The Enchanted Opera "The Magic Flute" by Mozart Opens the 2026/27 Season

The Israeli Opera opens its 2026/27 season with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "The Magic Flute," one of the most beloved and influential operas in the history of music.

The production of "The Magic Flute" was originally scheduled to be staged as part of the Israeli Opera's 40th-anniversary season. During the war with Iran, after the set had already been erected amidst air-raid sirens and rehearsals had resumed, the opera was forced to postpone its opening on the eve of the dress rehearsal. Soloists participating in the production were already in Israel at the time and continued rehearsals alongside the orchestra, choir, and stage crews until the decision was made. Now, they are returning to the stage with the production that will open the new season.

Hailing from the Dortmund Opera and directed by Nikolaus Habjan—who is also responsible for the design of the giant puppets—the production brings a rich visual language and magnificent giant puppets to the stage. These elements sharpen the power dynamics between the characters, play with the boundary between threat and fantasy, and grant Mozart's legendary world an additional theatrical perspective.

The Israeli Opera thanks the Dortmund Opera for standing by its side, for its flexibility, and for the cooperation that enabled the postponement of the production. The opera also thanks the soloists from Israel and abroad who showed up for rehearsals and continued them with dedication until the decision was made. Now, everyone who was able to do so is returning to the production.

"The Magic Flute," Mozart's final work for the stage, combines an imaginative, humorous fairy tale with a deep exploration of love, loyalty, choice, and a human rite of passage toward the light. It is a story that has continued to speak to audiences worldwide for more than 200 years, functioning both as a magical fantasy story and as a work dealing with questions of reason, justice, humanity, and the search for truth.

"The Magic Flute" is an extraordinary work in the classical repertoire. On the one hand, it is an accessible and charming fairy tale featuring a prince and princess, a mischievous birdcatcher, a dark queen, and magical instruments; on the other hand, it is a deeply meaningful work saturated with symbols and ideas that touch upon questions of reason, justice, and humanity. This combination is part of the secret of Mozart's power: music that manages to be simple and complex, humorous and deep, accessible and mysterious all at once.

The opera's plot follows the journey of Prince Tamino and the birdcatcher Papageno, who set out to rescue Princess Pamina and are required to undergo a series of physical and mental trials on their path to truth and love. What begins as a simple rescue story gradually reveals itself to be a complex world where it is not always clear who represents the light and who represents the darkness, or what true justice is.

The Strong Women: At the center of the work are also powerful female characters—Princess Pamina, who is required to choose her own path, and the Queen of the Night, who confronts her with a cruel demand. These women drive the plot and hold up a complex mirror to power dynamics, emotion, and responsibility. Through the encounter between the characters and their relationships, and through the journey of Tamino and Pamina, the opera raises questions about partnership, sacrifice, freedom, choice, responsibility, loyalty, and the fundamental human longing for love.

An Opera That Is Also Theater:

"The Magic Flute" belongs to the Singspiel genre—a unique operatic form that combines singing with spoken dialogue, thereby placing the work on the borderline between theater and opera. While emotion and dramatic depth are expressed through the music, the plot also progresses through spoken dialogue, directly and accessibly to the audience.

One of the intriguing aspects of "The Magic Flute" is its connection to the world of Freemasonry, of which both Mozart and Emanuel Schikaneder, who wrote the libretto, were members. In this context, frequent note is made of the recurring use of the symbolic number three, which appears in the dramatic structure, the music, and the characters, as well as themes of initiation, reason, balance, and enlightenment. Even for those who do not seek to decipher all the layers of symbols, these elements add depth to the work and enrich the viewing and listening experience.

Soloists and Singers: The production features Israeli Opera soloists alongside international singers from around the world:

In the role of Prince Tamino: tenors George Virban and David Kerber.

In the role of Pamina: sopranos Ella Vasilytsky and Yael Levita, who received acclaim for their performances in the world premiere of "The Dybbuk" at the Israeli Opera.

In the role of the Queen of the Night: sopranos Hila Fahima and Nofar Yaacobi.

In the role of Papageno: baritones Oded Reich and Yaakov Schad.

Shaked Strul and Rania Atieque as Papagena; Web Marie and Shlomit Leah Kovlस्की [Kovalsky] as the First Lady; Anat Czerny and Daniela Skorka as the Second Lady; Shay Bloch and Rachel Frenkel as the Third Lady; Anthony Webb and Adi Ezra as Monostatos, the Second Priest, and the First Guard; Sova and Mitch as Sarastro; Yoav Ayalon as Sarastro and the Speaker; Pnini Leon Grovener as the Speaker; Yair Polishuk and Daniel Miller as the First Priest and the Second Guard. Alongside them, young singers participate in the roles of the Three Boys.

Featuring the Israeli Opera Chorus conducted by Itay Berkovitch and the Opera Orchestra – the Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion. The performances will be conducted by Dan Ettinger, and the performances on October 26 and 29 will be conducted by Rotem Nir.

Opera in German

With surtitles in Hebrew and English

Translation: Israel Obel

Running time: Approximately 3 hours, including intermission

Performance Dates:

Friday, October 16 at 13:00

Sunday, October 18 at 19:30 *Gala Evening

Monday, October 19 at 20:00

Tuesday, October 20 at 20:00

Wednesday, October 21 at 18:00

Friday, October 23 at 13:00

Saturday, October 24 at 20:00

Sunday, October 25 at 18:00

Monday, October 26 at 20:00

Thursday, October 29 at 20:00

Ticket prices: 210–490 NIS

For further details and ticket purchases on the Opera website:

https://www.israel-opera.co.il/show/%d7%98%d7%95%d7%a1%d7%a7%d7%94/

Or through the Israeli Opera box office at 03-6927777

Shlomo Lahat (Chich) Opera House
Address: 19 King Saul St., Tel Aviv
Phone: 03-6927700
Instagram: @israeliopera