There is a touch of the village hall about this incompetent production from Glyndebourne. A production of "Who Murdered Mozart" perhaps? Chief suspect is Designer David Hockney with his hideous cardboard cutout sets and pantomime stuffed animals. He seems to have economised on costumes by using those left over from last year's production of Dick Whittington. Not on the list of suspects is Director John Cox since there is very little evidence that he was present at the scene of the crime.
Virtually every dramatic point is bungled and the hapless cast are largely left to their own devices.They are, mostly, competent vocally but do not seem to get into the characters at all, almost as though they do not fully understand the German text. Benjamin Luxon is an unamusing Pappageno, looking like the man who sells The Big Issue outside my supermarket. Thomas Tomaschke looks bemused as Sarastro. John Fryatt, in blackface is an embarrassing Monostatos. Leo Geoke, as Tamino, pauses between each vocal phrase to flash his teeth, like Donny Osmond. May Sandoz, as the Queen of the night, approaches her high notes gingerly but seldom hits them. As Pamina, the young Felicity Lott, with a great future ahead of her in the French and German repertoire, shows little of that promise.
In this company, Willard White, as the Speaker, is vocally outstanding. The charming Elizabeth Conquet, with her one number as Pappagena is the musical highlight of the production. Also well sung are the three ladies and the three boys. This production does avoid the usual trap of having the three boys sung by three trebles. Having three strapping ladies singing the parts at least ensures that they are in tune even though they look ridiculous.
This broadcast was billed by Sky Arts as the legendary 1978 Glyndebourne production. In its own lunchtime, perhaps.
