ENO The Magic Flute Learning Resource

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The Magic Flute An Opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Libretto | Emanuel Schikaneder English translation | Stephen Jeffreys Learning Resource

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A malicious serpent. An evil sorcerer who is holding a beautiful princess captive. A dark queen with manipulative motives. And three testing trials of his courage and virtue. What else must Prince Tamino overcome in his quest for love, light and wisdom?

The Magic Flute is one of the greatest and most popular operas ever written.

This learning resource contains preparatory material to explore the themes, music and drama of The Magic Flute.

It is intended as a resource for KS3 teachers and includes material to support curriculum learning and develop in school arts projects.

The Story 6 Historical Context & Themes 8 Freemasonry & Masonic Symbolism 9 The Music 10 The Production 12 The Director 14 The Rehearsal Room 16 The Libretto 20 The Design 22 The Foley Artist 24

Production photos and videos from ENO’s 2013 production directed by Simon McBurney.

Images © Robbie Jack. All images have been used with the permission of ENO.

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Startling humour and theatrical wizardry ­— The Observer Wonderfully original ­— Daily Express

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Click on the image to watch a two minute introduction to ENO’s production of The Magic Flute

The Story 6⁄25

Characters Sarastro bass Tamino, a prince tenor Speaker, an elderly priest bass Two Priests tenor, bass The Queen of Night coloratura soprano Pamina, her daughter soprano Three Ladies, attendants to 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano The Queen of Night Three Spirits 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano Papagena soprano Papageno, a bird-catcher baritone Monostatos tenor Two Armed Men tenor, bass Members of Sarastro’s Community, chorus Priests and Slaves Synopsis — Act I Fleeing from a snake, Prince Tamino finds himself in an unknown land. He faints and is saved by the Queen of Night’s three Ladies. Could this handsome youth be the one to deliver her daughter Pamina from Sarastro’s clutches? The Ladies rush to their mistress to share the news. When Tamino regains consciousness, he is approached by the bird-catcher Papageno, who is there to hand over his latest ‘catch’ to the Queen's Ladies in exchange for food and drink. Angered by his lies and chatter, the women punish him by fixing a padlock to his mouth. They give Tamino a portrait of Pamina. The Prince is at once smitten. The Queen of Night arrives to secure Tamino's promise that he will do everything in his power to rescue Pamina. He and Papageno are to break into Sarastro’s stronghold and free her daughter. The Prince is given a magic flute and Papageno a set of magic chimes as protection; the instruments have a way of charming both man and beast. Three Spirits, acting as guardians and advisors, will lead the way.

In Sarastro’s realm, Pamina is being secretly pursued by Monostatos, who has thwarted the girl’s attempted escape. Startled by Papageno’s sudden appearance, Monostatos takes to his heels. The bird-catcher shares with Pamina the good news of her imminent release and both praise the power of love.

Meanwhile the Three Spirits have led Tamino to Sarastro’s temple grove, admonishing him to be patient, persevering and loyal. A priest, having emerged from the Temple of Wisdom, asks the intruder his business; Tamino expresses his concern for Pamina as well as his aversion to Sarastro – a thought put into his head by the Queen of Night. The priest tells the prince that while Sarastro did indeed kidnap the girl from her mother’s house, it was with good reason and that Pamina awaits him in the sanctuary.

Heartened by the news that Pamina is alive, Tamino begins playing his flute; it reveals its magical properties by bringing the forest to life. Pamina and Papageno hear Tamino’s flute and hasten to find him, but they are intercepted and detained by Monostatos.

Papageno’s chimes come to their aid: the sound mollifies their captors, allowing the birdcatcher and Pamina to escape. Shouts of praise announce the arrival of Sarastro.

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Papageno conceals himself in fear, but Pamina bravely approaches him and admits trying to abscond. Sarastro pardons her but refuses to return her to her mother.

Meanwhile, Monostatos has tracked down Tamino and presents him triumphantly to Sarastro. Pamina and Tamino see one another for the first time, and fall into a passionate embrace. But Sarastro's followers separate them: Tamino must first undergo their ritual ordeals.

