Though Swedish director Ingmar Bergman is mainly associated with dark dramas of existential conflict (though some comedies are also acclaimed), his filmed version of Mozart's The Magic Flute is a joy to be savored and revisited often. Put simply, c'est magnifique! One of the most well-known and loved operas in the history of music, the combination of the sublime music of Mozart, the genius of Bergman, and the magical story of the quest for wisdom keeps us entranced from beginning to end.According to critic Peter Cowie, The Magic Flute was produced on a modest budget of only $650,000, and aired on New Year's Day, 1975 to mark the 50th anniversary of the birth of Swedish Radio. Though the opera is sung in Swedish rather than the familiar German, the overall quality of the performances, matched by the stunning cinematography by Sven Nykvist more than compensate for the unfamiliarity of the language. Of course, singers such as Josef Kostlinger as Tamino and Irma Aurilla as Pamina cannot compare to some of the great tenors and baritones of the past, but they are more than adequate.The most enticing acting and vocal performance is given by Hakan Hagegard as a Papageno that truly captures the goofy, high spirits of the character. Kudos should also be given Ulrik Cold who makes Sarastro a revered figure of wisdom and fatherly love. Though most enjoy The Magic Flute for its fairy tale quality and its superb music, it can also be looked at as a parable dealing with the ideals of the Age of Enlightenment, a compelling poetic allegory of the soul's advancement through initiation. Tamino and Pamina go through trials in order to reach maturity and, in the process, realize the purity and love that are the goal of every spiritual seeker.As Freemasons, Schikaneder and Mozart have placed keys to a symbolic interpretation of the text; for example, the number three, an important number in masonry, plays a prominent role in the opera. There are three long chords at the beginning of the overture, and the three chords appear again in the scene in the temple. Even the key of the overture is E flat major which has a signature of three flats B, E, A. There are also three female servants of the Queen who rescue Tamino from a dragon, three young boy angels who guide Tamino and Papageno, and three trials to gain entrance into the Brotherhood.Some critics have mentioned instances of racism and sexism in the opera; however, though Monostatos is a Moor and refers in a derogatory manner to his blackness, he sings an aria with the words, "skin color matters not when one is love," reflecting the Masonic ideal of the brotherhood of man. Others point to sexism in the instructions given to Tamino and Papageno to avoid the allures of women. These instructions, however, can be seen in the light of an important tenet of Freemasonry - to gain control of your passions, rather than let them control you. While it is no secret that mainstream Lodges exclude women, there are many non-mainstream Masonic bodies that do admit both men and women or exclusively women.Gorgeously filmed on a sound stage in the Swedish Film Institute that recreates the famous Drottningholm Palace Theater, The Magic Flute was shot before a live audience using pre-recorded sound and often focuses on audience reaction, especially on the face of an angelic little girl. If you do not think opera is for you, try this one. You may be surprised about how delightful a filmed opera can be. The camera brings us much closer to the characters than is possible in a live performance, and close-ups and camera angles provide a feeling of intimate connection with the singers. If nothing else works for you, the "Popagano/Popagana" duet at the end of Act Two will put you in a good mood that may last days, even weeks – who knows? Maybe forever.

Some opera-buff acquaintances of mine have called Ingmar Bergman's movie of "The Magic Flute" the only good opera film ever made. While I don't know enough about opera to be able to accurately judge that, this movie is certainly a delightful experience. Sung in Swedish by a cast of photogenic Scandinavians, the film both looks and sounds wonderful.With its fairy-tale plot and passages of spoken dialogue in addition to singing, "The Magic Flute" is already a very accessible opera. Bergman accentuates this by taking an unpretentious "Opera for Everyone" approach, exemplified by his close-up shots of audience members' faces as the overture plays. His production mostly has an 18th-century rococo/ Neoclassical look, though there are a few jarringly modern touches, such as writhing dancers in the last scene. Other than that, this seems a pretty faithful (if shortened) version of the opera that captures its comedy as well as its serious themes.Mozart's music is both gorgeous and character-appropriate: lyrical arias for aristocratic lovers Tamino and Pamina, powerful coloratura for the vengeful Queen of the Night, folksy melodies for the bird-catcher Papageno. Papageno, a lovable Everyman type, is probably my favorite character in the opera, and Hakan Hagegard does the role justice. Ingmar Bergman's movies are known for their focus on human psychology, and even though "The Magic Flute" is a fantasy, the cast members make their actions believable. They do not just stand and sing like divas; they become tangible human beings.This collaboration across the centuries between two great artists, Mozart and Bergman, yielded a lovely result. Highly recommended for novice opera-watchers and serious opera buffs alike--though I'm sure many opera fans have already seen this treat of a movie.

