There are a few nice things to be found in this hour of Die Zauberflöte, mostly from the sopranos. We get both arias of the Queen of the Night, expertly and colorfully sung by Edita Gruberova; and Pamina’s aria, her duet with Papageno and both finales, with Lucia Popp simply radiant in the role. Wolfgang Brendel is a nice, if hardly major Papageno; Sarastro’s two arias are sung blandly by Roland Bracht, and “Dies Bildnis…” is sung sincerely but flavorlessly by Siegfried Jerusalem. Bernard Haitink’s leadership is dignified and almost unbearably dull. Only fans of the two ladies need apply. [5/18/2000]