Synopsis — Act II Sarastro sees Tamino as a future leader of his people, who are in the midst of a grave crisis. But in order to prove himself worthy of the role, and of Pamina, Tamino must first undergo several rigorous trials. All wish him well in this challenging time. Pamina is afraid she will never see her beloved again, but Tamino is determined to follow this path. Again, the young lovers are separated.

Papageno does not share Tamino’s audacity and is only prepared to accompany him with the promise of a wife as his reward. The Queen of Night’s Ladies arrive and try to seduce the two men into abandoning their allegiance to Sarastro, but Tamino and Papageno hold their nerve and pass their first ordeal.

Monostatos renews his attempt to satisfy his lust with the sleeping Pamina, but is frustrated by the entrance of the Queen of Night. Set on revenge, she charges Pamina with the task of murdering Sarastro and retrieving the sevenfold circle of the sun bequeathed to him by Pamina’s father before his death. Torn by her devotion to her mother and her love for Tamino, who is now one of Sarastro’s followers, Pamina is at a loss. Monostatos has been eavesdropping and thinks he can blackmail Pamina: she must choose between loving him or death. Just then Sarastro enters and chases off Monostatos, reassuring Pamina that he is not out for vengeance, but strives for understanding and forgiveness.

The second ordeal begins for Tamino and Papageno: a vow of silence, which Papageno heartily ignores, chattering cheerfully to his companion. The Three Spirits return with the instruments and a feast; Tamino plays his flute while Papageno gorges himself.

Pamina finds them, but believes herself betrayed when Tamino refuses to speak to her.

Her happiness dashed, she leaves in despair. But in this way Tamino has passed the second test. Papageno, on the other hand, is at his wits’ end. Having drunk a bit too much wine, he fantasises about life with a woman; otherwise he’d just as soon die. And indeed, he encounters an old woman who reveals herself as Papagena once he has sworn lifelong fidelity to her. But as he has disobeyed the vow of silence, she is driven away from him. Papageno’s life now seems futile.

Beside herself with grief, Pamina contemplates suicide but the Three Spirits intervene, bringing her and Tamino together for the final trials. Protected by The Magic Flute, Tamino and Pamina successfully undergo the fire and water ordeals. The Three Spirits also manage to prevent Papageno from killing himself, and the bird-catcher is reunited with his Papagena – now shown to be a young woman – for good. The Queen of Night and her Ladies, led by Monostatos, once again try to storm the temple, but the intruders are caught unawares by Sarastro and cast out by the light of the rising sun. As dawn breaks, Tamino and Pamina are hailed for enduring all the ordeals with beauty and wisdom.

Historical Context & Themes 8⁄26

In early 1791 Mozart teamed up with actor-manager Emanuel Schikaneder, an old acquaintance and a fellow Freemason, to write a ‘comedy with machines’ for a theatre in the Viennese suburbs, which Schikaneder had leased since the summer of 1789.

The theatre’s finances, like Mozart’s own, were precarious. Schikaneder was confident that the new opera would be a box-office triumph.

Schikaneder based his libretto on an eclectic range of sources including pantomime, Paul Wranitzky’s magic opera Oberon, King of the Elves and a popular collection of oriental fairy tales. Beyond these, he drew on at least three further sources for the opera’s Masonic precepts and symbolism: a French novel with an Egyptian setting; Tobias von Gebler’s heroic drama Thamos, König in Egypten, for which Mozart had written some magnificent incidental music; and an essay entitled The Mysteries of the Egyptians by Ignaz von Born, one of Vienna’s most revered Freemasons. In the bird-catcher Papageno – a reincarnation of a figure from Viennese pantomime – Schikaneder created for himself a character in which he could exploit his talent for milking an audience. He regularly stole the show, exactly as planned.

