Alma Deutscher Will Conduct Opera San José's THE MAGIC FLUTE

Opera San José will launch its 41st season this September with The Magic Flute, featuring the return of prodigy composer/conductor Alma Deutscher at the podium. Deutscher, whose updated Cinderella enthralled OSJ audiences, reunites with director Brad Dalton tocreate a production of the fantastical opera that will be welcoming to operagoers of all ages. This fanciful work, Mozart’s final opera, follows the fairytale story of handsome young prince Tamino and silly bird-catcher Papageno, who set out to free the clever princess Pamina. Equipped with a set of magical musical instruments, these two new friends face a vengeful Queen of the Night, a world of sorcerers and serpents, spirits and secrets, and more, that will test their loyalty, love, and persistence. The Magic Flute will be performed in German with English and Spanish supertitles. It will be presented September 14-29, 2024 (performance dates/times below) at the California Theatre, 345 South First Street, San José.  For more information or to purchase tickets ($58–$215), the public can visit operasj.org or call 408-437-4450 (open Monday through Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm).   

 “Opportunities to see a woman, much less a very young woman at the podium commanding a full orchestra are rare. As we saw when she conducted her own Cinderella at Opera San José in 2022, Alma Deutscher, who began composing operatic and chamber works of international renown while still a small child, is becoming an astonishing force in the world of music and we are delighted that our audiences will again have the opportunity to see her at work – this time on the music of another prodigy, Mozart,” said Opera San José General Director/CEO Shawna Lucey. “The Magic Flute is an opera that thrills audiences of all ages. As a parent of a small child, I love to include operas in our season that can introduce the wonder of opera to children. This piece is perfect for both the young and young at heart.” 

Opera San José has assembled a talented cast to bring The Magic Flute to life. Tenor WooYoung Yoon returns to Opera San José as Tamino following his performance last season as The Duke in Rigoletto, Opera San José’s inaugural Wadhwani Chair soprano Melissa Sondhi will play Pamina, and soprano Emily Misch will make her Opera San José debut as the Queen of the Night. Baritone Ricardo José Rivera – who charmed audiences as the beloved barber in last season’s The Barber of Seville – will return as Papageno, while soprano Nicole Koh will make her Opera San José debut as Papagena. Bass YounggwangPark makes his Opera San José debut as Sarastro. Tenor Nicolas Vasquez-Gerst will make his role debut as Monostatos and Opera San José fan favorite bass-baritone Philip Skinner will return as The Speaker. Soprano María Brea will make her Opera San José debut as First Lady, mezzo-soprano Melisa Bonetti Luna – who delighted audiences last season in Opera San José’s production of Rigoletto as the scheming sister Maddelena – returns to Opera San José as Second Lady, and past Opera San José chorus member mezzo-soprano Mariya Kaganskaya will make her role debut as Third Lady. Also in the cast are tenor Eric Mellum as First Priest, baritone Michael Jesse Kuo as Second Priest, tenor Joachim Luis as First Man in Armour, and bass-baritone Joseph Calzada asthe Second Man in Armour. 

Six youthful members of Los Altos-based Cantabile Youth Singers of Silicon Valley will alternate as the three Spirits: Chinmay Chakravarthi, Evan Kronstadt, Haniel Park, Alexandra Peña, Gus Solomon, and Katherine Vladimirova. The chorus ensemble is comprised of Rachel Beninghof, Lauren Biglow, Jeremy Harr, Ru Huang, Danielle Imai, Brennah Kemmerly, Michaël S. Kim, Kyounghee Lee, Leonardo Mangalindan, Nicholas Mollé, Fallon Nunes, and Joshua Porter. On September 29, sopranos Abigail Bush and Nicole Koh will appear as Papagena and Queen of the Night, respectively. 

The creative team for The Magic Flute is Alma Deutscher (Conductor), Brad Dalton (Director), Antara Bhardwaj (Choreographer), Ryan McGettigan(Scenic Designer), David Lee Cuthbert (Lighting Designer), Calli Carvajal (Hair and Makeup Designer), Johannes Löhner (Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master), and Michelle Ainna Cuizon (Assistant Director). 

“Classically Curious” night for The Magic Flute will be held Friday, September 20, bringing together people ages 21 to 40 who have a passion for deepening their involvement with opera. This young professionals program was created to introduce new audiences to opera, offering access to discounted tickets, exclusive behind-the-scenes opportunities, and social and community events that connect young adult opera lovers.  More information can be found at go.operasj.org/ClassicallyCurious. 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's final opera, The Magic Flute made its world premiere at the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna on September 30, 1791. The opera follows prince Tamino and his newfound friend, a comic bird-catcher Papageno, who launch a quest to rescue Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night, from the clutches of the high priest Sarastro. Audiences are transported to a mystical realm, from the dark and foreboding temple of Sarastro to the spellbinding trials of fire and water that Tamino and Papageno must face. Inspired by a mix of folk tales, this two-act opera offers a surreal blend of enchanting fantasy and profound allegory, and features iconic arias, such as the Queen of the Night's dazzling and vengeful "Der Hölle Rache," and the serene "Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön," as well as the amusing duet "Pa-Pa-Pa-Papageno" between Papageno and his newfound love Papagena. The Magic Flutecontinues to captivate audiences worldwide with its magical music and rich symbolism, blending timeless themes of love, courage, and wisdom with mesmerizing melodies.