Friday, January 13, 2023
In Julie Taymor's Production of The Magic Flute at the Met, Children Play an Important Role
Playbill: Julie Taymor’s vibrant production of The Magic Flute— with its dazzling scenery, larger-than-life puppetry, and fun, accessible story—has been a festive, family hit in its abridged English language version ever since its 2006 premiere, becoming a beloved New York City holiday tradition. But when it comes to Mozart’s magical and moving fairy tale, the many children enjoying the show from the audience aren’t the only youngsters in the house.
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I feel like it is really important to have children involved in and out of theater. Even if they don't grow up to be in the theater industry I just feel like it is very important for younger generations. I grew up surrounded by theater and just pop culture in general. I would have loved to be involved in this when I was younger. The Met opens its doors to not only a Children's Choir but also many children audience members. This gives many opportunities to kids and families. I like in this article they mention how much joy the children brought to the stage. I feel like this and the success stories you hear is why it is important to bring and involve kids in theater. Opera is something that I always feel like always seen as something that has an older audience. Bringing a show that is a children's show and can be a joyful experience towards younger viewers is so important.
I will never not be in awe of the amazing things children do in theater. This is a feat that can be incredibly challenging for even the most trained adult performers and these kids are able to take it on and crush it. The first time I really noticed children being involved in theater was School of Rock. In that show the kids are even younger and there are so many more examples like this such as Matilda and The Music Man. I love that there are shows that have rolls for kids because not only does it give opportunities to get involved in professional theater to younger people but it also gives young people in the audience more to get excited about. I know I always used to get super excited about theater when I saw other kids doing it professionally and for many kids in the audience, seeing other kids on stage gives them the encouragement they need to keep coming back or even decide to pursue it as a career.
Theatre kids are incredible. And show that has children who are performing, especially on Broadway, I’m in awe. They perform at the level their cast members are, and their cast members are grown adults with grown adult bodies! The kids they interviewed in this show have such great spirits and that pure love of performing. I have never seen an opera nor have I ever seen this show, but if the article says these children’s roles are some of the most well known roles in opera, these must be killer kids. I’ve worked on shows with children and the ones who really love theatre are some of the most wonderful beings on the planet. They are just so happy to be creating art and they take the biggest risks with little fear! I strive to be like kids in my career. Very resilient, highly talented, and eager to do whatever!
I have always thought that there is a special wiseness in children that is so incomparable to anything an adult can think of. The way your brain functions when young is simply different. Especially when you are very very young. You see the world as never ending and all encompassing. It brings brilliance. It also brings absurdity. Which is why children playing the spirits in this show feels fitting. Especially in a show that seems so magical and whimsical. Child actors always amuse me. It must be quite exciting to be able to play such roles from such a young age however it also feels quite demanding. I can’t imagine how tiring it must be to be in rehearsal, tech, lift calls, and running the show. Especially with the technical elements in this production. Being strapped to wires and having to be flown must be quite stressful. And while you can get used to stuff, I do imagine it takes a toll eventually. Which is why I am thankful for the short term investment this show is for their child performers. I would also hazard to guess they have alternates.
The article discusses the role of children in Julie Taymor's production of "The Magic Flute" at the Metropolitan Opera. Taymor's decision to cast children in key roles in the opera was a bold move, as it added a new dimension to the story and the characters. The children brought a sense of innocence and wonder to the stage, which helped to emphasize the themes of love and sacrifice in the opera.
In true Taymor fashion, the article also notes that her use of puppetry and visual effects added to the magic of the production. The puppets were designed to be operated by children, which further emphasized the importance of the young characters in the story. The visual effects were also used to create a dreamlike atmosphere, which helped to transport the audience to the fantastical world of the opera.
Taymor's decision to cast children in key roles and to incorporate puppetry and visual effects into the production was a unique and innovative approach to opera. It shows how a fresh perspective and a willingness to experiment can breathe new life into a classic work. It was able to add a new perspective to the traditional opera and bring in new audiences.
When I opened this article, my mouth dropped at the production photo. Absolutely wild that they have children in particular riding this effect, and that they are fearless enough to do it consistently. Reading the requirements of this epic scene made this task seem even more daunting. I am always in awe of how talented these child musical theatre performers are; it’s on another level how hard they go. I can’t talk about high achieving musical theatre children without bringing up Matilda. One of my favorite musicals (and I argue one of the best contemporary musicals), its children are the backbone of the show. The orphans in Annie are important, but they’re not the lifeblood. The kids in Matilda are in virtually every large number, are integral characters, and are doing high-precision choreography with the intensity of a thousand suns. It’s incredible. Not to mention that the original four Matildas received a Tony Award for Excellence and shared Best Actress at the Oliviers. Billy Elliot is also a notable show for theatre kids completely knocking professional-level stuff out of the park, and then School of Rock even threw instruments into the mix.
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