The Magic Flute is a special kind of movie that may work better for fans of Mozart, or work better for fans of Bergman. And in general if you like opera it might hit your 'wow' button as being something different. Before getting to it, I was almost taken aback as I watched it, as I thought perhaps Bergman had picked this opera due it being incredibly tragic or emotionally draining (as I didn't know much about the opera aside from it being a Mozart one). It turns out this might be one of the only operas- maybe THE only- one I would consider ever watching again, or even hearing. As I'm not that big a fan of the kind of music (unless it's being done by Visconti on film or Woody's Match Point), it was a pleasant surprise to see Bergman make the opera right on the stage, putting all the artifice where it belongs. The very beginning of the film is particularly striking and interesting, with all of the close-ups suggesting this could be something different than it is- maybe something more 'heavy'- as it is once again lensed by Sven Nyvkist. But it isn't; this, along with Smiles of a Summer Night, are the most light-hearted films ever made by the usually tragic and introspective filmmaker.Mozart's tale is that of any given fairy tale, the kind that you either give yourself completely to as when you were a kid or not much at all. Sometimes one of the problems that comes when I try and watch an opera is really 'getting' a story out of it when I'm more focused on the singing and pageantry. But Mozart's story is simple enough- about a man (Tamino, played by Josef Kostlinger) trying to find a woman (Pamina played by Irma Urrilla) who has been offered to her by her mother the Queen, even as a bird hunter follows him. It could be a possible deterrent, too, with having the opera in total Swedish (sometimes glancing down at the words, all simple to a level little children might sign at), but I didn't mind that much either after a while. This is partly due to Bergman and Nykvist (and the production design and costumes and such, all lending to the more wonderful theatrical productions that Bergman was always capable of) keeping a good, lush hold on the production values and mood. But it's also due to the performers being rather good in their archetypal roles.Along with this, Bergman incorporates this as being a production going on by once in a while going backstage as the opera goes through its motions, more or less, with ease. It's a nice send-up to have that, as Bergman recognizes that through all of the cheesy bits of sets and lights, the actors are really what counts. And, of course, the filmmaker also shows a genuine affection for the music, and it becomes one of Mozart's most memorable, lively pieces at different points, providing moving melodies and songs, and even some doses of comedy with the couple Papageno and Papagena. It might not be for those who just can't take opera or classical music, and it might be strange for some Bergman fans to see right after Cries and Whispers or Shame. But if you give yourself to the material, and realize how beautiful escapist it can be, Bergman still kicks in his own style, without too much getting in the way, and it often fits together without conflict. A-

I have mixed feelings about this film some of which include a great deal of irritation. Let's deal with the opera first: the libretto by Mozart's fellow Mason, Schikaneder, is not in the same league with those of Mozart's most famous librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte (Cosi Fan Tutte, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni.). In fact, it's downright silly in places, even allowing for the Masonic symbolism. By present-day standards, it is also quite sexist. Sarastro has abducted Pamina from her mother "The Queen of the Night" and tells her she should not be under her mother's influence but she "needs a man to guide her." (Tamino.) It is also racist: Monostatos, one of the villains, is a Moor. But we cannot expect an eighteenth century opera to be "politically correct".Of course, this opera also contains some of Mozart's (or anyone's for that matter) noblest music generally sung by Sarastro or his priests. But, due to the libretto, I find the opera a less satisfactory experience as a whole than the more realistic Da Ponte ones. (The "Flute", of course, is related to the German Singspiel with spoken dialog and is not an Italian opera with recitative.) The cast of this production is largely unfamiliar to Americans except for Håkan Hagegård, the excellent Papageno but Josef Köstlinger was also excellent as Tamino. The singing is not uniformly excellent, though, and the familiar problem of who should sing "The Queen of the Night" is not solved here. Birgit Norden, who plays the part, has too light a voice which should really be that of a dramatic coloratura. She generally gets the coloratura passages but is less successful in the longer notes which often sound shrill to me. (Mozart wrote these parts for specific singers; in this case it was one Josepha Hofer. He often changed arias when the singer changed.) Maybe her acting is also too "Lady Dracula" for me and might be more of a cold-blooded you-know-what. The Sarastro (Ulrik Cold) also seems to have a bit too light a voice for the part. And the production seems more than a little creaky though I think the Swedish translation doesn't help.The overture is played while the camera shows the utterly rapt faces of the audience especially the beatific one of a little girl and I find this particularly tedious after a while. In real life, audiences, particularly children, tend to talk or fidget through an overture, I think. The dragon (originally a snake.) which pursues Tamino at the beginning is really more funny than terrifying and makes Tamino seem like a crybaby.The later scenes I thought were generally better and dramatically more convincing. Although I agree that Bergman is probably the greatest living film director (his newest film "Saraband", from 2003, has been getting rave reviews.), I think this film has probably been rather overrated.