‘Die Zauberflöte’ comes to life at the Maxwell Theatre

When Díana Thompson-Brewer, DMA, interim director of opera and voice at Augusta University, learned Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) hadn’t been performed at the university in more than 20 years, she immediately knew she wanted to bring it back to the stage this spring at the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre on the Summerville Campus.

“I actually sang the role of Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte about two years ago in a production, and it’s always been a show I wanted to do,” said Thompson-Brewer, a professional opera singer who has performed in opera houses and concert halls all over the country, including New York, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Vermont and throughout the South. “When I was brought into this position as interim director, I had like a shortlist of maybe three to five operas that I would do, but I needed to hear the singers first. I did auditions, and I heard them sing, and I said, ‘Oh, we have what we need for The Magic Flute.’”

Known as one of the greatest operas ever written, Mozart’s timeless classic, The Magic Flute, follows the escapades of Prince Tamino and the bird-catcher Papageno on their quest to rescue Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night. To assist them in their journey, Tamino and Papageno are given musical instruments enhanced with magical powers, which they use to conquer the trials and tribulations along the way.

Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), will be performed by the Augusta University Opera Initiative, under the direction of Thompson-Brewer, at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23 at the Maxwell Theatre.

The opera focuses on the search for truth and reason, love and enlightenment, said Thompson-Brewer.

“It’s a timeless and canonic opera that is super fun and inviting for everybody,” Thompson-Brewer said. “It’s an opera for all ages, and the music is just spectacular.”

A community production

Not only are members of the Augusta University Opera Initiative involved in the performance, but Thompson-Brewer, a graduate of then-Augusta State University and native of Augusta, wanted to include the community in the production.

The Davidson Chorale from Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School in Augusta are serving as the opera chorus. In addition, three North Augusta High School choral students will be playing the roles of the three spirits and two Grovetown High School choral students will be playing the roles of Monostatos’ helpers.

Dancers from the Jessye Norman School of the Arts are also included in the program, and an elementary student from C.T. Walker Magnet School, along with the director’s daughter, will play baby birds in the opera. There will also be instrumentalists from North Augusta High School and Davidson playing in the opera orchestra.

“I wanted to make it a community endeavor. I thought this was the perfect piece for that.”

Díana Thompson-Brewer, DMA, the interim director of opera and voice at Augusta University

In total, there are approximately 60 members of the community joining the Augusta University Opera Initiative for The Magic Flute production.

“I wanted to make it a community endeavor,” said Thompson-Brewer, who proudly says she grew up in this community and attended Sue Reynolds Elementary, Langford Middle School and graduated from Davidson. “I thought this was the perfect piece for that because I had some other operas on my brain, but they would be more insular, which we could do down the line. But this was one that definitely spoke to the community aspect that I wanted to get involved in.”

The Magic Flute is in the form of a Singspiel, which includes both singing and spoken dialogue, Thompson-Brewer explained.

“There is dialogue interjected and usually it’s done in German, but because we are here in the United States, it’s common now to have the dialogue in English, but the singing is still in German,” she said. “So, it is a sung-through and spoken play. But the difference between a musical and an opera is the way in which it is sung and also the style.”

At home on stage

For this opera, Thompson-Brewer has also brought in professional artists to be included in the show, specifically Tjaden O’Dowd Cox, an aerialist and opera singer for the role of Queen of the Night, who will be using aerial expertise on stage, and Ramelle Brooks, DMA , opera singer and assistant professor of voice at South Carolina State University in the role of Sarastro.

In addition, Brandon Ball, an Augusta University alumnus and the director of choirs at Grovetown High School, will be portraying the role of Monostatos.

Larianna Goss, a recent graduate of music from Augusta University, is the leading lady, Pamina, in the opera.

“I play Pamina, and she’s the daughter of the Queen of the Night,” said Goss, who is originally from Rhode Island. “She is a princess, and her love interest is Tamino. And she is kind of naive about the world around her. So, in a sense, that makes her brave because she has nothing to fear. But she’s really fun and loving. She truly believes in love. She’s also youthful, energetic and headstrong.”

