Following their critically acclaimed English language reimaginings of La Boheme and Carmen, the Olivier Award-winning OperaUpClose now take on The Magic Flute in an innovative new production headed for the Belgrade Theatre next month.
Running in Coventry for one night only, this innovative reworking of Mozart’s much-loved flight of fancy uses new orchestration with electronic & urban sounds, stylish design and a poetic new libretto by Glyn Maxwell bring the story firmly up-to-date. Ahead of its arrival on Saturday 12 May, director Valentina Ceschitells us more about what to expect from the production…
“Its youthful energy is exhilarating!” she exclaims. “For me it was all about harnessing this energy and bringing it to today’s audience. We did an early R&D with some singers from a group of young people from Soho Young Company. It was important for me that this version of ours appealed to the new generation.”
First staged at London’s Soho Theatre, the production shifts between states of confused reality and disturbed dreams, recasting the hero, Tamino, as a young man dazzled by the world of the rich and famous. Invited behind the velvet rope at London’s “most exclusive” nightclub, The Queen of the Night, he has little time for beggars, paparazzi, or even his girlfriend, Pamina.
At the end of the night, following a blazing row, the couple head to bed, only to relive the events and encounters of the evening in dreams made extraordinary by the lateness of the hour, their befuddled senses, and of course, a touch of magic.
“I always thought the story in the original was problematic,” says Ceschi. “I don’t think I’ve seen one version where I understood the plot or thought the characters’ journeys really made sense. Setting it in a dream (or various people’s dreams) meant we didn’t have to solve all the problems in the original, but it solved a few and freed us up to have a bit of fun.
“In our version, just like in the original, there are forces of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ that play upon mortals, manipulating them and their desires. In this version, our hero, Tamino, is drawn to the flickering neons of the night, attracted like a moth to the life of the rich and famous. In the original, Tamino finds true love at the end of his quest. In our version, he realises it was there all along, he just needed to think he’d lost it to realise how much it meant to him in the first place.”
There could hardly be a better time to bring a show like this to Coventry. Recently named as UK’s next City of Culture in 2021, the city’s whole campaign for the title hinged upon its youthfulness, creativity and diversity – all very much in keeping with the OperaUpClose ethos.
If you’re unsure about opera or classical music, this is a company that prides itself on the accessibility of its productions. Aiming to provide an entry point for even total opera newcomers, the company revitalise established classics to create visceral theatrical experiences that feel relevant to contemporary audiences from all walks of life. Just take Valentina herself as an example.
“I don’t have any formal music training,” she confesses. “I read music but not very well. I mostly rely on what I hear. I’ve grown up with a love and understanding of music from my family for which I am very grateful, but our big thing as a family was musicals like Guys and Dolls and Singin in the Rain.”
“I approach directing opera in very much the same way as directing theatre, making sure the storytelling is clear and the audience have a good time. There are more limitations in opera but those restrictions can be strengths and opportunities for invention and fun. I’ve learnt that the music, much like the text of a play, usually has all the answers you need. So when in doubt, go back to what the music is telling you.”
“I would say, like Shakespeare, if done well, opera is no different to any other genre, and after that short shock of, ‘Gosh, it’s people singing instead of talking!’ it feels very normal. I’d also say if you like musicals you’ll probably like opera.”
All this is not to say, of course, that there isn’t plenty for opera enthusiasts to enjoy. This is still a high-quality interpretation of a classic by a hugely acclaimed company – one that aims to remain faithful to the composer’s original vision, while at the same time offering established audiences a different way of looking at the work.
“People who know the opera really well already have a very particular experience. You can hear them recognising references and being tickled by the innovations we’ve made in our new version. It’s like a spot the difference puzzle for them – they feel complicit in the process somehow, and it becomes a fun game.”
In fact, as Ceschi herself argues, in some ways, there’s a greater “authenticity” to this production than there is to some more high-profile operas nowadays. For one thing, the mischievousness of her direction and Maxwell’s writing are very much in keeping with the irreverent spirit of a composer well known for his colourful personality. For another, opera hasn’t always been the way we tend to imagine it today.
“I got involved with [OperaUpClose] a few years ago when I worked on reviving La Boheme. This production made me fall in love with the company. It was in a tiny theatre above a pub and part of it was even performed in the pub itself during the interval.
“I loved the intimacy and the impact the music and the singing can have when you are up close. Opera really started in much smaller spaces than the big opera houses, so there is also an authenticity to what we do. We aren’t as radical as people think.”
The Magic Flute is at the Belgrade Theatre for one night only on Saturday 12 May. Tickets are available to book now by calling the box office on 024 7655 3055, or by visiting www.belgrade.co.uk, where prices are even cheaper.
