Mozart and Sam Reynolds have something in common: “The Magic Flute.” For Mozart, the opera came near the difficult end of his life; for Reynolds it was the beginning of his career with the Central Florida Lyric Opera.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was struggling with health and financial issues when he wrote “The Magic Flute.” He teamed with an old friend, Emanuel Schikaneder, who wrote the libretto. The opera – which features spoken dialogue as well as music – opened in September 1791, two months before Mozart’s death.
A magical fairy tale of love and the battle of good versus evil, “The Magic Flute” will be performed in English on Monday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. at Savannah Center.
The two-act opera is directed by Grammy-Award winner Molly Fillmore, soprano of the New York Metropolitan Opera. The cast also includes Reynolds along with Ashley Thunder Lowe, Michele Dillion and Andrew Struhar.
Reynolds will play the key role of Sarastro, described as “the tall and imposing High Priest of the Sun who we first believe is the bad guy but our minds might change as the story unfolds.”
Reynolds played that same role 30 years ago in his Central Florida Lyric Opera debut, but now sees it in a different light.
“This time I feel more connected to Sarastro,” Reynolds said in a press statement. “Thirty years ago I didn’t have the life experiences, the family connections and the deep bass that this role requires. Yes, there’s drama and tragedy, but this story line is also full of humor and out-loud laughter.”
Molly Fillmore is intrigued by the “Singspiel (sing-play) musical style,” that features actors speaking as well as singing.
“It’s only two 45-minute acts so it moves at a very quick pace with the Singspiel style, which appeals to young and old audience members alike,” Fillmore stated.
She added there are colorful costumes, comedy and the never-ending plot of a damsel in distress being rescued by a handsome prince.
“I believe, as do many others, that ‘The Magic Flute’ is made up of the very best music Mozart ever composed,” Fillmore added.
Maestro Bill Doherty, head of the Central Florida Lyric Opera, believes that even those unfamiliar with opera will enjoy the production.
“If ever there was an opera that can turn skeptics into fans, it’s this English arrangement of ‘The Magic Flute’ with Sam Reynolds returning to the role of Sarastro,” he said.
Tony Violanti is a veteran journalist and writes for Villages-News.com.