Within six months Mozart had completed the whole score of the opera except for two trios in Act II (one for the Three Spirits, the other for Pamina, Tamino and Sarastro), Pamina’s aria, the Overture and the March of the Priests. He then broke off to embark on a new, serious opera, La clemenza di Tito, for the coronation of Leopold II in Prague; and it was only after his return from Prague in mid-September that he returned to The Magic Flute, completing the Overture and the March of the Priests just two days before the premiere on 30 September. Although not an immediate sensation, the opera quickly became the hit of the season, with several numbers invariably encored. Even after he had handed over the direction to another conductor, Mozart continued to attend the theatre. On one visit, Mozart surprised Schikaneder with his antics on the glockenspiel in ‘Oh how I long to find her, a wife just meant for me’. By then the composer had begun work on the Requiem, commissioned anonymously earlier that summer. On 20 November, his health by now rapidly failing, he took to his bed and died on 5 December 1791, aged 35, of acute rheumatic fever and renal failure.

Mozart c.1780, portrait by Johann Nepomuk della Croce

Freemasonry & Masonic Symbolism 9⁄26

The Magic Flute is an allegory set in no real locality or historical period. Ancient Egypt is evoked by the mysteries practised by Sarastro and his followers. Early productions typically showed Islamic influence on costumes and neo-classical architecture appropriate to the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century. But the exotic costumes and setting are a mask; Mozart and Schikaneder intended a coded representation of Freemasonry. Both Mozart and Schikaneder were Freemasons, an organisation that taught self-knowledge through participation in a progression of ceremonies – hence the trials of silence, water and fire in the opera. The symbol of the number three, significant in Freemasonary, is found in the opera, for example, by the use of three Ladies, three Spirits, three trials, and the three knocks first heard in the Overture.

The latter is in the key of E flat – which has three flats in its key signature.

The Music 10⁄26

The Magic Flute is a type of opera known as a ‘Singspiel’ – in German, quite literally, ‘sing-play’. It is a genre of opera characterised by spoken dialogue, which is alternated with sung ensembles, songs, ballads and arias, often including folk-like material.

The plots are often comic or romantic in nature, with elements of magic, fantastical creatures and exaggerated characterisations of good and evil. Mozart wrote other ‘Singspiele’, notably The Abduction from the Seraglio (1782).

The enduring fascination of The Magic Flute lies in its constant juxtaposition of ‘high’ (sophisticated, high art) and ‘low’ (folk influenced) music, according to character types and situations. While the bird-catcher Papageno is often given simple, folk-like material to sing, his high-born companion Tamino has more sophisticated ‘operatic’ music.

The florid arias for the Queen of Night, with their decorative runs and extremes of range, and the sombre instrumental March of the Priests would not be out of place in one of Mozart’s serious operas.

The orchestral forces are typical of the classical period consisting of two flutes (one doubling piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets (doubling basset horns), two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani and strings. In this production, and unusually for opera, the orchestra is integrated into the production: the musicians play from a raised pit so they are more visible to the audience, and interact with the singers on stage.

As the title suggests, the flute takes a central role in the music representing Prince Tamino. For Papageno’s magic bells, Mozart scored a stromento d’acciaio or keyed glockenspiel. In modern productions this is usually performed on the celeste.

11⁄26 Activity Listen to the Overture

[https://www.eno.org/whats-on/15-16/the-magic-flute]

→ The Overture is comprised of two contrasting musical ideas. The opening Adagio consisting of solemn and majestic brass chords before a more playful Allegro which sees wind and strings imitate each other in a contrapuntal texture. The first Allegro theme appears four times, beginning in the second violins. Which instruments play the second, third and fourth entries? → The Adagio begins with an Eb Major chord in the brass. The Allegro enters with an energetic staccato quaver motif. Which character or group of characters in the opera do you think the two sections might represent? → What other musical devices did Mozart use to suggest different characters?

Consider the following: dynamics, articulation, tempo and rhythm.

Activity Listen to the Queen of Night Aria

[https://www.eno.org/whats-on/15-16/the-magic-flute]

Mozart creates a clear musical character for The Queen of Night. Her two arias are distinct in their use of coloratura; a highly complicated and demanding technique featuring very fast and very high notes which contrast greatly with the other musical genres featured in the opera. Mozart uses the late Italian baroque opera seria style for the Queen (she is the only character who sings baroque recitative in the opera) which paints her as melodramatic and exaggerated in character, not in touch with her emotions, and helps demonstrate her artifice as a character. → Think about another character in The Magic Flute. If you were to write them an aria, how might you emphasise their character through the music? → In opera, music gives each scene its rhythm, sense of pace and timeframe, and the director and actors have to build the scene around this. Discuss how you might direct the Queen of Night’s aria to sustain the drama and sense of tension. → Simon McBurney has made choices about how the musicians are integrated into this production. Consider how you might choose to integrate the musicians into a production. Consider the following: use of space (bearing in mind sight lines to the conductor and performers); will the musicians move at all? will they take on representation of any characters? which instruments feature directly in the drama of the piece?

