Opera Company of Philadelphia • March 14, 18, 20, 25, 1994 at the Academy of Music

Scenic, Lighting and Projection Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Robert B. Driver • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Hair and Makeup Design: Tom Watson • Conductor: James Caraher

Tamino: Charles Workman • First Lady: Sharon Richards • Second Lady: Christine Akre • Third Lady: Rebecca Russell • Papageno: LeRoy Villanueva • Queen of the Night: Ruth Welting • Monostatos: Melvin Lowery • Pamina: Stella Zamballis • The Speaker: Andrew Wentzel • Sarastro: Andrea Silvestrelli • Papagena: Ilana Davidson

 

“The production, the first designed and built by the company itself, has a number of enchantments, but its visual realization – sets, costumes, and splendid projections – are a particular cause for celebration for those of us who have struggled to listen past the ill-fitting dungeons and borrowed castles on the Academy stage over the years. At last, a set that fits, and makes sense, and serves Mozart’s fantasy. Those were my first thoughts on witnessing the fruits of this new production venture, which bodes well for the company’s future under general director Robert B. Driver.” – Lesley Valdes, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 3/16/1994

“It is, however the “look” of this Magic Flute that most impresses itself upon the memory. On this point, Driver was ably aided by Boyd Ostroff’s sets and lighting, Richard St. Clair’s costumes, and Tom Watson and Stephen Borak’s wigs and makeup. Those five gentlemen combined their talents to give Philadelphia opera lovers a feast for the eyes that is the most consistently beautiful and convincing complete change of place I’ve ever encountered in an opera house. There wasn’t one jarring visual effect.” – Michael Caruso, Chestunut Hill Local, 3/17/1994

“Ostroff’s projections create some lovely muted color seqences and star studded skies” – Susan Gould, Broad Street Review, 3/18/1994

“Driver grew up in Brazil, a fact used by Boyd Ostroff to create an appropriate and engaging setting for Mozart’s Zauberoper. Sarastro dwelt in a rocky cave, the Speaker entered from a hollowed-out trunk, Tamino descended via a vine, and much greenery surrounded a huge log in the well-lit jungle environment.” – Jeffrey C. Smith, Opera Monthly, July/August 1994

“Boyd Ostroff’s set, built for the Opera Company of Philadelphia, was positively enchanting.” – Maria Nockin, Opera Today, 12/11/2010

“Robert B. Driver’s stage direction is the best we’ve seen at L’Opéra de Montréal so far this season. Likewise, Boyd Ostroff’s decors are suitably enchanting.” -Myron Galloway, The Suburban, 4/3/1996

“‘The Magic Flute’, was fresh and vibrant. The visual look of the production was stunning. The basics were borrowed from a production first put together by the Opera Company of Philadelphia in 1994. Since then the designs costumes by Richard St. Clair and the scenic ideas conceived by Boyd Ostroff have been used many times and (quite justly) to wide acclaim. The costumes are flamboyant but well suited to fairy tale like nature of the piece. The sets were elaborate and useful for an array of purposes. Like the costumes they fit the larger than life aspects of the story well.” – Brian Hay, norules-nolights.com, October 2008

” At curtain rise there was an audible gasp from the audience as we got our first glimpse of the stage. Set in the Amazon rain forest (it’s usually set in Egypt or there abouts), it was as timely a location as the maestro could have wished. The stage was lush with green, verdant jungle, vines, mossy outcroppings, ancient trees, caves, and paths leading into humid, moonlit places beyond; even the lighting was dappled and mysterious. This is set designer Boyd Ostroff’s Tulsa premier; he has not disappointed!” – Steph Waller, incurable-insomnia.blogspot.com, 5/1/2008

“Boyd Ostroff’s handsome set, like a cross between “Ariadne auf Naxos” and “Swan Lake,” brings the original libretto, set in some ancient past, to the Romantic movement of the 19th century, which bears up very well under the story of a search for love and glory.” -Michael H. Margolin, Between the Lines News, 4/14/2011

 

 

Design Evolution

 

 

 Design Sketches and Model

 

 

Projections

 

Production Photos (1994)

 

 

Construction Photos (1994)

 

 

Backstage Photos (1994)

 

 

Design and Technical Drawings

 

Production Staff (1994)

