Pacific Symphony's Opera Initiative Enters Seventh Year With Mozart's Beloved THE MAGIC FLUTE

Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, once again presents semi-staged opera-this season featuring one of Mozart's most beloved, popular and captivating operas, "The Magic Flute." This fairy tale about love is told through the characters Tamino, a prince, and Papageno, a bird catcher, who are tasked by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina from the captivity of a mysterious high priest. Mozart's seductive and irresistible tunes bring this humorous, enchanting tale vividly to life, as the orchestra shares the stage with world-class opera stars and Pacific Chorale. Together they fill the concert hall with astonishing voices as Mozart's dreamlike fantasy unfolds and the unforgettable score with its intoxicating melodies are highlighted by some of opera's finest arias and best-loved moments.

"The Magic Flute" takes place Thursday, Feb. 22, Saturday, Feb. 24 and Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. With concert opera an annual event for the Symphony, history promises that this production will be highly popular and sure to sell out fast. Tickets are $25-$126. A preview talk with Alan Chapman begins at 7 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.

"After Puccini's 'Turandot' and Verdi's 'Aida'-both grand operas on the grandest of scales-where does one turn?" muses Maestro St.Clair, as he recalls the last two operas tackled by the Symphony. "Mozart's multi-faceted opera, 'The Magic Flute,' was the perfect choice. It has it all-charm, fantasy, humor, seriousness, drama and beautiful music!"