Last year, I published a contemporary fantasy novel called Summersong. It’s a retelling of Mozart’s opera Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) set in modern-day New York among a (fictional) reclusive people called the Volant. And starting today, Summersong has a lovely, brand new cover!
Why retell someone else’s story? As long as people have been telling stories, they’ve been retelling them as well, resetting them in updated circumstances or changing details to suit both author and audience. Beowulf is a retelling of Scandinavian myth infused with Old Testament parallels; Virgil borrowed a character from the Iliad (itself a compilation of orally transmitted stories) to create his masterpiece the Aeneid. And writers have been refashioning old fairy tales like “Snow White” and “The Little Mermaid” for decades, if not centuries.
The Magic Flute is one of my favorite operas. I’ve been fascinated by it since I was a teenager. The music is glorious; this is undisputed. But the story? It can be confusing. Mozart scholars blame the layers of Masonic symbology woven into the plot, theme, and the music itself—and understanding that symbolism does help make sense of what’s happening on stage. But a satisfying explanation for the story’s twists and turns can remain elusive.
I wasn’t content with writing the opera off as a wacky fairy tale set to sublime music, so I decided to try my hand at writing a version that would hew to the plot while giving the characters believable motivations and goals. After numerous drafts (and as many working titles), Summersong was born. It’s still very much about music, but my version features American jazz and Irish folk music. (Here’s a Spotify playlist with all the songs featured in the book.)
Some of Summersong’s fans have had no experience at all with The Magic Flute and, after having read it, want to see the original. (I could not be happier about this unintentional evangelism.) There’s no substitute for the live music experience, no matter the genre, so if you can get to an in-person production, absolutely do it.
Sadly, though I’m a huge fan, I’ve only heard it live twice so far—once at New York’s City Opera, and once with my friend Amanda Woodbury singing the part of Papagena at LA Opera. So to tide us all over until our local opera companies stage it again, I’ve compiled a list of the best easily accessible versions.
CDs (does anyone besides me listen to them anymore?)—I’m partial to two recordings: The 1955 Deutsche Grammophon recording conducted by Ferenc Fricsay and the 1991 London recording conducted by Sir Georg Solti.
Films—My favorite is Ingmar Bergman’s 1975 film Trollflöjten. The understated, even primitive, production lets the world-class singing shine. Simple, gorgeous, human, wonderful. It’s streamable and readily available on DVD/Blu-Ray.
Then there’s Kenneth Branagh’s 2006 film, set in the trenches and on the battlefields of World War I. Time hasn’t done the CGI any favors, but it’s a fun reimagining that’s musically solid. Bonus: it’s performed in English, so no need for subtitles. Again, easy to find and inexpensive to rent or buy.
For a staged version that doesn’t require a dedicated opera subscription, try the Met Opera’s 1978 Glyndebourne production. David Hockney’s fabulous sets are a high point, as is stellar soprano Felicity Lott. Search for it on your Roku, and it should come up.
And keep your eye out for a new film—Roland Emmerich’s production, starring F. Murray Abraham. The Magic Flute reimagined as a boarding school portal fantasy? It’s like they’re making it just for me. The trailer looks good; hopefully it’ll be out in theaters later this year.
There you have it! And if you still haven’t read Summersong, this weekend is your chance. From Friday September 30 through Monday, October 3, the Kindle version will be just 99 cents on Amazon.
Stay tuned for an email next week with all the details on the new Comfortably Yum, my cookbook! It’s finally, finally ready for purchase. I appreciate your patience and loyalty! As always, thanks for reading.
—Luisa