Die Zauberflöte

Martin Wahlberg and his Orkester Nord complete their recording series dedicated to French opéra-comique with Die Zauberflöte. Surprising, yes, but research has shown that Mozart’s masterpiece is directly descended from the French tradition and from an initiation tale of the Enlightenment.

Deutsche Grammophon’s landmark cycle of Mozart’s mature operas reaches its sixth title with The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte). Set for international release on August 2 via Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company, the live recording continues the Yellow Label’s special collaboration with the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Yannick Nézet-Séguin. It boasts a stellar cast, headed by the project’s initiator, Rolando Villazón, as Papageno, together with Klaus Florian Vogt as Tamino, Christiane Karg as Pamina, Regula Mühlemann as Papagena, Albina Shagimuratova as the Queen of the Night, and Franz-Josef Selig as Sarastro.

Deutsche Grammophon’s landmark cycle of Mozart’s mature operas reaches its sixth title with The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte). Set for international release on August 2 via Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company, the live recording continues the Yellow Label’s special collaboration with the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Yannick Nézet-Séguin. It boasts a stellar cast, headed by the project’s initiator, Rolando Villazón, as Papageno, together with Klaus Florian Vogt as Tamino, Christiane Karg as Pamina, Regula Mühlemann as Papagena, Albina Shagimuratova as the Queen of the Night, and Franz-Josef Selig as Sarastro.

Alain Lombard directeur musical de l’Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg et de l’Opéra du Rhin dans les années 1970, il a enregistré des œuvres majeures du répertoire avec l’orchestre. Il a réalisé pour Barclay, en 1978, l’enregistrement intégral de la Flûte enchantée de Mozart. Un véritable joyau, à en juger par la distribution exceptionnelle réunie pour l’occasion : Kiri Te Kanawa, Peter Hofmann, Edita Gruberova, Kathleen Battle, Kurt Moll et Jose Van Dam.

Die Zauberflöte von Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart mit dem Text des Theaterprinzipals und Schauspielers Emanuel Schikaneder war am 30. September 1791 im Theater auf der Wieden in Wien erstmals über die Bühne gegangen. Damit nahm eine unvergleichliche Erfolgsgeschichte ihren Anfang. Davon wird auch der Mainzer Hofmusiker Franz Heinrich Ehrenfried (1747-1828) mit seiner Bearbeitung der Zauberflöte für Flötenquartett profitiert haben. Ehrenfried, der offenbar eine besondere Vorliebe für Besetzungen mit dem Modeinstrument Flöte hatte, gelingt mit diesem Quartett ein kompositorisch und spieltechnisch anspruchsvolles Stück.

One of the elite orchestras on the world stage, the Berliner Philharmoniker – also widely known as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – was founded in Imperial Germany in 1882. Hans von Bülow took over as conductor in 1887, raising the prestige of the organization, as did subsequent guest conductors, including Johannes Brahms, Edvard Grieg, Gustav Mahler, and Richard Strauss. In the 20th century, they survived the loss of their venue and their conductor during World War II and went on to thrive under conductor Herbert von Karajan, who led the group from 1956 to 1989. During his tenure, the orchestra won Grammy Awards for both opera and orchestral recordings.

Otto Klemperer brings his customary nobility of conception to Die Zauberflöte, with its symbolic drama, and is joined by an exceptional cast. Gundula Janowitz sings Pamina with sublime beauty and the young Lucia Popp is brilliant as the Queen of the Night, the role that first made her reputation.

The Magic Flute (German: Die Zauberflöte), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form during the time it was written that included both singing and spoken dialogue. The work premiered on 30 September 1791 at Schikaneder's theatre, the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna, just two months before the composer's premature death. Still a staple of the opera repertory, its popularity was reflected by two immediate sequels, Peter Winter's Das Labyrinth oder Der Kampf mit den Elementen. Der Zauberflöte zweyter Theil (1798) and a fragmentary libretto by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe titled The Magic Flute Part Two.

Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet, CH (29 April 1879 – 8 March 1961) was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras. He was also closely associated with the Liverpool Philharmonic and Hallé orchestras.