Magic Flute - musical — Page 3

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#51

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/1/07 at 6:15pm

No friggin' way. You do NOT touch Mozart. EVER!

As others have said, Die Zauberflote is a singspiel (sp?); it has dialogue in between the music just like a musical does. And it has jokes and drama and a great story just like musical does. And it's Mozart. Mozart! What musical composer today could match the sheer amazement of "Dies Bildnis," "Der Holle Rache," "Ach, ich fuhl's," etc?

RENT does not compare to La Boheme by any means. I only like Miss Saigon's story better than Madama Butterfly; nothing in the score, pretty as it is, will match "Un bel di, vedremo" or "Vogliateme bene," (sp?) or Butterfly's entrance. Aida the musical is crap compared to the opera as far as the music goes (no Elton John ballad should even be likened to "Celeste Aida" in my book) And so on and so forth.

My point is, I think it's quite dangerous to try to make a musical adaptation of an opera, especially one of the most-loved composers' most famous works.

As per the new Met production: Don't get me started! They cut out Pamina and Papageno's BEAUTIFUL duet! How dare they!

The Madison Opera production that I saw had Monostatos be striped as black and white, hahaha, and then in his aria he said "striped" instead of black. I was like "Way to be PC, Madison."

But I don't think as far as sexism goes, Zauberflote will ever compare to Cosi fan tutte. Come on.

Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!

Updated On: 3/1/07 at 06:15 PM

#52

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/1/07 at 8:27pm

If you start out by assuming that today's children (let's say sixth graders, to be reasonable) won't sit through Mozart, and it needs to be adapted (read dumbed down) so their little attention spans can bear it, what do you think the likelihood is of their ever trying the original? I was not raised in an opera family but friends of mine were. Opera music was played a lot at home, and the kids couldn't wait to be allowed to see actual performances. There is nothing inherently impossible about opera music unless an adult takes that position. My daughter watched the MET broadcast of the RING cycle when she was in first grade. She couldn't read the subtitles and didn't know German, and she was bored during Wotan's "dialogue" with Fricka, but she loved the music and loved the story (except when Siegfried gets stabbed in the back - that music scared her!). She is no little genius - just a kid who saw her mother watching, enthralled, and decided to find out what it is all about. Not every child will like opera but if they don't get a chance to try it on for size, they will grow up thinking it must be awful. I didn't care for the MET's mini-Flute but I love what it is intended to do - shorten the opera if you have to, but leave the Mozart brilliance intact for youngsters to experience.

#53

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/1/07 at 8:31pm

The movie looks great. The opening scene looks fantastic.

Scary how it sounds in English - Not sure I like the translation.

Were the three boys singing in German, though? It sounded like the original German of the song. But then again...German sounds like English...

#54

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/1/07 at 8:34pm

"Plus - young audiences do not wish to sit through 3 hours of Mozart opera; they'd rather see a classic story told in modern mu=sic & modern words."

Actually, I do. I believe that opera should not be touched, and I would rather sit through the grand, classic retellings of these stories/scores than any new, modern adaptation. For me, the original is the best. I'm 17 by the way, so I think I qualify for "young".

EDIT: well said keen on kean! I too was in the first grade when I saw Gounod's Romeo et Juliette on TV and I loved it. Every minute of that three hour, five act brilliance.

~And let us try, before we die, to make some sense of life~

Updated On: 3/1/07 at 08:34 PM

#55

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/1/07 at 8:36pm

No release date given for the US. Anyone know what the plans are to show it here?

Also Amazon knows nothing about it - does this mean a DVD eventually that we can't play in the US?

Kind of like the translation - seems a little kinder than the MET short version.

#56

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/1/07 at 8:43pm

Did they say "chicks" instead of "kids"...or where the German is children?

And I love the accents they have. Guess that's what American opera stars sound like singing French and German operas....

#57

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/1/07 at 8:45pm

I don't think The Magic Flute should be adapted so that young people who "can't sit through opera, its above their heads" can be exposed to the story. I think that's bullcrap. But I see nothing wrong with taking a story and adapting it in a new stage work. Its been done countless times throughout theatre history. Wether you think its unadaptable and only works in its original form, wether you thinks its heresay to take a musical work and adapt in very much the same manner you would a play, IMO, its just another adaptation of another story. Maybe its too soon, but its not, IMO, hearsey or an insult. If an artist legitimatly want to adapt it, I say "Break a leg, and let me know when you open, I want to see if its any good." The opera is great, but to say its the only version of that story that should ever exist, is tantamount to artistic nazi-ism.

I have several names, one is Julian2. I am also The Opps Girl. But cross me, and I become Bitch Dooku!

Updated On: 3/1/07 at 08:45 PM

#58

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/1/07 at 11:19pm

julian: no offense, but i think youre missing a key point here:die zauberflote is widely regarded as a WEAK story, and the notion that it's worthy of a new "version" is part (but only part) of the reason people are taking exception to the suggestion that it be updated.

aida has both strong music and a plot that works ... ditto boheme. DZ has mozart's SOARING notes and -- abesent the genius of someone like a taymor to give life to a specific production -- well, alas, not much else.

it's just not a plot many people can get jazzed about updating.

"You, sir, are a moron." (PlayItAgain)

Updated On: 3/1/07 at 11:19 PM

#59

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/1/07 at 11:21pm

I realize that, but if someone is able do it, more power to them.

I have several names, one is Julian2. I am also The Opps Girl. But cross me, and I become Bitch Dooku!

Updated On: 3/1/07 at 11:21 PM

#60

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/1/07 at 11:25pm

undeniably.

but the theatre has more pressing obligations ...

"You, sir, are a moron." (PlayItAgain)

#61

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/1/07 at 11:49pm

Hey, between a musical adaptation of The Magic Flute and a musical version of Norbit, I'll take the Magic Flute.

I have several names, one is Julian2. I am also The Opps Girl. But cross me, and I become Bitch Dooku!

Updated On: 3/1/07 at 11:49 PM

#62

Clips of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:32am

Still feel like dancin', Königinn?

What if they turned Mozart's music into some sort of rock bastardization. Like Banya + Der Hölle Rache = Chimera...

(Although I do get mild satisfaction out of Chimera and can just hear Demrau's soaring vocals against this new..."orchestration.")

Updated On: 3/2/07 at 01:32 AM

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