Theatre of the Warsaw Chamber Opera
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Die Zauberflöte
The Magic Flute
Opera in two acts with dialogues in Polish
Libretto | Emanuel Schikaneder
Creative Team
Staging and Direction | Giovanny Castellanos
Musical Director | Marcin Sompoliński
Scenography | Rafał Olbiński
Costumes | Marcin Łobacz
Choreography | Jakub Lewandowski
Lighting Design | Damian Pawella
Multimedia and Graphics | Sylwester Siejna
Direction Revival | Oskar Winiarski
Cast
Sarastro | Remigiusz Łukomski
Queen of the Night | Joanna Moskowicz
Tamino | Adrian Domarecki
Pamina | Magdalena Łaszcz
Speaker | Szymon Kobyliński
Papageno | Artur Janda
Papagena | Julia Mach
Monostatos | Piotr Maciejowski
I Lady | Gabriela Stolińska
II Lady | Karolina Nosowska
III Lady | Emilia Rabczak
I Boy | Lucyna Białas
II Boy | Marcelina Górska
III Boy | Artur Plinta
I Priest | Aleksander Słojewski
II Priest | Michał Komorek
Vocal Ensemble of the Warsaw Chamber Opera
Head of the Vocal Ensemble | Krzysztof Kusiel-Moroz
Period Instrument Orchestra of the Warsaw Chamber Opera
Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense (MACV)
Conductor | Adam Banaszak
Mozart’s The Magic Flute KV 620—what is it? An opera, a fairy tale, a utopia? A socio-political parable? A religious-philosophical treatise? Perhaps all of the above. Despite the countless volumes written about Die Zauberflöte, it continues to astonish, fascinate, and open itself to new interpretations. As Alfred Einstein wrote: “‘Die Zauberflöte’ can enchant a child, move an adult to tears, and delight a sage. Every person and every era finds something different in it; only barbarians have nothing to say here.” Similarly, Stefan Jarociński noted: “This childish fairy tale in Mozart’s hands becomes a suggestive vision of good and evil, love and hatred, wisdom and madness, sincerity and lies, courage and cowardice—a refined image of humanity striving with great effort toward true happiness.”
The Magic Flute was Mozart’s final opera in terms of composition, though La clemenza di Tito appears later in his catalog. The premiere of The Magic Flute took place on September 30, 1791, at the Theater auf der Wien, directed by Emanuel Schikaneder, who also performed the role of Papageno. On the same day, the final performance of La clemenza di Tito took place in Prague, as Mozart wrote in a letter to his wife Constanze.
Schikaneder had approached Mozart months earlier with the proposal for a new opera. He incorporated magical tricks, animals, and Baroque stage machinery—including mechanisms for flying. The production cost over 5,000 gulden (equivalent to several hundred thousand modern Polish złoty). The singspiel was designed as a spectacular, colorful feast with ever-changing scenery: gardens, trees, mountains, stars, palaces, groves, temples, pyramids, waterfalls, and volcanoes. The Theater auf der Wien was a private enterprise supported by a patron rather than the state, so the spectacle had to impress and captivate its audience.
Vienna was enchanted by the new opera. Mozart wrote to Constanze: “The greatest pleasure for me was the silent applause! You can clearly see that the opera is rising in appreciation.” Even Antonio Salieri and Caterina Cavalieri were amazed, calling it a “true opera” worthy of the grandest occasions, and predicting that audiences would return to hear it again and again. Mozart’s music circulates, penetrates the soul, enchants, and elevates—it never lets one rest.
At the Warsaw Chamber Opera, the production—staged by the prematurely deceased Giovanny Castellanos—is equally mesmerizing. Projections based on the works of the acclaimed Polish artist Rafał Olbiński enhance the visual and emotional experience. Post-premiere reviews were highly enthusiastic:
“The production follows a traditional, fairy-tale approach. The sets, in Olbiński’s signature naïve surrealist style, and the imaginative costumes by Marcin Łobacz, inspired by motifs of ancient Egypt, create a coherent surreal world. The chamber choir, prepared by Krzysztof Kusiel-Moroz, delivers exquisite musical support. Austria’s Ambassador Dr. Werner Almhofer served as honorary patron of the premiere—Mozart belongs to Austria, and no one can take him away.”
Joanna Tumiłowicz, Maestro.pl
“The performance is visually beautiful, engaging, and audience-friendly—rare in contemporary theatre. The creators did not attempt to uncover hidden meanings in Mozart’s masterpiece, although they are abundant, unlike some other productions. The Warsaw staging celebrates the imagination and vision of Marcin Łobacz, whose costumes reflect Olbiński’s aesthetic and color sensibility, combining hues with subtlety and finesse.”
Jacek Marczyński, Rzeczpospolita