Simon McBurney’s ‘life-enhancing’ production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute returns to ENO

Opens Thursday 14 March 

Simon McBurney’s much-loved production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute returns to the London Coliseum for its third run in March. A collaboration with pioneering theatre company Complicite, this unique rendition of Mozart’s great fable combines singers with a troop of actors evoking a magical world populated with monsters and mystery. Live sound effects, animation, live drawing and the ENO Orchestra raised to stage level make this a joyously accessible operatic event.

Simon McBurney is one of world theatre’s most important contemporary figures. Co-founder and Artistic Director of theatre company Complicite, his vast body of work includes A Disappearing Number, The Master and Margarita and for ENO A Dog’s Heart, nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production in 2011. His film and television roles include those in Rev, Harry Potter and Mission Impossible, with his ‘astonishing’ (The New York Times) one-man-show The Encounter currently being made into a film.

Rupert Charlesworth takes up his first ENO leading role as Tamino. He was last seen at ENO as Emilio in Partenope in 2017: ‘absolutely dazzles’ (The Arts Desk).

He is joined by soprano Lucy Crowe, who returns to the role of Pamina: ‘London’s best sung Pamina in years’ (The Guardian) that gained her such plaudits for the last run in 2016.  Since then she has given a very well-received Countess in Fiona Shaw’s The Marriage of Figaro in 2018: ‘her sound has such warmth, fullness, and power that it suffuses the whole auditorium with a golden glow’ (The Independent).

Thomas Oliemans takes on another great Mozart comic baritone role as the bumbling birdcatcher Papageno after impressing in the title role of The Marriage of Figaro in 2018. A veteran of this production, he has sung its Papageno at both the Dutch National Opera and the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence: ‘a well-deserved audience darling’ (The New York Times).

German soprano Julia Bauer makes her house debut as the villainous Queen of the Night, having performed it on many occasions in her native Germany, including multiple well- received performances at the Komische Oper Berlin.

Brindley Sherratt sings Sarastro, reprising a role he last sang with the company in 2007. Associated with many ENO roles including Ramfis in Phelim McDermott’s Aida, Creon in Charpentier’s Medea and Pimen in Boris Godunov, he is Artist in Residence and Advisor to the Harewood Artists.

Monostatos is sung by Daniel Norman, who sang the First Jew earlier in the season in Salome. ENO Harewood Artist Rowan Pierce sings Papagena, her second role with the company after a ‘scorching’ (WhatsonStage) performance in Paul Bunyan as Tiny, one she will reprise in May at Alexandra Palace Theatre.

Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic and winner of the Salzburg Festival Young Conductor’s Award Ben Gernon makes his ENO debut. He is one of the youngest conductors to have held a titled position with a BBC orchestra.

The Magic Flute opens Thursday 14 March at 7.30pm for 9 performances: 14, 21, 23, and 28 March and 2, 9 and 11 April at 7.30pm, 16 March at 6.30pm and 6 April at 3pm

500 tickets for £20 or less are available for each performance. Tickets start from £12*.