by Mike Telin
Here’s a story: a young prince named Tamino finds himself lost in a far-off land being pursued by a snake, and he faints. Three ladies, attendants of the Queen of the Night — who is seeking revenge against the high priest Sarastro — appear and kill the snake. After arguing about which of them should stay with the handsome Tamino, they leave. Tamino wakes up just as Papageno, a bird catcher who dresses like a bird, enters and complains that he has no wife — he also takes credit for killing the snake.
The three ladies reappear and put a padlock over his mouth to remind him that it is not good to tell lies. Before leaving they give Tamino a portrait of Pamina — the daughter of the Queen of the Night — who has been kidnaped by Sarastro. In an instant, he falls in love. Thus the stage is set for one of the most beloved operas of all time: The Magic Flute.
On Wednesday, February 26 at 7:30 pm in Kulas Hall, Cleveland Institute of Music Opera Theater will present Mozart’s popular opera. Directed by Dean Southern, the cast includes baritone Dylan Glenn as Papageno, soprano Siyeon Kim as Pamina, and coloratura soprano Mengqi Gao as the Queen of the Night. [Read more…]
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, as epitomized by Euripides’ infamous character Medea. After her husband Jason rejects her for another woman in order to further his political career, she will stop at nothing to get revenge, including murdering her own children.