On hearing a Tsonga tale about some magical birds that caused havoc and destruction until they were tamed by the playing of an enchanted flute, it occurred to director Mark Dornford-May how reminiscent the story was of Mozart’s masterpiece, The Magic Flute, and he became inspired. From the townships of South Africa, Dornford-May and the Isango Ensemble found gifted musicians and theatre artists and with them created a uniquely African version of Mozart’s masterwork which they called Impempe Yomlingo. This stunning operatic work has had a spectacular history. After premiering in Cape Town it went on a world tour, winning the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival in London and a Globes de Cristal for Best Opera in Paris. Now it has come to The New Victory Theater in New York. It is a marvel that should be seen by theatre and music fans of all ages.

Fans of Mozart will be happy to hear that his music is all there, but played entirely on toned wooden xylophones, African drums and with the achingly lovely voices of the cast. Occasional use is made of some rather unique percussion too. Nevertheless, Mozart’s melodies are unmistakable, starting with the famed overture and continuing through the entire magical score. The musicians are in full view onstage, and when the music bursts forth, sounding familiar and new at the same time, the effect is mesmerizing.

The story by Emanuel Schikaneder is essentially untouched. It begins with tenor Mhlekazi (Whawha) Mosiea as Prince Tamino, climbing out of a smoke-filled trap door as a hideous serpent pursues him. With a voice reminiscent of Joseph Calleja and a wonderfully expressive face, Mosiea plays the role charmingly. Tamino, after being saved from the beast by three attendants of The Queen of the Night, sets off to rescue the queen’s daughter Pamina from the clutches of the apparently villainous sorcerer Sarastro. The prince is joined by Papageno, the lovelorn bird catcher, wonderfully played by Zamile Gantana. The duo is guided by three spirits, typically played by three young boy singers but here played by three sopranos dressed (in the production’s only nod to popular western culture) as The Supremes. The Queen of the Night herself appears, played by the production’s musical director Pauline Malefane, and promises Tamino the hand of her daughter if he succeeds in rescuing her.  Tamino soon discovers that Sarastro is not evil at all, but quite benevolent, and it is the Queen of the Night herself that has sent her daughter to kill him so that she can become more powerful.

The entire cast, in addition to singing in genuine operatic style, occasionally bursts into African song and dance. The songs and dialogue (the opera was originally written with speaking parts rather than recitatives) are in both English and several African languages. Even more impressively, the singers each take turns at the African instruments to play Mozart’s score. I was astonished at how seamlessly all of this was achieved. There was never a moment in which the 18th-century German music seemed in conflict with the traditions of a culture half a world away. In Sarastro’s powerful Act 2 aria (sung majestically by bass Ayanda Eleki) African song is heard, softly sung behind him, somehow keeping in perfect harmony with Mozart’s melody. When Papageno wards off enemies with his magical bells, members of the cast appear above him; water-filled glass bottles are lowered in front of them to be gently struck, each in turn, to create the well-known bell tune of Papageno’s that has been played in opera houses all over the world for two hundred years, if never quite like this.

The minimal set is intriguing; it consists of sheets of corrugated tin and a huge dark wooden rake that branches toward three arches at the rear of the stage. Visually, it is the costumes that steal the show. Each one is perfectly suited to the character who wears it. Many members of the cast wear traditional Southern African garments. The Queen of the Night is clad in a dramatic black gown that is suggestive of African mythology. Papageno, the bird catcher, wears camouflage fatigues.

The story of The Magic Flute has never been easy to follow. Perhaps to simplify it here the opera has been cut down somewhat. The character of Monostatos has been largely excised and some scenes have been shortened. But nearly all of the classic moments are there, often presented in a surprisingly traditional way, even if the setting and orchestration is startlingly new.  Perhaps The Magic Flute was the perfect choice for Dornford-May and his brilliant collaborators. An opera that is filled with color, song, and most of all magic is just the thing to demonstrate that the very idea of cultural division is, itself, nothing more than an illusion.

Julie Taymor’s much-lauded (and very multicultural) production of The Magic Flute has returned to the Met this season. However, I would strongly encourage opera, theatre and music fans everywhere to experience Impempe Yomlingo. It is at once a wildly entertaining show and an artistic triumph. The Met’s production won’t be going anywhere for a long time, whereas Impempe Yomlingo, despite its worldwide success, will be leaving New York City on November 9, probably forever. Don’t miss it, it is like nothing else you will ever see or hear.

The Magic Flute: Impempe Yomlingo features the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart transposed for an orchestra of marimbas. The score is arranged by Pauline Malefane and Mandisi Dyantyis, who also conducts. Choreography is by Lungelo Ngamlana and costumes are by Leigh Bishop. In addition to Pauline Malefane as the Queen of the Night, the cast includes Mhlekazi Mosiea/Sonwabo Ntshata as Tamino, Zamile Gantana/Luvo Rasemeni as Papageno, Bongiwe Mapassa/Zolina Ngejane as Pamina, Ayanda Eleki/Ayanda Tikolo as Sarastro, Siyasanga Mbuyazwe/Nontsusa Louw as Papagena, Thobile Dyasi/Sinethemba Mdena as Monostatos and Noluthando Boqwana, Zoleka Mpotsha and Bususiwe Ngejane as the Three Spirits. Nontsusa Louw, Siyanda Ncobo and Cikizwa Ndamase play the Queen’s three ladies-in-waiting, Zebulon Mmusi plays the Priest, Sifiso Lupuzi and Tukela Pepeteka play the Armed Man and Zanele Mbatha and Masakhane Sotayisi complete the ensemble. For more information and tickets visit https://www.newvictory.org/