August 13, 2026 | Filed under: News
Santa Fe Opera to capture ‘The Magic Flute’ on stage and head to screens
SANTA FE — Capturing a magic flute that can tame the wildest of beasts — this is the goal for the Santa Fe Opera as it creates a feature film of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.
The production is directed by British opera director Christopher Luscombe and the film capture is directed by New Mexico-based cinematographer Brian C. Weed. The production will employ 40 to 50 New Mexico crew members and six New Mexico background actors. Production will take place on August 4 and 13, 2026, at the Santa Fe Opera (SFO) in Santa Fe.
The story follows Prince Tamino and Papageno as they embark on a fantastical quest and along the way, they encounter enchanting characters and face daring trials while trying to save princess Pamina using the magic flute.
The Santa Fe Opera will create the feature film using four Panasonic HD robocams, one maestro cam and two Panasonic orchestra pit cams, during two evenings of live performances.
SFO allows productions to capture dynamic performance angles and provide visual feeds to conductors and musicians. Production teams use state-of-the-art cameras to capture dynamic performance angles and provide essential visual feeds to conductors and musicians.
The multi-cam edited film will be uploaded to digital platforms for internal use and study. Intended future distribution includes digital streaming and local public screenings, including “Opera in the Park" at Santa Fe’s Railyard Park on September 19, 2026, and the company’s “Opera on Screen” events in the Spring of 2027.
Conducted by Santa Fe Opera Music Director Harry Bicket, the creative team includes Director Christopher Luscombe, Scenic Designer Simon Higlett, Costume Designer Robert Perdziola, Lighting Designer Philip Rosenberg, Wig and Makeup Designer David Zimmerman, Illusions Designer Chris Fisher, Chorus Director Susanne Sheston, Fight and Intimacy Director Andrew Kenneth Moss and Movement Director Rebecca Howell.
The cast includes opera stars Josh Lovell, Joélle Harvey, Jeni Houser, Alexander Köpeczi, Will Liverman and Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singers Spencer Hamlin, Le Bu, Jasmin Ward, Deanna Ray Eberhart, Lauren Randolph, Jazmine Saunders, Dominic Salvati, Will Ryan, Dani Jingdan Zhang, Sabrina Langlois, Natalie Corrigan, Matthew Goodheart and Sunghoon Han.
Local background performers are Brian Bloomquist, Bradford Bright, Victor Browder, Stephan Muller, Constanza Murphy and Justin Tade.
“Capturing 'The Magic Flute' on film is a fantastic opportunity to preserve the artistry of the production while expanding access to the art form and the Santa Fe Opera for audiences beyond our theater,” said Santa Fe Opera Director of Media and Public Relations Emily Doyle Moore. “We are thankful to the New Mexico Film Office for its support and proud to collaborate with New Mexico's film professionals and local performers to showcase the extraordinary talent and creative resources found throughout our state.