“I started singing in choir in the third grade. And throughout the years in school, I’ve sung in the choir and did musicals and concerts, but here at Augusta University, I really grew into my artistry. I just love it.”

Larianna Goss, a recent graduate of music from Augusta University

There are a lot of twists and turns in the opera, which makes it entertaining for the audience, Goss said.

“It’s just really exciting. I’ve never been a leading lady in an opera before, so this is my first big leading lady role,” Goss said, adding that she has always had a love for music. “I started singing in choir in the third grade. And throughout the years in school, I’ve sung in the choir, and did musicals and concerts, but here at Augusta University, I really grew into my artistry. I just love it.”

Matt Cooper, a sophomore music student at Augusta University, is the leading tenor, Tamino, in the opera.

“I’ve always loved music,” Cooper said. “I’ve been singing since I was about 6 years old, and I’ve been in musical theater since I was about 10, so pretty much my whole life, from what I can remember. When I got this role, I researched it and delved deep into what my character’s motives were. He is a prince from a far-off land, and he stumbles upon this fantasy land.”

Tamino learns of the beautiful princess, Pamina, and decides to save her, Cooper said.

“He sings about his love for the princess just from a picture he’s seen of her,” Cooper said. “And so the whole show is pretty much me going to rescue her.”

Cooper said he cannot wait for the community to sit back and enjoy The Magic Flute.

“My element is the stage. I just love being on the stage,” he said. “And so just getting to show my work and my colleagues’ works with people is a wonderful experience. It makes me so happy to be on that stage. That’s where my home is, on stage.”

Bringing back a tradition

Phillip Streetman, the director of choral studies at Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, said his students are thoroughly enjoying their experience with the Augusta University Opera Initiative.

“Dr. Thompson-Brewer contacted me over the summer, and she was telling me that she was going to do this big project and have community people involved, as well as hire a few professionals to come in,” Streetman said. “She asked if The Davidson Chorale would enjoy being part of this, and I said it sounded like a great project.”

“We’ve never done anything like this before, but Dr. Thompson-Brewer said, when she was in high school at Davidson, some of the high school students used to do these types of performances with Augusta University quite frequently,” Streetman added. “So I said, ‘Let’s bring that tradition back.’”

Teaching the high school students to sing an opera in German was challenging, but Streetman said, with help from Thompson-Brewer, the students have embraced the experience.

“They’ve never performed in an opera before, so this has been quite an undertaking,” Streetman said. “But it’s been a very educational undertaking as well, and the students have embraced the challenge.”

Goss said she enjoys seeing the excitement on the faces of the high school students as they rehearse the opera.

“The students are so much fun,” Goss said. “They have this joy and love of music that is just contagious.”

“They’ve never performed in an opera before, so this has been quite an undertaking. But it’s been a very educational undertaking as well, and the students have embraced the challenge.”

Phillip Streetman, the director of choral studies at Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School

As opening night approaches, Thompson-Brewer says she could not be prouder of all the students involved in The Magic Flute.

“During our first sing through, it was hard to not cry during the first act when everyone was singing,” Thompson-Brewer said. “This is my first opera that I’ve ever directed. I’m a professional opera singer, so I’ve always been hired to do my role in a show. But this is the first full production that I’ve been in charge of, from producing and directing. And to see and hear everything come to life, it’s amazing.”

“I’m very proud of the students here,” she added. “I set the bar, and these kids surpassed it. To see them rise to the occasion as artists has been super rewarding.”

Tickets for “Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)” on March 22 and 23 at Maxwell Theatre

• Admission is free for AU/EGSC students, faculty and staff with a valid JagCard.
• Public: $10
• Alumni: $7
• Senior (60+): $7
• Military: $7
• Children and students, with valid school ID, are admitted free at the door.