Detroit.(North America)(The Magic Flute)(Opera Review)

Michigan Opera Theatre's The Magic Flute had an extra layer of fantasy and enchantment to it, lent by designer Maurice Sendak's sets, designed twenty-five years ago for Houston Grand Opera, seen at several other U.S. opera companies since then, and still as appealing as ever. (MOT used these in its last Flute, in 1997.) Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are style--intriguing, childlike charm lightly tinged with menace--complemented the story with falling stars, an utterly endearing serpent and some "magic fire" worthy of Die Walkure. There was also some very fine singing: soprano Nicole Heaston took the vocal honors of the evening with her creamy-toned, smooth-lined Pamina and made her "Ah, I feel" aria (the opera was sung in Andrew Porter's English translation) the vocal high point of the evening (April 28). Indeed, it was all something of a ladies' showcase, for the cast featured many fine, fresh voices. Jami Rogers sang the Queen of the Night with grand dramatic intensity, crisp floridity and brilliant, if risky-sounding, high notes. Lea Woods Friedman was a "charming Papagena, and the Three Ladies (Alison Buchanan, Gloria Parker and Melissa Parks) sang with solid sound and balance. The Three Spirits were also performed by young women (Abigail Hynes, Suzanne Klock and Rebecca Loeb) who showed a polished stage manner while cleverly singing with straight, boyish tone.

The male side of the cast was less ...