Claudio Abbado leads this “live” performance of The Magic Flute with a nimble, light hand, stressing the playful elements of the score and turning the experience into a sheer delight. Whereas a conductor like Otto Klemperer may have taken Mozart’s Masonic beliefs, trials, and battles between good and evil very seriously, here we get the fairy tale aspect of the work. The “serious” moments–the scenes at the Temple, etc.–are not passed over, but they’re not underscored with real gravity; they’re dignified, but they don’t stop the action and change one’s mood. Some listeners might see this as a negative aspect; I do not. The Mahler Chamber Orchestra, not a period ensemble, plays like one, crisply; it’s well attuned to Abbado’s fleet instincts and plays handsomely.
Three of the cast members are among the finest exponents of their roles on CD, and that’s saying a great deal. The Tamino of newcomer Christoph Strehl is world class; his beautiful tone contains both sheer lyricism and plangency. His legato is as smooth as Stuart Burrows’, his phrasing as elegant as Fritz Wunderlich’s. Dorothea Röschmann’s Pamina may not be as silvery as Gundula Janowitz’s, but it is both girlish and womanly, her intonation is perfect, and she sings with great expression. And René Pape’s Sarastro is as fine as we’ve heard. Sarastros tend to sound either very wise or warmly human; only the best–and Pape is now one of them–encompass both.
Erika Miklosa sings the Queen of the Night accurately and delivers her recits with the proper bite, but she doesn’t overwhelm, and Hanno Müller-Brachmann’s Papageno is a bit anonymous in a role that is anything but. He hasn’t the profile of Prey, Fischer-Dieskau, or (lately) Simon Keenlyside, and while his singing is good, he’s not memorable. The Speaker of George Zeppenfeld is lighter than usual (in keeping with the overall texture), and Julia Kleiter’s Papagena is fine. The Three Boys are wonderful; the Three Ladies are not always on their notes, but they’re flavorful and energetic. Abbado allows (suggests?) small embellishments throughout for the singers, and they’re pleasing. Despite small reservations, this set has much going for it, including the excellent sonics. [7/10/2006]
