The Queen of the Night rules in Studio 9 at Bavaria Studios. The actress Sabine Devieilhe stands on her throne and sings herself in for her scene, while everything is being prepared for the big singing scene between the desert junk and majestic pillars. Actually, the chants have already been recorded and will be played during the recording. The soprano, who normally plays the Queen of the Night in the Paris Opera, then drowns out the recorded recording with courageous commitment.
The first twenty days of shooting the international film production “The Magic Flute” in the Bavaria Studios in Geiselgasteig are already behind the team around director Florian Sigl and the producers Christopher Zwickler, Fabian Wolfart and Hollywood great Roland Emmerich (“Independence Day”). This week filming will continue in Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace.
The screen adaptation of his most popular opera “Die Zauberflöte” is set in Europe today: When 17-year-old Tim Walker (Jack Wolfe from “The Witcher”) was sent from London to the Austrian Alps to begin his singing scholarship at the legendary Mozart boarding school, there he discovers a centuries-old forgotten portal that leads him into the fantastic world of Mozart’s Magic Flute. As Prince Tamino, Tim meets the shrewd birdcatcher Papageno (played by Iwan Rheon, known from “Game Of Thrones”). With his help, he has to endure dangerous adventures to free Princess Pamina (Asha Banks) from the clutches of Prince Sarastro (Morris Robinson) and his unscrupulous henchman Monostatos (Stefan Konarske).
The stage design in Studio 9 is like a forgotten portal. The plasticity of the impressively built set offers an excellent stage for the actors from the largest theaters and opera houses in Europe. Green screens and visual effects added later do not play a dominant role in post-production. The hall is steeped in history, the then lavish feature film “The Neverending Story” was shot in the same studio.
The Bavaria Studios were not originally intended for the production. The pandemic began in the middle of the preparations, and the production team of “The Magic Flute” quickly realized that a plan B had to be developed in case the filming location Morocco becomes impossible. This is how Christoph Kanter came into play, who had already created the production design for award-winning Michael Haneke films such as “The White Ribbon”. A sustainable studio model was designed with it, from which three sets can be displayed. The construction of the basic set took several months, the conversion phases only a few days. “Christoph is known here in the Bavaria Studios for his great sets, over in the workshop there are still big pictures of ‘Der Teufelsgeiger’. We are very happy to have him. There aren’t many in Germany who can build something like this.” says Fabian Wolfart while large flames are lit on the set. “The transition went smoothly and naturally. Bavaria Studios quickly became very interested in this set being implemented. If we had stuck to Morocco longer, we still wouldn’t be able to shoot there. We’re also much happier with producing here.” The set was built in Bavaria’s internal workshop, which is not a given. Often productions set up their sets abroad and then let them drive into the studio. “We spend a lot of money in Bavaria, that makes me happy, I’m from Munich myself,” says Wolfart.
The casting was also a challenge to transform the opera into a coming-of-age film. “If I had put a 40-year-old prince there, everyone would have thought I had one on the waffle,” explains Christopher Zwickler. “We wanted someone from Europe who also knows English actors. Roland Emmerich recommended caster Sophie Holland. Together with her, we decided on Jack Wolfe for the role of the prince. He sings very excitingly, not like a trained opera singer, but in the innocence of the character, the voice for the project is perfect. Our frame story should appeal to young audiences in particular. “
Deutsche Grammophon is of course enthusiastic about the idea that the film should introduce young people to classical music. The producers also get encouragement from the Mozarteum. Another advantage: the director Florian Sigl studied classical music himself. Producer Christopher Zwickler, on the other hand, is an avid fan of the Magic Flute: “The Magic Flute is the entry-level opera and not just something for the educated middle class. At the performances shortly before Christmas you can see a mixed audience from young to old, from all groups Normality has returned to everyday life for all of us and we will watch Mozart’s timeless work together in crowded cinemas. ” “The Magic Flute” is expected to hit cinemas by Christmas 2022.
– .
