South African Tourism Presents Isango Ensemble

If you can see this production of “Magic Flute”, I highly recommend it. It will likely be one of the best performances of this opera you’ll see. It’s the third we’ve seen in the past few years and, overall, takes the cake. The story was most intelligible and sensible of all the versions, the simple set and simple but stunning costume choices were visually engaging and the music and singing were awesome. The singers seem to be trained in traditional opera singing but the music incorporates African elements, and the orchestra consists mainly of eight marimbas. It was truly a fun night at the opera, and intimate at that in a lovely modern venue like the Broad.

The Broad Stage website writes:

From Sir Ian McKellen to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, everyone is raving about the magic of The Magic Flute, performed in English by South Africa’s unforgettable Isango Ensemble! Mozart’s masterpiece about love and redemption is boldly re-imagined South African style in this exhilarating, life-affirming opera that is “for everyone aged eight to eighty” (Sunday Telegraph). Winner of the Olivier Award for “Best Musical Revival in London” and co-produced by Eric Abraham, Isango’s The Magic Flute is a dizzying array of marimbas, swirling dancers, and brightly patterned costumes. The twenty singers, many of who come from Cape Town’s surrounding townships, pack enough vocal energy to raise the roof, and leave you with “a rare sense of life-enhancing joy” (Sunday Times, UK). 

Articles about the show:

http://www.laweekly.com/publicspectacle/2014/10/09/a-south-african-magic-flute-with-an-octet-of-marimbas-is-unexpectedly-thrilling

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-magic-flute-review-20141010-column.html