Following their critically acclaimed English language reimaginings of La Boheme and Carmen, the Olivier Award-winning OperaUpClose now take on The Magic Flute in an innovative new production headed for the Belgrade Theatre next month.
Running in Coventry for one night only, this innovative reworking of Mozart’s much-loved flight of fancy uses new orchestration with electronic & urban sounds, stylish design and a poetic new libretto by Glyn Maxwell bring the story firmly up-to-date. Ahead of its arrival on Saturday 12 May, director Valentina Ceschi tells us more about what to expect from the production…
“Its youthful energy is exhilarating!” she exclaims. “For me it was all about harnessing this energy and bringing it to today’s audience. We did an early R&D with some singers from a group of young people from Soho Young Company. It was important for me that this version of ours appealed to the new generation.”
First staged at London’s Soho Theatre, the production shifts between states of confused reality and disturbed dreams, recasting the hero, Tamino, as a young man dazzled by the world of the rich and famous. Invited behind the velvet rope at London’s “most exclusive” nightclub, The Queen of the Night, he has little time for beggars, paparazzi, or even his girlfriend, Pamina.
At the end of the night, following a blazing row, the couple head to bed, only to relive the events and encounters of the evening in dreams made extraordinary by the lateness of the hour, their befuddled senses, and of course, a touch of magic.
“I always thought the story in the original was problematic,” says Ceschi. “I don’t think I’ve seen one version where I understood the plot or thought the characters’ journeys really made sense. Setting it in a dream (or various people’s dreams) meant we didn’t have to solve all the problems in the original, but it solved a few and freed us up to have a bit of fun.
“In our version, just like in the original, there are forces of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ that play upon mortals, manipulating them and their desires. In this version, our hero, Tamino, is drawn to the flickering neons of the night, attracted like a moth to the life of the rich and famous. In the original, Tamino finds true love at the end of his quest. In our version, he realises it was there all along, he just needed to think he’d lost it to realise how much it meant to him in the first place.”
There could hardly be a better time to bring a show like this to Coventry. Recently named as UK’s next City of Culture in 2021, the city’s whole campaign for the title hinged upon its youthfulness, creativity and diversity – all very much in keeping with the OperaUpClose ethos.
If you’re unsure about opera or classical music, this is a company that prides itself on the accessibility of its productions. Aiming to provide an entry point for even total opera newcomers, the company revitalise established classics to create visceral theatrical experiences that feel relevant to contemporary audiences from all walks of life. Just take Valentina herself as an example.
“I don’t have any formal music training,” she confesses. “I read music but not very well. I mostly rely on what I hear. I’ve grown up with a love and understanding of music from my family for which I am very grateful, but our big thing as a family was musicals like Guys and Dolls and Singin in the Rain.”
“I approach directing opera in very much the same way as directing theatre, making sure the storytelling is clear and the audience have a good time. There are more limitations in opera but those restrictions can be strengths and opportunities for invention and fun. I’ve learnt that the music, much like the text of a play, usually has all the answers you need. So when in doubt, go back to what the music is telling you.”
“I would say, like Shakespeare, if done well, opera is no different to any other genre, and after that short shock of, ‘Gosh, it’s people singing instead of talking!’ it feels very normal. I’d also say if you like musicals you’ll probably like opera.”
All this is not to say, of course, that there isn’t plenty for opera enthusiasts to enjoy. This is still a high-quality interpretation of a classic by a hugely acclaimed company – one that aims to remain faithful to the composer’s original vision, while at the same time offering established audiences a different way of looking at the work.
“People who know the opera really well already have a very particular experience. You can hear them recognising references and being tickled by the innovations we’ve made in our new version. It’s like a spot the difference puzzle for them – they feel complicit in the process somehow, and it becomes a fun game.”
In fact, as Ceschi herself argues, in some ways, there’s a greater “authenticity” to this production than there is to some more high-profile operas nowadays. For one thing, the mischievousness of her direction and Maxwell’s writing are very much in keeping with the irreverent spirit of a composer well known for his colourful personality. For another, opera hasn’t always been the way we tend to imagine it today.
“I got involved with [OperaUpClose] a few years ago when I worked on reviving La Boheme. This production made me fall in love with the company. It was in a tiny theatre above a pub and part of it was even performed in the pub itself during the interval.
“I loved the intimacy and the impact the music and the singing can have when you are up close. Opera really started in much smaller spaces than the big opera houses, so there is also an authenticity to what we do. We aren’t as radical as people think.”
The Magic Flute is at the Belgrade Theatre for one night only on Saturday 12 May. Tickets are available to book now by calling the box office on 024 7655 3055, or by visiting www.belgrade.co.uk, where prices are even cheaper.