Our Opera Lovers group met on Thursday 24 September 2026 for a performance of The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the Harrow District Masonic Centre.

This was the Royal Opera House performance from 2003 under the Baton of Sir Colin Davis, and directed by David McVicar. The all star cast included Will Hartmann as Tamino, Dorothea Röschmann as Pamina, Diana Damrau as the Queen of the Night and Franz-Josef Selig as the Sarastro the High Priest. Special mention goes to Simon Keenlyside as an athletic Papageno, matched by Aylish Tynan as an energetic Papagena. All the cast in this performance were outstanding.

The opera brings to the fore many themes for discussion today. We can only imagine what Mozart’s audience thought of the work back in 1791. The costumes cunningly mixed the 18th Century with the world of magic and legend. There is misogyny and controlling behaviour in abundance, mixed with lighthearted slapstick at some of the moments of tension. Several members of the group recognised the irony of Mozart’s opinion of freemasonry being shown in a Masonic Centre.

The performance ends with hapiness for the male characters in the story, but perhaps not so much hapiness for the Queen of the Night. There is however a bright prospect for Pamina and Papagena.

Our next meeting will be on 26 November 2026 at 1pm for a performance of The Marriage of Figaro.