The Magic Flute

Unlike certain other Austrians, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, like Christoph Waltz, is often passed off by the Germans as one of their own. Historically speaking, the composer is of course really German, so one way or another he gave us one of the most popular operas of all time, The Magic Flute. Over the centuries, it has not only been staged in many variations on opera stages worldwide but has also aroused the interest of filmmakers. Anyone who has seen it will probably not soon forget the opera film by Ingmar Bergman from 1975. In 2006, Kenneth Branagh moved in his interpretation of the substance of the plot in the First World War. Now the libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder is finding its way back home, where director debut Florian Sigl has taken it on. To be more precise, he weaves a framework story around the original: 17-year-old Tim ( Jack Wolfe ) is accepted at the Mozart International School for prospective singers. One night he enters Mozart’s The Magic Flute

through a portal disguised as a grandfather clock. Here he is Prince Tamino himself, who sets out with Papageno ( Iwan Rheon ) to meet Princess Pamina ( Asha Banks) – an adventure that will keep him busy for several nights. During the day he continues to take part in everyday school life, where completely different problems await him…

“The Magic Flute” will sometimes give older Mozart fans a heavy stomach. However, the story about a boarding school student who can travel into the fantasy world of the famous Singspiel may be able to open up the medium of opera to a young audience. Despite its shortcomings, the film is worth several viewings.

• The Magic Flute