The Magic Flute

The Magic Flute 2006

• Director: Kenneth Branagh
• Based on Mozart’s opera. Libretto by Stephen Fry.
• Cast: Joseph Kaiser, Amy Carson, Ben Davis, Silvia Moi, René Pape, Lyubov Petrova, Liz Smith
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Liz Smith – Keeping Mum, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Keep the Aspidistras Flying, Karaoke, Secrets and Lies, Takin’ Over the Asylum
• Why? Branagh
• Seen: Once before, the Swedish premiere at the cinema. Now 14 December 2019

             Try as we might we have never learnt to appreciate opera. There are exceptions. This is one.

       Not so much for the music, though some of it is pleasurable, despite its opera-ness. It is, after all, Mozart (though I prefer Beethoven). Not because of the story, which is silly, as they usually are.

       There are two things in this film that move me deeply. The World War I setting. And the visual beauty. In some of the scenes Branagh outdoes Branagh, they’re so brilliant.

       It’s the opera stuff I don’t like. Unfortunately, being an opera, there’s quite a lot of it.

      

4* of 5 (Hal gives it 5, opera and all!)