The Magic Flute: The P. Craig Russell Library of Opera Adaptations Vol. 1 (Craig Russell Library of Opera Adaptations, 1) - Hardcover

Russell, Craig P

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 156163350X ISBN 13: 9781561633500

Publisher: NBM Publishing Company, 2003

Synopsis

Long out of print, the many adaptations that Russell has done of famous operas are finally collected again in three volumes, in the wake of his highly successful adaptation of Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung. This first volume presents Mozart's most famous work, a farcical tale of love mixed with fantasy. Starring such unforgettable characters as the Queen of the Night, Prince Tamino, Princess Pamina, the evil Sarastro, the bird-catcher Papageno and his one true love Pagagena. In full-colour.

About this title

Review

"Russell has succeeded in combining opera and comics, taking advantage of the graphic medium to dramatize the operas' emotional structures."

From the Back Cover

..".it is the evident quiet approbation which best pleases me! It is apparent that this opera is rising rapidly and steadily in estimation."--Mozart, letter to his wife, October 7-8, 1791.
Unfortunately, his tragic death a scant two months later prevented Mozart from ever realizing the full accuracy of this observation, made a few performances after the cool reception given The Magic Flute at its Viennese premiere.
In May 1791, Mozart's friend Emanuel Schikaneder commissioned The Magic Flute. In keeping with the popular level of this theater, Schikaneder himself supplied Mozart with the libretto about the rescue of a good fairy's daughter from a wicked magician by a hero armed with a magic flute. After a good deal of the music was written, the composer and librettist--both Freemasons--grafted Masonic ideals onto the plot, transforming a simple fairy tale into a moralistic allegory and a Singspiel into one of the world's greatest operas.
This handsome, moderately priced volume, reprinted directly form an authoritative edition, will enable musicians, music students, and opera lovers to gain a fuller appreciation of Mozart's mastery of operatic language, orchestral color, and dramatic expression. A helpful feature of this edition is the inclusion of all spoken dialog, usually abbreviated in other editions.

Edition details

• Publisher: NBM Publishing Company
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 156163350X
• ISBN 13: 9781561633500
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 144