THE MAGIC FLUTE
Sweden, 1974, 135 minutes, Colour.
Josef Kostlinger, Irma Urrila, Hakan Haggegard, Elisabeth Eriksson, Ulrik Saeden.
Directed by Ingmar Bergman.
Opera is generally an acquired taste. Ingmar Bergman loves opera and music as is evident from the careful attention given to filming Mozart's classic. A light touch appears in the filmed details of the theatre, its stage layout, the actors offstage, as well as a collage of audience faces eager with anticipation during the overture. The opera's first act is light (fairy, journey, hero, heroine), but the second act is heavy with endurance tests of character, the rites of the Masonic Brotherhood. Colour, costumes, singing and music are beautiful. The English subtitles are an advantage to those not familiar with the opera, keeping us aware of the meaning simultaneously with the music.
1. The impact of this cinema opera? The operatic values, music, singing, the cinema styles and techniques for communicating opera? A work by Ingmar Bergman?
2. The importance of the device of the stage production: the presentation of the theatre, the stage itself and its lighting. sets. the performers and the details of their relaxation before performing the workings behind the scenes, the audience and the collage of audience during the overture. the singling out of the little girl and identifying her throughout the film? Audience interest in this, invitation to participate in the opera, identification in response?
3. The value of the subtitles during the singing. for intelligibility without distraction, the texts descending onto the screen? The comprehensibility of the plot?
4. The quality of the music by Mozart. the quality of the singing, the acting? The use of long shots, close-ups, editing?
5. Audience interest in and response to the plot: the elements of fantasy, fairytale and pantomime. an atmosphere of lightness, transition to puzzle. transition to the serious discussions of issues of loyalty and power, finally to the testing and the Masonic rituals?
6. The basic impact of Act One: the lightness of the start, the animals, the humour, the atmosphere of fairies and heroes etc.? How did the plot become more solemn and sinister? Transitions of mood, imagination and thought?
7. Tarnino as hero, the nature of his quest, his being tricked. his capacity for love, his entry into the Fraternity, his achievement in the tests, his final achievement? What kind of conventional opera hero?
8. The character of Papageno: the comedy contribution. his assistance of the hero, his counterpart in Papagena, her love for him? His participation in the quest and the tests?
9. The contrast of the princess? A heroine for opera? Her relationship to Tarnino, the tests?
10. The presentation of the Queen of the Night, sinister, vengeance, her relationship with Sarastro. the princess?
11. What did Sarastro represent? His relationship to the Queen of the Night, to Tamino, his role in the Brotherhood?
12. How did the presentation of the Brotherhood change the atmosphere of the film? Mozart and the Masonic background? The rituals of the 18th century? Their significance now? Comprehensibility? The visual presentation of the Brotherhood, their meetings, what they stood for?
13. The tests and the nature of the quests?
14. The use of symbols throughout the whole film, especially those used in the three tests? The visual presentation of the tests in light and darkness. colour, sinister atmosphere. fear. fire, ballets etc.? The transition then to spring? And the transition in mood for a happy ending?
15. Can opera be successfully transferred to the screen? The nature of the impact of screen opera? Why was Ingmar Bergman interested in this opera to present it on the screen? The nature of his achievement?
