A message from Edmonton Opera:
Edmonton Opera is bringing Mozart's The Magic Flute back to the Jubilee Auditorium in the 2026-27 season, offering a welcome bit of escapism on a grand scale.
The Magic Flute is "a quest for love and hope and unity," said artistic director Joel Ivany. "I think those are all great messages that we need right now in the world."
Also known as Die Zauberflöte, it's a fairy tale in which the young prince Tamino sets off to rescue the princess Pamina. We encounter Papageno and Papagena, whose bouncy love duet you'll likely recognize, not to mention the iconic aria of the Queen of the Night.
The opera has not been staged in Edmonton in over a decade. Ivany is looking forward to bringing back an old favourite for seasoned opera-goers, while introducing new audiences to the show's immersive fantasy. If you like The Lord of the Rings or The Legend of Zelda, you'll find much to enjoy, he said.
"You have magic, you have a quest, and a journey and trials," he said. "If you're into escaping the real world for a couple of hours, this is a show for you."
Tamino will be sung by celebrated Canadian tenor Andrew Haji, and the cast includes two Rumbold Vocal Prize alumni: Sydney Baedke as Pamina and Jamal al Titi as Papageno. Edmonton Opera favourite Alain Coulombe returns as Sarastro, the high priest and foil to the Queen of the Night. They'll be accompanied by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. The opera is sung in German, but there are English surtitles, so it will be easy to follow the action.
The production is part of Edmonton Opera's 2026-27 season, with The Magic Flute floating onto the Jubilee stage on Feb. 4 and 6. It will be preceded by Rossini's The Barber of Seville in November, as well as the 2026 edition of the Rumbold Vocal Prize.
Tickets are available now through Edmonton Opera's season subscription. Sign up by April 10 for a chance to win your subscription.