Written in 1791, the last year of his life, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) is a an opera that is acclaimed worldwide. Over the decades, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City has staged many different versions of Die Zauberflöte, each with its own unique style. One of the most acclaimed productions at the Metropolitan Opera was directed by Julie Taymor in 2004. Her version was colorful, creative, and featured puppets and masks. The Met also created a special shorter holiday version in English for families and younger audiences, making the story, music, and characters even more accessible.
British playwright Simon McBurney’s production of Die Zauberflöte premiered in Amsterdam, in 2012, and it has had a long history of performances worldwide before eventually reaching the Met in 2023, marking the first new staging of the opera in almost twenty years.
Recently, the Met Opera did a revival of this production from March 22nd to April 25th, 2025. You can view the original 2023 Met production of Die Zauberflöte (for a rental fee) HERE.
When I attended the revival in April 2025, I noticed that the integration of live musicians into the performance adds an immersive layer to the storytelling. This unique approach revitalizes a classic tale by fusing traditional opera with innovative and modern theatrical techniques. Challenging expectation and celebrating tradition, McBurney takes a leap forward in operatic storytelling with his rendition of Die Zauberflöte. The production offers a fresh perspective on the classic tale, while simultaneously enhancing Mozart’s enchanting original score.
Resident lighting designer at the Metropolitan Opera John Froelich was able to shed some light on the work that goes into this intricate production. His career has taken him to many areas backstage, from the Metropolitan Opera and the American Ballet Theater, to the English National Opera. Froelich is a champion of expertise in operatic development, production, and technical procedure.
Before the opera even begins, the audience is exposed to a unique artistic set up. At the Met, the orchestra pit is raised to be visible to the audience, allowing for interactions between the musicians and performers later on in the opera. “I think this was one of the first times that we did this type of interactive orchestra kind of synergy with the stage, and raising them up was definitely a challenge,” Froelich said. The orchestra pit itself is hydraulic, allowing it to be raised. However, in order to do so, all the music stands, chairs, and equipment must be removed. As soon as the floor was then lowered again, the platforming was dropped in, and all the equipment had to be replaced and rewired through the bleachers to create the performance space.
The bleachers that were built for the orchestra had to be seamless to avoid any injury or complication. Members of the audience discovered that there was much movement and interaction within the space, once again bridging the gap between the musicians and performers to create a new operatic dynamic. This entire process had to be done every time the opera was scheduled for performance, as this setup is specific to Die Zauberflöte alone, and the team at the Met had only three hours on average to do so each time.
On either side of the orchestra pit up on the ends of the stage sit two booths, a foley booth and a video booth, tasked with providing sound effects and video projections live throughout the production. The video booth is equipped with a very special set up, a chalkboard and an artist stand alongside it. The artist provided live chalk drawings as the opera went on. McBurney’s production is a modern one: the stage is not dressed with elaborate design, towering sets, or performers clad in intricate dress. It is through this approach that he is able to effectively combine multiple elements of opera, the traditionally seen and unseen, in order to create a novel rendition of this classic opera.
“I think the coolest part about the McBurney production, is how he tied the musicians in the pit, and the foley booth, and the video table, and using the set as a projection surface, almost as a big chalkboard. It just felt like it tied so many mediums together,” Froelich said. “Opera is one of those things where it’s a great compromise of grand art…and I feel like McBurney’s production of Die Zauberflöte tied all that together without diminishing any one group. I thought it was really really impressive.”
A huge difference that audiences may have noticed is the use of a projected chalkboard above the stage, where artist Blake Habermann created scenery above the singers as each scene progressed. From the introduction of the characters, to the fading mountains in the background, countless hours of work were displayed through live design–before the audience’s own eyes. This feat of technology seamlessly combined with the electric acting and powerful singing of the performers to create an entirely new experience for the audience.
The curtains open upon the first scene, and a slanted panel held up by rope at the center of the stage with a projection screen above it. With each swell of music, the artist at the chalkboard coordinates his movement in the introduction of the scene. Projected up above the stage, the title is written with halting lines and long strokes, the process becoming the focal point rather than the product.
Through the use of gestures, Habermann is able to incorporate new levels of humor into the production. The introduction of characters as they walk on stage is accompanied by special drawing and comedic effect. Prince Tamino enters fleeing from a serpent in an unknown land, and upon his entry, his name is written with a large arrow pointed down towards his position on stage. Dressed in a tracksuit and sneakers, he runs through the storm, the thundering sounds of which are being produced in view on stage, and collapses to be saved by the Three Ladies.
For this production, Habermann had to perfect his craft. His calligraphy and drawing, for which he skillfully used both hands, had to be meshed with flawless timing and perfect positioning, all while also evoking personality and emotion. “The artist had to rehearse almost every night, like practice, while we were focusing the show, because we have to quickly focus the show 30 minutes before the curtain, before the audience comes in, and he was always there as well just trying to get into the rhythm,” said Froelich. He explained how the camera lens used to project the chalkboard from the booth to above the stage is so specific that if the artist had the materials in the wrong position even slightly, the entire proportion of the artwork would be ruined.