The Production 12⁄26

Mark Wigglesworth Simon McBurney Josie Daxter Michael Levine Nicky Gilibrand Jean Kalman Finn Ross Gareth Fry Stephen Jeffreys

Conductor Director Revival Director Set Designer Costume Designer Lighting Designer Video Designer Sound Designer Translator

For this production of The Magic Flute, ENO has collaborated with director Simon McBurney’s theatre company Complicite. The production harnesses Complicite’s trademark use of multimedia technology, with spectacular video projections and live foley, to emulate the theatricality of the original production in contemporary terms.

The stage is dominated by a mobile platform, appearing to be manipulated by actors dressed in black, who manipulate the props and operate the machinery. Onstage video and a live foley artist create cataclysmic fire, deluges of water, an entire forest of chirruping birds (puppetering of sheet music) and, at the start of the opera, Tamino’s flight from the snake.

Within a darkly industrial atmosphere in which Sarastro and his grey-suited acolytes could be representatives of an international body, McBurney embraces all the arcane mysteries of the work such as cryptograms, and the masonic and numerical symbolism.

He also draws on elements of Shakespeare’s The Tempest – Sarastro can be thought of as Prospero, Tamino as Ferdinand, Pamina as Miranda, Monostatos as a sort of Caliban, and in the Three Spirits (sung by boys but who look like bearded ancients) there is a strong hint of Ariel. Stephen Jeffreys’s translation includes some Shakespearean borrowings that further hint at the connection. To symbolise her allegiance to the old order, the Queen of Night is a wheelchair-bound invalid.

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Activity Designers Michael Levine and Nicky Gillibrand were inspired by the art of Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison. → Look at the work of Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison. Discuss how their work has influenced this production of The Magic Flute.

The Director 14â „26

Simon McBurney is an actor, director and artistic director of Complicite.

Watch the film below showing him working on The Magic Flute.

The production was first made with Dutch National Opera. Click on the image to watch a short film shot in their rehearsal room in Amsterdam.

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The Rehearsal Room 16⁄26

Games are essential to Complicite’s rehearsal process. The exercises that follow were used by Simon during rehearsals for The Magic Flute. Simon begins every session – morning and afternoon – with a game, despite the time pressures of the rehearsal process. Games help with concentration, and help build a team – crucial in developing an ensemble that will nightly perform something complex and delicate together.

In The Magic Flute there are 16 soloists, a chorus of 44, 13 actors, a foley artist, a video operator and an orchestra of 50 who all need to work together and develop a common language on stage. During the rehearsal process, games are often used to help the performers warm up physically, becoming aware of and engaging with their bodies in the same way that they might warm up their voice. This is especially important in this production of The Magic Flute as the stage is very open and dynamic.

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Working with a company of performers

Activity Simon Does This is a game which kicks the brain into gear – it starts off simply, and then quickly becomes more complicated. → The ‘leader’ stands in front of the group – who should all be facing towards him/ her. → The leader performs a series of simple physical actions such as putting their hands on their head, hands on their knees, hands on their hips, left arm in the air, right arm in the air etc. The group follows these actions, staying one action behind the leader. → The leader chooses when to stop. The leader then calls to the group to follow two actions behind. → Move on to following three steps behind the leader, and then try four.

Ask the group to notice what’s going on in their heads as they do the exercise.

It becomes apparent that our brains search for patterns and it is important to remain alert to the unexpected. This type of exercise sets up a method of working, challenging people’s preconceived ideas and encouraging creative thinking.

A variation on this involves using words instead of actions, with the group trying to repeat the leader’s words and stay one (or two, or three etc.) words behind. Again, ask the group what’s happening while they’re doing the exercise.

