series<\/a> that introduces newcomers to opera through film. Opera can be daunting and while some works are more well-known than others, those that have never been to the opera, don\u2019t have the same connection to certain works as traditional operagoers do.<\/p>\nThis month audiences will experience, Verdi’s “Aida,” “Giordano’s “Fedora” with Superstar Sonya Yoncheva, and Julie Taymor’s holiday special “The Magic Flute.” Two of these works are staples of the repertoire while one is rarer and is a vehicle for a great diva.<\/p>\n
While all three operas have silver-screen adaptations, we will only focus on two of the works being presented this week. More interestingly, the films we will talk about contain many musical moments that will not only prepare you for what you will hear but will also put them into context.<\/p>\n
The Magic Flute<\/h3>\n
Mozart\u2019s opera has influenced many adaptations over the years. There was even a new version this year that starred Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham<\/span>, Rolando Villaz\u00f3n, and Sabine Devieilhe, among others.<\/p>\nBut for this article, we will focus on one adaptation that is friendly for the holidays. Later this season we will look at another version when the opera gets a new production in its original German. For this article, we will focus on the 2006 Kenneth Branagh adaptation sung in English.<\/p>\n
The film was made as part of the 250th anniversary celebration of Mozart’s birthday and was set during World War I.\u00a0 The new version featured a translation by Stephen Fry and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and Venice Film Festival.<\/p>\n
The film was performed by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by James Conlon and became the first motion picture version of the opera specifically intended for cinemas. Shot in Super 35 and released in anamorphic widescreen, the film starred\u00a0Joseph Kaiser, Benjamin Jay Davis, Amy Carson, Ren\u00e9 Pape, Lyubov Petrova, Tom Randle, and Silvia Moi.<\/p>\n