Review

Silly dialogue, superb singing

Sarasota Opera's consistently good cast makes up for Mozart's inane libretto and jumbled plot in The Magic Flute.

SARASOTA - Mozart's Magic Flute, which opened at Sarasota Opera on Saturday, has a libretto filled with nonsense and confusion. It mixes burlesque, comedy, fantasy and the lofty ideals of Freemasonry into a hodgepodge of a plot filled with odd characters and male chauvinist lines that brought laughs from the capacity audience.

Yet this opera survives and thrives because of its exquisite score. It is one of the few operas that can satisfy as much on the radio or through a recording as onstage. During some of the less inspired moments in this production, the question was: Does one really need to sit through three hours of silliness and long stretches of spoken dialogue, which Mozart uses instead of the older recitatives, to bridge the action between arias?

The answer is yes, because there was some really fine singing to be heard and one exceptional young basso voice to be discovered, that of Young-Bok Kim as Sarastro. It was disconcerting to see someone who looked like a teenager as the high priest. But when he sang the great aria In diesen heil'gen Hallen, one could ignore the visual and revel in a beautifully shaped, resonant voice that made its way so nicely to that treacherous low D.

The cast was consistently good. Eric Fennell's nasal tenor filled out as the evening wore on, becoming richer and more pleasing, although his totem pole style of acting was never convincing. Patricia Johnson was of beautiful voice as Pamina. Creating his first Papageno, Mark Walters was appropriately animated and sang with an elegant tone throughout.

The role of Queen of the Night takes singing to the opposite extreme from Sarastro's low notes. Jami Rogers struggled in her Act I aria, mostly because conductor Peter Leonard was too quick. But that wonderful Act II outburst, Der Holle Rache, was handled properly, with Rogers emphasizing the vocal frills and hitting the F above high C with ease. It brought out the evening's loudest audience reaction, one that was well-deserved.

The maestro was also a bit too fast in the opening overture but eventually settled in and handled tempos, balances and orchestral volume well. This company is blessed with a fine orchestra, solid and supportive throughout.

The opera employs a large cast, whose consistency enhanced the evening. Brendan Cooke as a Priest, Susan Nelson as Papagena and the three Ladys, Julia Turner, Suzanne Woods and Kellie Van Horn, were especially impressive. John Pickle's Monostatos was sung with a thin voice, but he did succeed in being the unlikable character he is supposed to be. The quick scene changes, colorful sets and costumes, and excellent lighting were also strong aspects of this production.

Albert H. Cohen can be reached via e-mail at AHC@Bloomberg.net

The Magic Flute continues through March 26 at Sarasota Opera. 8 p.m. today, Thursday, Feb. 27 and March 3, 7, 13, 19 and 26; 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave. $17-$96. 941 366-8450 or toll-free 1-888-673-7212 or www.sarasotaopera.org

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