The Magic Flute

The El Paso Museum of Art (EPMA) and the El Paso Opera
announces a performance of various arias from the opera
The Magic Flute
March 5, 2009 – Noon
FREE

Please join us at the El Paso Museum of Art on March 5, 2009 at 12:00 PM in the Tom Lea Gallery for a performance of various arias from the opera The Magic Flute. Scheduled to perform are Soprano Audrey Elizabeth Luna (The Queen of the Night) and Bass Leon Williams (Papageno) who will be accompanied by El Paso Artistic Director Maestro Raymond Harvey. The performance will be set to the backdrop of two works of art by Jean Michel Moreau (1741-1814) entitled L’Entre a L’Opera and Presentation D’une Danseuse a L’Opera from the permanent collection at the EPMA, both contemporary to the time of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This sample event is a partnership program between the EPMA and the El Paso Opera and is free to the public. Seating is limited and is on a first come, first served basis. No food or beverages are allowed inside the Tom Lea Gallery.

The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute was written in 1791 and was the last opera Mozart composed. He composed it as a Singspiel- a “singing play” (to include spoken words) in an effort to create a theatrical and musical spectacular that would bring in larger audiences (more commoners and not just the “elite”) It is intended to be fairy-tale in concept full of sorcery, deception, and the never-ending pursuit of love. It has also been said that Mozart, at the time was member of the Freemasons, filled The Magic Flute with bizarre characters and symbolism reflective of Freemasonry rituals and secrets. El Paso Opera Stage Director David Grabarkewitz has taken the original spoken sections of the opera and has rewritten them in verse so as to be made easily understandable. Lighting Designer Barry Steele has created a new and innovative production that creates all the scenery with digital light projections on scrims.

RAYMOND HARVEY (Conductor) has been with El Paso Opera since its premier performance of Tosca in 1994. Known for his ability to combine the musical with the dramatic, Raymond Harvey is delighted to serve as Artistic Director of El Paso Opera. To date, the Maestro has conducted 22 of El Paso Opera’s 26 productions, ranging from Verdi’s Aida to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

He has also led opera performances for Houston Grand Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Fresno Grand Opera, and Indianapolis Opera.

Now in his tenth season as Music Director of the Kalamazoo Symphony in Michigan, Maestro Harvey previously held positions with the Fresno Philharmonic and the Springfield (Massachusetts) Symphony. He has appeared as a guest conductor with many of America’s leading orchestras, including Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, and Utah; and has conducted the New York Philharmonic’s Young People’s Concerts, and the Boston Pops. Mr. Harvey recently conducted the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional in Costa Rica.

An excellent pianist and choral conductor, Raymond Harvey holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and a Master’s and Doctorate from the Yale School of Music. A native New Yorker, he now makes his home in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

For more information on this free sample event please call (915) 532-1707. For information on the El Paso Opera, including how to purchase tickets to The Magic Flute please call (915) 581-5534.