Amy Lisenbe/Nevada Appeal Josh Wold, as Papageno, left, and Brooke Galyan, as Papagena/Greenbird, left, of the Fairytale Theatre group rehearse a scene from the "Magic Flute" Tuesday afternoon at the Carson City Community Center.
If you're an opera lover and would like to see a play based on Mozart's delightful flight of fancy, you have to wait until some 2,000 school kids have had a chance to see "The Magic Flute."
That's because there will be four performances of the story for students Thursday and Friday before the 7:30 p.m. performance at the Carson Community Center.
Yes, it's a show kids will enjoy, but then so will adults. While it is not the opera, music during the performance will be from Mozart's "Magic Flute."
Mozart got his idea from a fairy tale that had been floating around for years. Then others took the story and produced it in just about every medium possible. Not to be left behind, Steven Fogell decided to write a youth play version, and that's what will be presented here.
The play is staged by Carson Performing Arts and directed by Carson High School senior Carinne Powell.
Here's a quick digest of the action:
Prince Tamino travels to the castle of the bad guy Sarastro to rescue Princess Pamina. He's doing this as a favor to the Queen of the Night, who has asked him to rescue the lass and has armed him with a magic flute.
Getting there is half the fun as he meets a wild collection of characters, including Papageno, a birdman of a creature; the Muses who have a crush on him; and the Greenbird (Papagena) who also digs Papageno. Plus three special spirits in white.
Once in the castle, Tamino and his group of weirdos meet more monsters, including three hungry rats, a dumb monster Monostatos, three temples and Sarastro himself.
With the help of the magic flute and Papageno's magical harp, they pass all the tests of Sarastro. Even the princess is tested and she discovers who Sarasota really is. That's the story.
That should be enough crib notes to get you through the show, but don't worry if you forget - everything is made wonderfully clear by the 20-plus member cast, which was decimated during rehearsals as illness and pressing problems forced 10 members out.
Even if you're not an opera lover, the incidental music excerpts from Mozart may start you on a musical journey of discovery. I saw the opera at least five times while living in Europe and never tired of Papageno's famous duet with Papagena (Greenbird).
The opera is probably Mozart's most often performed work, for good reasons.
High school drama teacher and adviser Karen Chandler is helping director Powell and she brags happily how all the costumes are from earlier shows, even Papageno's colorful bird suit. Chandler's tech theater classes have made all the scenery and created the makeup.
• Contact Sam Bauman at sbauman@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1236.
if you go
what: "The Magic Flute" presented by the Carson Performing Arts
when: 7:30 p.m. Friday
where: Carson Community Center, 851 E. William St.
tickets: Available at the door or by contacting boxoffice@carson.K12.nv.us.
Cost: $3 for children and $5 general admission. All state employees are free as a thank you.
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