DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE

Mystical, symbolical, and tricky, “Die Zauberflöte” has always been a tough nut to crack for any creators. VCO chose the theme of ancient Egypt which is encoded in the opera, thus turning Mozart’s story into a magical legend that comes to life in front of the pyramids that mark the passage of human history. Priests, pharaohs, golden birds, sacred animals, and brave princesses of unparalleled beauty – all appear on the stage. The unforgettable impression is made by glorious luxury, worthy of the Egyptian pharaohs - from gold cloaks weighing 30 kg, to dresses sewn by hand from 3,000 buttons.

So far, this VCO's production has demanded the most handwork and craft. Not only buttons, but also tens of kilograms of gold and silver “coins”, authentic African and Indian jewelry, textile elements, hand-made and processed in Lithuania using materials brought from London and Paris. Masks, headdresses and even shoes were made specially for this performance. On the day of the performance, each singer would spend 4-5 hours having their make-up done and their faces covered with gold dust.

For the first time on the Congress Hall stage, the set, framed by two huge spectacular moving Egyptian pyramids, was changed as many as 7 times. Even though this production has finished, the sarcophagus, Pharaoh's carriage, Anubis dog statues and fantastic masks made by Lithuanian craft artists receive a lot of attention in exhibitions and installations.

VCO’s “Die Zauberflöte” was the first opera in Lithuania to be performed with spoken dialogues and almost without any cuts.