Photo credit: Ken Dundas

Showing @ Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 16, Sun 18, Tue 20, Thu 22 & Sat 24 Nov

Scottish Opera presents a triumphant, rambunctious and enjoyable revisiting of this stalwart of the genre’s canon, yielding an accessible yet faithful rendition of one of Mozart’s most celebrated works. It is punctuated by astonishing performances from every cast member and there is a palpable sense of camaraderie amongst the performers, securing their favour amongst the audience from the get-go.

Tamino (Nicky Spence) sees the image of Pamina (Laura Mitchell) and instantly falls in love – but the course of true love never did run smooth. There are many battles to fight before she can be his, giving the narrative a secure driving force for its lengthy three hour duration. The time flies by unnoticed due to Scottish Opera’s masterful and engaging production.

Sir Thomas Allen and Simon Higlett’s production takes an interesting turn in its Enlightenment setting, giving rise to a mixture of opera and panto. It’s family friendly, delivering sacks of satisfaction, and remarkably, while sung in English and provided with subtitles for clarity, they are rarely required. There is such a wealth of talent across the board; even more astonishing is the commanding calibre of the acting. The result is formidable performances from the entire cast, and total audience immersion into the simple yet involving plot. Spence is heroic and cut from the princes of old – his voice strong and secure. Papageno (Richard Burkhard) is equally vital to the pace of the production, and with a deftness of physical clowning, steals the show. Mitchell is an incredibly likable and empathetic heroine, balancing stereotyped femininity with freshness. The Magic Flute doesn’t need to push boundaries because it delivers a jolly and impressive evening at the Opera.