Is it easier to follow words in sentences that make sense, or when they’re random and disconnected?

Play the game again but try using different languages – anything that anyone in the group can speak. What difference does it make if you can’t understand the language? How does your brain engage differently with something it thinks of as sounds rather than words?

Now try playing the game with musical notes – with the leader singing and the group copying and staying one note, then two, then three, etc. behind. This is a particularly interesting exercise to do with a mixed group of musicians and actors. Find out how different people, with different skills, feel about each of these different versions of the game.

Exploring space…

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For Complicite, learning how to use space is an essential part of the rehearsal process.

The dynamic of an ensemble moving in space will create the atmosphere, narrative and emotions in the piece. As the set in this production includes a large moveable platform that the performers work on and around, it is especially important that they consciously interact with the space around them.

The use of space is especially important in opera as arias often involve little action.

These can prove difficult to stage because of the sense of expanded time and limited text, so a director has to think carefully about how to maintain the performance dynamic and keep the audience engaged.

Activity Plateau This is an exercise that helps people find ‘fixed points’ on stage and feel comfortable maintaining them. This is particularly useful for singers, who have a tendency to be very accurate vocally, but less so physically.

Mark out your ‘playing space’ → Ask two people to stand in the space and choose one of them to drive the action. → The ‘driver’ moves around the space however they like, and the other person has to balance the space – moving around in response to the ‘driver’ so as to make sure that the space maintains a sense of equilibrium. → When you feel you’re comfortable with this, add a third person. The space will now need to be balanced differently. → Now add a fourth, etc. etc. and see if you can continue until the whole group is on stage. Bear in mind that this doesn’t mean everyone needs to be equidistant from one another – try playing with having people in different sized groups and seeing how they can keep the space balanced. See how a chorus can balance with a protagonist or a trio of soloists.

Activity Vertical bamboos

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Complicite uses bamboo canes (1m long gardening canes) in the rehearsal room as a tool for exploring the use of space and movement. This is especially important for performers working in groups such as the three Ladies or the chorus who need to learn to tune into each other’s movements. → Give everyone in the group a bamboo. Ask them to hold the bamboo vertically out in front of them, with its bottom tip about ten centimetres above the ground. → Ask them to move around the space silently, being careful not to bump into other people, and keeping the bamboos upright, ten centimetres from the ground. The point of this exercise is to be very precise about keeping the bamboo canes the same distance from the ground. → Next, split the group into smaller groups of three. Continue with the same exercise but now concentrate on moving as a group, like a shoal of fish or a flock of birds. Change the group leader with each change of direction. → Experiment with changing speed, rhythm and group formation. See what happens when the leader alters the position of their bamboo to create different shapes. How do the other people respond and how do we ‘read’ their movements and shapes? For example, what happens when a group of bamboos moving slowly together in tight formation suddenly back away from each other to create a gulf in the middle? What happens to the space they’ve opened up, and what does it suggest to onlookers?

Activity Horizontal bamboos This is another exercise with bamboos, which is used to explore the space between two people on stage. → Give out one bamboo between two people. Ask each pair to hold the bamboo horizontally between them using only their forefingers. A certain amount of pressure must be applied to do this. → Ask the pairs to move around the room silently, avoiding other pairs and maintaining their contact through the bamboo. To do this, they must learn to anticipate and respond immediately to the other person’s movement. → Explore the possibilities of movement with the bamboo. Change direction and who's leading by the exchange of pressure. The leader in the pair will usually be putting more pressure on the bamboo than the other person.

To exchange leader, the pressure simply needs to swap. → After the group have got the hang of it, experiment with holding the bamboo in different positions and try making different journeys around the room: weaving in and out of other people, turning, getting faster/slower.

Make sure the bamboos don't drop onto the floor. → To step it up a little, ask three pairs to become a group, joined by a bamboo on each person's forefinger. Ask the group to move as one, interlace and create shapes using different rhythms. Notice how their use of space and movement suggests narratives.

In rehearsals, Simon often used this exercise to explore relationships between people when one is singing and the other isn’t, initially working with the bamboos, and then taking the canes away, but retaining the invisible connection and the movement the bamboos help to create.

