Vienna’ Concert.  He has given performances throughout Austria, Germany, Canada, the Mainland, Denmark, Spain, France, Tokyo, Washington and New York.  In 2009, he has been distinguished by debuts of Don Giovanni at Opera Ireland and as Count Danilo in Die lustige Witwe at Theater St. Gallen in Switzerland.

Brian Montgomery

Baritone

Brian Montgomery has performed to critical acclaim with important opera companies throughout the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Arena di Verona, Hamburg State Opera, Stuttgart Opera, Hungarian State Opera and Atlanta Opera.  His operatic repertoire includes Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Posa in Don Carlo, Germont in La Traviata, Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette, Marcello in La Bohème, the title roles of Macbeth and Rigoletto.  He created the role of Sloan in the world premiere of Dreamkeepers by David Carlson for the Utah Festival Opera.  Montgomery has established a busy performing schedule, appearing frequently with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera Hong Kong and the SAR Orchestra.  

Huang Ying

Soprano

Huang Ying is one of the most sought-after sopranos nowadays and has worked with along the best including Andrea Bocelli and Plácido Domingo.  One of Huang’s most notable achievements is her creation of the role of Du Liniang in Tan Dun’s Peony Pavilion.  Her performances in Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, Così Fan Tutte and Die Zauberflöte have been seen in opera houses ranging from the New York City Opera and Santa Fe Opera to opera companies in Asia, Europe and Latin America.  In 2006, Huang made her Metropolitan Opera debut in the role of Pamina in the new English version of Die Zauberflöte.  In 2010, she will have her Opera Boston debut creating the title role in the world première of Zhou Long’s Madame White Snake.

Inna Dukach

Soprano

Inna Dukach made her New York City Opera debut as Mimì in La Bohème in 2006 and returned in the same role in 2007.  Dukach was a New England regional finalist of the 2003 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the winner of the 2004 Joyce Dutka Arts Foundation Competition and the 2005 Liederkranz Competition.  She has sung operatic roles in opera including Don Giovanni with Orlando Opera and Opera Carolina, Boris Godunov with San Diego Opera and Strauss’s Vier letzte Lieder with Stadttheater, Pforzheim.  She will sing Musetta in La Bohème at the Covent Garden and Liù in Turandot at Savonlinna Opera Festival.  She received her Master's Degree in Vocal Performance from Mannes College of Music.

Queen of the Night

Ekaterina Lekhina

Soprano

Ekaterina Lekhina graduated from the Moscow Academy of Choral Art.  She is the First Prize winner of the All-Russia Competition St. Petersburg in 2005 and the First Prize winner in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia 2007 World Opera Competition.  She made her international opera debut in 2007 as Madame Herz in Der Schauspieldirektor and was invited to perform the Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte with Vienna Volksoper.  She has sung Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffmann at the summer opera festival in Klosterneuburg (2006), Tel Aviv (2007), Vienna Volksoper (2007)  and Covent Garden (2008) where she received great audience and critical acclaim.  In 2008, she made her debut with the title role in Mozart’s Zaide at Festival d’Aix en Provence.

Mimma Briganti

Soprano

Mimma Briganti has performed extensively in Italy, including the Italy tour of Die Zauberflöte under the baton of Piero Bellugi from 1999 to 2001.  Her repertoire includes Violetta in La Traviata, Gilda in Rigoletto, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Musetta in La Bohème and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni.  She is the winner of many music competitions, including Ismaele Voltolini International Singing Competition – Mantova 1991, the Mario Del Monaco Competition in Marsala 1996 and Philadelphia-Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition 2002.  She has been chosen by Mirella Freni and Gianni Raimondi for the Prize ‘Rovere d’argento’.

Sarastro

Finnish Mika Kares was trained in Sibelius Academy, Helsinki and began his professional career in Badisches Staatstheater, Karlsruhe.  He has acquired a large repertoire including the demanding roles of Turandot, La Bohème, Tosca, Die Zauberflöte, Le Nozze di Figaro, Der Ring des Nibelungen, Don Carlo, Der Freischütz, Don Giovanni and Lucia di Lammermoor.  Kares made his debut at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in the title role of Boito's Mefistofele in 2008 and received an Artist of the Year prize.  In the same year, he also sang in Rossini’s Stabat Mater in Vatican.  His upcoming engagement includes performance at Savonlinna Opera Festival and at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

Derek Anthony

Bass

Derek Anthony graduated from the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna in 1983.  He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of California and a Doctorate Degree from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, both in Vocal Performance.  He has performed 60 opera roles on stage in Europe, America and Asia, including the leading bass roles in Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Die Zauberflöte, Don Pasquale, Lucia di Lammermoor, Norma, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Carmen, La Bohème, Gianni Schicchi, Turandot, Rigoletto, Aïda and La Traviata.  He is the first-prize winner of various vocal competitions, including the Metropolitan Opera Regional Auditions and the Carmel Grand Prize.

(Conducted in Cantonese)

Speaker: Prof. Rupert Chan

Invaluable Legacy of a Unique Genius

2.10.2009 (Fri) 7:30pm

Room AC2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Journey To the West in the Western Culture

16.10.2009 (Fri) 7:30pm

Room AC1, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Trail Blazer of German Opera

23.10.2009 (Fri) 7:30pm

Room AC2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

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Running time of each performance is about 3 hours and 10 minutes with an intermission of 20 minutes.

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