Julie Roberts Music:

		List Price: $17.99		Label: Naxos Salesrank: 435592 Released: June 28, 1994
		Our Price: $11.91
		Used Price: $2.78
		Media: Audio CD

Mozart: Die Zauberflöte Reviews:
A genial Viennese performance at bargain price
2006-07-03 - When this Naxos release came out in 1994, the Gramophone began its review with the words "Naxos has done it again." That is, a super-budget label was challenging the majors with a very nice opera produciton for pennies on the dollar. Naxos recordings aren't quite as cheap today, but this Magic Flute, featuring singers who had been regularly appearing in the Vienna State Opera, hasn't been challenged in its price range except by reissues.

Michael Halasz was a regular on these early Naxos operas, and he has a genial way with the socre, if a bit faceless and ordinary. The Budapest orchestra plays comfortably, and the tempos are midle-of-the-road. Papageno is such as a lively jolly character by Georg Tichy, very much in the gemutlich tradition. Herbert Lippert, a stylish Viennese tenor, sounds smooth and engaging as Tamino. Some will find the Pamina of Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz a bit too womanly and mature, but she is never les tha good. Kurt Rydl is an experienced, ripe-voiced Sarastro. Finally, the Queen of the Night is sung impressively by Hellen Kwon, if not perfectly in tune.

Altogether, they make an agreeable ensemble, and it's hard to escape the illusion that it's around 1965, and we've got tickets to a good night at the Vienna Opera when the marquee names have the night off.

Good yet generic
2006-06-05 - This version of Mozart's Die Zauberflote is a very good one yet is lacking in any personality. Most Naxo's recordings are like this. The singers are a talented bunch but give no real personality to the characters. Herbert Lippert's Tamino is one of the most generic I have ever seen yet is still good vocally. The same goes for the Pamina of Elisabeth Norberg-Schulz. Georg Tichy's Papagano is a spirited try but lacks emphasis. The Sarastro of Kurt Rydl (the only person in here I knew before I bought it) was excellent. Hellen Kwon's Queen is very good. The orchestra and conductor are good (as they were in Don Giovanni.) My verdict: buy the highlights of this recording (also available on Amazon.) You won't regret it.

Pleasing to the heart and soul!
2005-07-26 - I recently bought this recording of Die Zauberflote and it is a wonderful recording. All of the characters are vocally well-matched. I really enjoyed hearing the ensembles on this disc, especially the Three Women and the Three Boys. I was pleased to hear actaull boys singing the "Three Boys" passages. Usually, women do a trouser role there. I only have two suggestions. The Queen of the Night is a very difficult character to portray vocally, so I understand that it can be challenging to find someone who does it extremely well. Hellen Kwon was great but her extreme high notes were very "throaty," when they should be birdlike(not screechy though!). Despite this, every emotion of this character could be heard through Kwon's beautiful voice.
My next suggestion is more of a preference. Tichy does a wonderful job portraying the comic Papageno. I, however, prefer that Papageno be performed by a lyric baritone. Tichy sounded like more of a bass-baritone with a dark tone.
Overall this is a great recording. I recommend this collection to any opera lover or non-lover.

Excellent rendition of the Magic Flute
2001-09-01 - This Naxos double CD is excellent and the price is very reasonable. It contains a libretto in German.
The sound quality is good, the dialog is clear, and the music is very good. Excellent performances by
Lippert as Tamino, Norberg-Schulz as Pamina, Rydl as Sarastro, and Gahmlich as Monostatos.

Georg Tichy's rendition of Papageno was enjoyable, and so was Kwon's rendition of the Queen of the Night.
The singing of the three boys was also very well done.
I am very glad I purchased this Naxos CD.

A remarkable achievement and a great bargain!
2001-05-23 - Mozart's singspiel, The Magic Flute, includes some of the most sublime music ever composed. I have heard (and own!) several different recordings of this masterwork, such as the classic versions by Boehm and Klemperer, and a newer version by Solti. As a diehard classical CD hunter, I approached this Naxos offering with caution and purchased a used copy from a local record store. I was swept off my feet when I listened to this recording...it is terrific! With the exception of Kurt Rydl, I was completely unfamilar with the cast but they, and the Failoni Orchestera under Michael Halasz, have achieved something quite marvelous here. From a performance standpoint, it ranks with many of the best recordings made. From a recording perspective, the orchestra occasionally competes with the singers (for example, in "Bald prangt, den Morgen zu verkuenden") and the orchestral bass is at times a little boomy, but these are minor criticisms considering the overall quality of the performance. This pair of CDs is worth many times their modest asking price and would be a great addition to the collections of anyone wanting a great Mozart recording.