UBC Opera stages Mozart's The Magic Flute at the Old Auditorium, November 27 to 30
Fantasy-filled production featuring members of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra offers a timeless story that resonates with audiences of all ages
UBC Opera’s The Magic Flute in 2018. Photo by Sharon Steele
This fall, UBC Opera is staging the whimsical Die Zauberflöte, also known as The Magic Flute, Mozart’s most famous opera that blends fantasy, comedy, and adventure. Performances are taking place at the UBC Old Auditorium from November 27 to 29 at 7:30 pm and November 30 at 2 pm.
In The Magic Flute, Prince Tamino embarks on a quest to rescue Pamina, the Queen of the Night’s daughter, from the clutches of the mysterious Sarastro. Armed with a magic flute and accompanied by the bumbling bird-catcher Papageno, Tamino navigates a world of trials, deception, and discovery to find true enlightenment and win his fair Pamina. As the journey unfolds, he learns that true wisdom and love transcend appearances, leading to a triumphant union of light and harmony.
The Magic Flute is a two-act Singspiel opera performed in German with English surtitles, featuring music by Mozart and libretto by Emanuel Schikanede. This production stars the UBC Opera Ensemble with members of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, led by conductor Jacques Lacombe and director Nancy Hermiston. The opera is a delightful introduction to the world of classical music, offering enchanting melodies and a timeless story that resonates with audiences of all ages.
UBC Opera’s The Magic Flute in 2018. Photo by Sharon Steele
The comical, fantastical tale told in The Magic Flute is enhanced by sets and costumes that transport audiences into a world of colour and Egyptian mystery. The production is being staged in the intimate atmosphere of UBC’s Old Auditorium, a 522-seat venue with a 50-seat orchestra pit.
UBC Opera is dedicating its 2025-26 season to celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Old Auditorium, which opened on October 14, 1925 as one of the first buildings on the Point Grey campus. After surviving near-demolition in 1997, the building was restored with the help of donors, then renovated in 2010, and now thrives as the home of the UBC Opera Ensemble. Today, it continues to inspire artists and audiences from around the world, standing as a vibrant symbol of community and the healing power of music.
Tickets to see The Magic Flute are on sale through UBC Opera, and more information is available here.
Post sponsored by UBC Opera.
Related Articles
The renowned theatre artist and composer offers a stirring collection of tunes from acclaimed shows such as Children of God and Starwalker
Long-time UBC and CapU faculty member puts on a show featuring dozens of local musicians, plus vocalists Dawn Pemberton and Khari McClelland
The Winnipeg-based artist looks forward to onstage exchanges with diverse musical peers on International Guitar Night
Event hosted by Michael van den Bos features Hollywood film projections and live music by the Laura Crema Sextet
Sonic architecture of Winnipeg’s AO Roberts explores the interplay of performance, installation, and layered auditory experiences
Collaborating with vocalists taught the acclaimed, formerly all-instrumental group new ways of listening and working
Rarely presented in Vancouver, the production blends musical theatre and opera with a philosophically rooted storyline
The adventurous artist sees his upcoming program with Vetta Chamber Music as a way of expressing music’s power to console and cheer, even in dark times
Hosted by the Cellar Music Group at the Shadbolt Centre, festival opens with a special concert by the Vancouver Jazz Orchestra with Champian Fulton and Klas Lindquist
Five emerging conductors lead a program of pieces by both Canadian and American composers, from Amy Beach to Stuart Beatch
Adrian Glynn McMorran’s moving theatre-concert pays tribute to his Ukraine-born grandparents, complete with a choir and traditional instruments
Productions that “push” forms include dance works that play with props and stereotypes, as well as ethereal odes to nature and the northern lights
Musician rises to the challenge of Brahms’s sole Violin Concerto on program that also features guest conductor Han-Na Chang
Under the inspiring title I Fall, I Rise, the concert also features the Focus post-secondary choir and winners of the Young Composers’ Competition
Aleksi Campagne, Bagatelle, Nicolas Pellerin et les Grands Hurleurs, and the Jocelyn Pettit Band are among offerings at celebration of Maillardville’s francophone roots
Annual fundraiser features a romantic piano recital by Leslie Dala, along with wine, chocolate, and optional charcuterie
Bruno Allary leads the Marseille, France–based Compagnie Rassegna as it plays songs from Sicily, Spain, Western Algeria, and Occitania
Big bands play West African music with guests Dawn Pemberton, Khari McClelland, and others
At the Kay Meek Arts Centre, Nova Scotian siblings blend old Celtic sounds with new influences
The intimate event takes place at VisualSpace Gallery on Dunbar Street, where an exhibition called Seasons is on view
Copresentation by Music on Main, PuSh Festival, and Chan Centre features Inuit throat singers in new performance language