The play utilizes a moving square platform, or rake, at the center of the stage for the majority of its settings. Operated by cranes and ropes, it can be slanted and raised to create different environments and obstacles for the performers. “It’s extremely difficult for the performers to navigate, and I always think it’s amazing when we do things like this…they’re sitting up there, trying to use their instrument, which is their body, and project this voice with no reinforcement whatsoever, and then they’re dealing with a rake that from the side is almost at a 30 degree angle,” said Froelich.
During rehearsals and planning, the rake is a source of complication and compromise. Every performer is different, not only in their preferences and comforts, but also in what their role demands. Standing and sliding down the platform require two very different conditions, and therefore, the crew must try to find a condition that suits everyone well enough. The performers are equipped with special shoes, and the rake is coated with a tacky substance that makes it easier to grip the floor. However, it still poses an incredibly impressive feat to be conquered by those on stage.
This craned platform also introduces difficulties for other departments. The lighting department needed to navigate the additional obstacles that come with the truss enclosure and its support systems. “I think the hardest part about Die Zauberflöte was the fact that there’s this amazing crane platform that could do all these amazing things, but it was supported by this truss enclosure that basically would cast shadows if we used certain parts of our lighting rig, so that limited the amount of lights we could use,” said Froelich. If the light path was even a fraction off-course, it would cast shadows across the stage and ruin the carefully constructed illusions provided by the sets.
Due to the precision required, the department used “special electrics” to maintain the illusion. There were automated lights off-stage, equipped with different color and height options, tilt and pan functions, and the ability to change the shape of the shutter. These functions allowed for the light to be directly aimed at the subject on stage, without interrupting any of the other activity. The use of lights on fly bars, operated by experts in the wings, was another way of creating a meticulous atmosphere in terms of lighting production. However, it also meant there was more special programming and calculation to be done, as well as the collaboration between multiple departments on the matter.
“I liked how we used the underside of the platform as well, there were lights mounted on the underside, so there were certain things we could do with those that were a lot of fun, to make a whole other world,” added Froelich.
One of the most discussed decisions in McBurney’s production is that of the Queen of the Night’s use of a wheelchair. The Queen of the Night is one of the most powerful figures in opera, her ethereal presence encompassing that of the night sky itself. In this production, she foregoes her sparkling costume, and instead dons an ensemble of dark clothing, skirts, dresses, and cloaks that shroud her body in darkness. When standing, she relies on the support of a cane, and is then otherwise confined to the bounds of a wheelchair. “For Simon to get a performer to sing that role sitting…that’s kind of the genius, I guess, of Simon… to get the artistic buy-in of the performers,” said Froelich.
“The cool thing about the McBurney version is that it’s almost like power through the mafioso, like an old family that’s been around forever, not gonna hang it up, she’s still kicking and powerful,” Froelich said. This element of power through a more tangible source almost relates the character to her position even more. The aspect of long standing power and long standing rivalry is strengthened through this human element. To me, the wheelchair also emphasizes a maternal role. The dynamic between mother and daughter is strained and complicated in Die Zauberflöte, but introducing a palpable detail of age and mortality creates a more recognizable bond between the Queen and Pamina. The daughter’s concern for her mother’s well-being is more rationalizable, and the mothers desperation for the return of her daughter is more driven and emotionally charged.
While this was a controversial change to the traditional production, I would argue that it added a crucial element to McBurney’s theme. This comparison is most realized when compared to the Taymor version.
“I think Julie Taymor and Simon [McBurney]…their kind of approaches were very similar, where they they wanted like a form of fantasy, but Julie’s was in the form of puppets, and true fantasy, where I felt like Simon’s was more industrial, and…a fantasy of like shape and form,” said Froelich.
The differing approaches of Taymor and McBurney to the same story is a perfect example of the beauty of operatic design. The same score, idea, and origin give way to two completely different operas, shaped by the minds of directors and their interpretations. The visions of the two play upon entirely different emotions, and cater to different audiences, all while following the same direction. “I just feel like Simon’s took all those types of ideas, the humor and the darkness, to like the absolute extremes, whereas I feel like Julie’s was just more middle of the road,” said Froelich. These varying extremes of fantasy, emotion, and technology are what define this production as so singular in its form.
Of course, especially when placed against an existing production that is so beloved, the audience’s responses are mixed. Some appreciate innovative staging and fresh perspectives, while others respect tradition and the establishment of opera in its original form. The dark chaos of this rendition of Die Zauberflöte isn’t for everyone, but I believe it to be an undeniable expression of talent and artistry.
Written in 1791, the last year of his life, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) is a an opera that is acclaimed worldwide. Over the decades, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City has staged many different versions of Die Zauberflöte, each with its own unique style.