Director of Production: Boyd Ostroff • Asst Director of Production: Kathryn Havey • Stage Manager; Thor Steingraber • Asst Stage Manager: Rachel Tischler • Serpent Design: Kevin Baratier • Associate Lighting Designer: John Hoey • Asst Scenic Designer: Bert Scott • Asst Director: Ulrike Huhs • Properties Coordinator: Michael Kleintop • Projection Consultant: Jon Vermilye • Lighting Intern: Tracy Underhill

Technical Director: John Callahan • Properties Master: Lou Petrucci, Jr • Master Electrician: Michael Sweeney • Flyman: Timothy Callahan • Asst Electrician: Michael Hennessy

Shop Carpenters: John Callahan, Timothy Callahan, Paul Lodes, Thomas Bowen, Matthew McIntyre, Don Ogle, Paul Canzanese • Welder: Jon Rothberg

Scenic Artists: Michele Caplan (charge), Susan Taylor

 

 

 

The Magic Flute – revival

Opera Company of Philadelphia • February 13, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 2001

Scenic and Projection Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Robert B. Driver • Lighting Design: John Stephen Hoey • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Hair and Makeup Design: Tom Watson • Conductor: Klaus Arp

Sarastro: Eric Owens • Tamino: William Burden • The Speaker: Peter Volpe • The Queen of the Night: Elizabeth Carter • Pamina: Christine Brandes • First Lady: Kelley Nassief • Second Lady: Laura Tucker • Third Lady: Kirstin Chávez • Papageno: Jochen Schmeckenbecher • Papagena: Judith Lovat

 

Production Photos (2001)

 

 

Shop Photos (2001)

 

 

Backstage Photos (2001)

 

Production Staff (2001)

Director of Production and Technology: Boyd Ostroff • Production Manager: Greg Prioleau • Assistant Director: Ulrike Shapiro • Stage Manager: Margo Maier • Asst Stage Manager: Kimberly Pross • Props Coordinator: Cindy Felice • Staff Scenic Artist: Karen Tenant • Lighting Coordinator: Drew Billiau • Lighting Assistant: Shelley Hicklin

Technical Director: John Callahan • Props Master: Lou Petrucci • Master Electrician: Timothy Johnson • Flyman: Tim Callahan • Asst Electrician: William Hennessey

Shop Carpenters: John Callahan, Paul Lodes, John Damiani

Scenic Artists: Matthew Hamilton, Jennifer Haley

Props Artists: Kate Carbone, Dunia Kravchak, Nancy Stiefeld

 

Scenery Data

• Built Jan-Feb, 1994 at the Opera Company of Philadelphia Production Center / Mt Laurel, NJ
• Scenery construction budget: $115,674 • Actual cost: $88,807 • Total rental income: $209,500 as of May 2011
• Load-in crew: 18 • Run Crew: 18  (carpenters, flymen and props only) • 8 hours required for load-in • 1  truck required for shipping
• Sold to Michigan Opera 2011, currently owned by Opera Memphis

Production History

Opera Company of Philadelphia • March 14, 18, 20, 25, 1994 (premiere) • Scenic and Lighting Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Robert B. Driver • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Conductor: James Caraher

L’Opéra de Montréal • April 4, 6, 10, 13, 1996 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Robert B. Driver • Lighting Design: Guy Simard • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Conductor: Jacques LaCombe

Arizona Opera • November 14, 15, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24, 1996 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair

Florentine Opera • April 30 – May 4, 1999 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair

Opera Carolina • October 14, 16, 17, 1999 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair

Toledo Opera • May 6, 12, 13, 2000 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Conductor: James Meena

Opera Company of Philadelphia • February 13, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 2001 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Robert B. Driver • Lighting Design: John Stephen Hoey • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Conductor: Klaus Arp

Vancouver Opera • April 28, May 1, 3, 5, 7, 2001 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair

Atlanta Opera • February 27, 28, March 1, 2, 2003 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair

Royal Opera Canada • February 21 – March 13, 2004 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair

The Banff Centre • August 9. 11. 13, 2006 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair

Tulsa Opera • April 26, May 2, 4, 2008 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Tara Faircloth • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Conductor: Kostis Protopapas

Opera Hamilton • October, 2008 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Michael Cavanagh • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Conductor: David Speers

Phoenix Opera • December 3, 5, 2008 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Carroll Freeman • Costume Design: A. T. Jones and Son • Conductor: John Massaro

Michigan Opera Theatre • April 13, 15, 16, 17, 2011 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Dorothy Danner • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Conductor: Stephen Lord

Opera Memphis • November 20 and 21, 2015 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair

Shreveport Opera • November 4, 2017 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Helena Binder • Conductor: Jerome Shannon