I must have seen a half-dozen videos of the Magic Flute, some good and some bad, this one is among the best. If the singing is not quite up to the Paris Opera production of 2000, it is still very fine, with the leading Sarastro of our time in Rene Pape, and a mellifluous Tamino in Paul Groves. Christian Gerhaher's Papageno does look a bit shaggy (did he sleep under a bridge?) but he sings really well.
Genia Kuhmeier connects with us as Pamina; Irina Bespalovaite is good in the throw-away part of Papagena. Diana Damrau's Queen of the Night is a great performance, O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn is delivered with great panache. The sets are well done; the blue tinged rocks look good on TV. The candy coloured cars and airplanes don't detract from my enjoyment.