The Libretto 20⁄26

When Emanuel Schikaneder wrote the libretto for The Magic Flute in 1790 he specifically chose to write it in his native German rather than Italian, the traditional language of opera in his day. He wanted to make it distinct from the usual ‘high art’ opera, writing instead a Singspiel that the populace could understand and enjoy.

At ENO we perform all our productions in English for the same reason, translating and adapting original texts so they are accessible to anyone.

The writer Stephen Jeffreys created the text for this production. He was given a literal English translation of the original German libretto, in which he noticed that Schikaneder’s language was relatively un-nuanced. This allowed him a certain freedom to make choices in the use of English words and phrases, and give the text a contemporary edge. He was also influenced by the ideas of the director Simon McBurney.

For example he wanted the three Ladies at the beginning to be strong female characters; (original German) (literal translation) (Stephen Jeffrey’s translation)

Er ist befreit durch unsres Armes Tapferkeit He is freed by our poor bravery The man is saved, by feminine valour, strength and steel.

He also wanted Papageno to be a comic character so his aria about finding a wife is a constant patter of jokes using modern colloquial language.

PAPAGENO Oh how I long to find her A wife meant just for me No love has ‘ere been kinder Than mine for her would be I’d gad about eating and drinking A sage with no time left for thinking And live like a King in disguise In Papageno Paradise Oh how I long to find her A wife meant just for me She would need no reminder Her love was meant for me All my physical systems are failing I’m having great problems inhaling But on the first promise of bliss I’d breathe with a lovely girl’s kiss Oh how I long to find her A wife meant just for me No love has ‘ere been blinder Than mine for her would be Oh isn’t there one pretty mistress Who’d save me from this awful business If there’s not a girl to bewitch I might as well die in a ditch

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When translating text for opera it is not only important that the narrative is clear, but also that the rhyme scheme of the text fits the musical rhythm and structure.

It is not always necessary to adhere rigidly to the original rhyme scheme but it is always important to be aware of it as a guideline.

The recitative sections sometimes allow a little more freedom to deviate from the musical structure. A few of Mozart’s rhythms have been changed in this production to make the English more intelligible. The words follow the contours of the music but don’t stick rigidly to the musical structure.

The libretto continues to be honed in the rehearsal room as the singers begin to sing the text. For example, a singer might need a closed vowel on a high note to help with their breathing and enable them to follow the musical shape of the phrase, so sometimes they ask the writer to change a word. Often this has a knock-on effect which leads to amending whole passages.

Activity The original text of Papageno’s first aria focuses on being a bird-catcher, only alluding to his interest in women and finding a wife. Stephen Jeffreys moved away from this in search of something that speaks to an audience in 21st century London. → If you were adapting the text for a new production, think about what Papageno might do instead of being a bird-catcher. Remember the parameters of his character and the simplicity, and folk song quality of the music. → Try adapting another part of Papageno’s libretto from the original German text. Pay attention to the style of language you might choose to suit his character and remember to think about how your translation will fit with the music and the rhyme scheme.

The Design 22⁄26

The set designer has to think about how to express the themes and ideas of the story through visual language. Michael Levine, the designer for The Magic Flute, worked with the director to research and investigate the themes of the work and discuss which ones were most important to this production and how they might be expressed through the set and staging.

Two thoughts dominated the choices made — [1] The importance of highlighting the transformational effects of music and the power of live performance. In the 21st century we can so easily access recorded music and it is easy to forget how special live music can be. In this production, the orchestra is raised in order to underline the ‘liveness’ of the event and the ephemeral nature of music. This was a choice made to raise awareness of being in the same room together – audience, players, singers, actors – and that the performance we are witnessing is something which can only take place in the present.

By showing the stage machinery, the mechanics of the stage construction and exposing the wing space, the design aims to delight the audience with the making of theatre. It is an investment in the imagination of the viewer.

Model box image showing the singers on the mobile platform with raised orchestra in front.

The model box is created to show what the finished design will look like. It has to include all the details of the design. It is built completely to scale and used by the set builders to construct the final set.

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[2] To help the audience experience the production with the same sense of amazement, excitement and enjoyment that the first audiences would have had.

