W. A. Mozart: Die Zauberflöte

Soloists:

Christian Boesch (Papageno), Martti Talvela (Sarastro), Peter Schreier (Tamino), Edita Gruberová (Queen of the Night), Ileana Cotrubas (Pamina), Edda Moser (First Lady), Ann Murray (Second Lady), Ingrid Mayr

Orchestra, choir:

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Choir

Conductor:

James Levine

Director:

Jean-Pierre Ponnelle

This production of Mozart's Zauberflöte was met with enormous and unanimous acclaim when it premiered in Salzburg. Theater magician Jean-Pierre Ponnelle created a staging that was part of the festival program for over nine years and soon achieved legendary status. Of course, none of this would have been as appealing if it had not been in harmony with Mozart's music, which James Levine and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performed with a perfect combination of lightness and pathos, humor and depth. Nor would the festival-worthy ensemble of singers have worked: Finnish bass Martti Talvela, who left us too soon in 1989, in his famous role as Sarastro, the incomparable Edita Gruberová as "the best Queen of the Night of all time" (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung), the legendary Tamino Peter Schreier, and the petite, lyrical soprano Ileana Cotrubas in the role of Pamina. In addition, Christian Boesch, who sang the role of Papageno, received the most praise for his performance in this legendary Zauberflöte.