Flute Damper

Last night's open-air Magic Flute at Bregenz came to an early halt when three of the main singers received an unexpected soaking.

At the start of the spectacular aquatic show, the Queen of the Night, Pamina and Sarastro are carried to the floating stage on the lake at Bregenz (below) on a boat (above). Yesterday the boat overturned and the three singers, together with a stuntwoman and a technician, were all tipped into the water. Luckily, they were rescued by safety divers and taken to the shore unharmed.

Soprano Kathryn Lewek (Queen of the Night) said to Intermezzo via Twitter,  "It was terrifying. It was Sarastro, Monostatos, a stunt double Pamina and the tech inside the coffin. Everyone is safe. But Andy the tech almost didn't make it out of the coffin as it was filling with water. Martin (Monostatos) pressed down on the coffin so Andy could get out- he was pinned. Andy was freed and he scrambled over to me and helped me shed some of my costume so I could stay afloat. My wet costume kept dragging me down. Same thing for Sarastro- our costumes are so elaborate and heavy. Two rescue swimmers dragged me to the rescue boat- I couldn't move my legs with the three skirts."

The show was delayed for just 30 minutes, and the dunked singers continued in their damp costumes.

It is believed that the incident was caused by a fault with the underwater rail track that moves the boat, which management expect to repair before the next show.

Comments

[Regie, or Not Regie]

New requirement for opera singers: Also must be able to swim in heavy costumes.

[SJT]

Umm, there isn't a Lake Bregenz. There IS a Lake Constance, on which Bregenz nestles.

Personally, I can think of any number of Queens of the Night I wouldn't mind consigning to such a form of transport.....

[manou]

Well - Intermezzo clearly wrote "the lake at Bregenz".

Drowning a coloratura is usually the responsibility of the conductor.