When The Magic Flute premiered in Vienna in 1791, opera was one of the most popular forms of entertainment, with audiences delighting in the magic and illusion of theatre.

Today’s audiences are more familiar with a wide range of special effects and so Michael Levine wanted to create something that would be equally spectacular, mysterious and visually interesting, creating a modern version of the 18th century theatre and a space where the audience could be taken on a visual and emotional journey. He introduced a moveable platform surrounded by projection screens allowing for the continuous transformation of the space and interplay between the physical and the projected images. This creates the illusion of different levels, layers and movements, mirroring the journeys that the characters are making.

The Foley Artist 24â „26

Foley is the creation of everyday sounds which are added to film or television to enhance the audio. Foley is named after Jack Foley, a stuntman for silent films who added sound effects when the studio was recording the music score. The foley artist mimics the actions of the actors on screen, recording their sounds such as footsteps, fighting, knocking on doors, rustling papers etc.

In this production of The Magic Flute and unusually for opera and theatre, the sound effects are performed live by a foley artist on stage. A special booth is constructed stage left (stage directions are always given from the perspective of the performer standing on the stage looking out into the auditorium) so that the foley artist is visible to the audience throughout the production. The foley sounds have to work in conjunction with the orchestra, singers and dialogue to enhance the performance, drawing the audience further into the story. Each sound is cued live from the actions of a performer, the timing of the spoken dialogue or a cue in the music.

Artist Profile: Ruth Sullivan, Foley Artist Ruth works as a freelance foley artist in TV, film and theatre. She creates her own props and is skilled in knowing how to use different materials and props to create the required sound effects. One of her recent jobs was working on Downton Abbey where the kitchen scenes are shot on a set that looks like a flag stone floor but is actually made of wood. Ruth added the sound of all the footsteps on the stone floor so that the finished broadcast appears more realistic.

We interviewed her about her work.

How do you work in the rehearsal room?

I will be in the rehearsal room throughout the rehearsal process, studying and learning the rhythms and gaits of individual performers and trying out sound effects to enhance their actions. I work with the director to discuss particular ideas or atmospheres they are imagining and then create the required sounds.

What is the most difficult sound to create in The Magic Flute?

The most challenging sound to get right is when Papageno is tuning his bottles to be able to play a scale on them. The singer has plastic bottles and mimes the action, creating no sound. I have to make the sounds at exactly the right moment that he hits the bottles, so have to look at the performer rather than at the bottles I am striking. There are no second chances to get it right if it is slightly mistimed!

What props will you be using for The Magic Flute?

I will have a watering can, 10 bottles, a trouser leg full of stones (to make the sound of a serpent), wooden spoon, bird caller, plastic bucket full of water, a slinky, tuning forks, shoe box of stones (for the fire),a slab of concrete and a thunder sheet (to create atmospheric sound). Everything has to have its place in the sound booth so I know where each prop is. At some points during the performance I am in the dark and have to rearrange props without making a sound. continued →

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What is your favourite prop?

I have a lantern with a squeaky handle that I use to create the sounds of an old gate or swinging pub sign. I never leave home without a pair of shoes, a cloth, a piece of leather and a game boy!

Give an example of a foley artist’s trick of the trade: The sound of an explosion can be created by putting a plastic bag around a microphone, reducing the treble on the recording desk and then carefully manipulating the bag. The movement of air in the bag resembles the sound of an explosion or the rumble of fire.

Activity → Enhancing the sound of footsteps: Ask someone to walk around the room in their socks or bare feet. Observe the way they move and try creating the sound of their footsteps by walking on the spot in shoes. Learn to anticipate their movement and actions by noticing tiny details like the shifting of weight onto one leg before they move to take a step, or taking an in-breath as they start to do an action. Detailed observation is key to sync the timing.

Pay attention to the sound of different types of shoes walking on different surfaces and the individual rhythms of different people's steps. → Experiment with creating other sounds. How can you use and manipulate different materials to create a required sound effect?

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ENO’s The Magic Flute is on stage at the London Coliseum from 5 February – 19 March 2016. https://www.eno.org/whats-on/15-16/the-magic-flute