Opera Columbus closed its 42nd season with the premiere of “A Magic Flute Experience: The Temple,” an immersive production reimagining Mozart’s final opera. The show ran April 19-28, 2024, at a speakeasy-style venue in downtown Columbus, with the location disclosed to ticket holders 36 hours before each performance.

The production, directed by Allegra Libonati with musical arrangement and a new English libretto by Que Jones, ran 90 minutes with no intermission and included a one-hour pre-show experience. Attendees had to be 18 or older. The cast included Brian Wallin as Tamino, Eric McKeever as Papageno, Erica Gabriel as Queen of the Night, and Bizhou Chang as Pamina. People’s Circus, a Columbus arts collective, also performed.

General Director and CEO Julia Noulin-Mérat, who designed the set and originally conceived the production, said it was the company’s first immersive staging. The opening night sold out; remaining shows had limited capacity. Tickets ranged from $64 to $124.

Source: Opera Columbus