Restoration Theatre Approach Marks Magic Flute as SSIMF Closer

A new production of The Magic Flute, co-produced by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg, was staged at the Shangyin Opera House Thursday to Sunday, with the final performance closing the 41st Shanghai Spring International Music Festival.Led by artistic directors Liao Changyong and Ludwig Holtmeier, the production features an elite German creative team, including director Alexander Schulin and conductor Marius Stieghorst, who leads the SCM Symphony Orchestra.The production marked what some critics described as a notable introduction of “restoration theatre” principles to a major Chinese opera stage. While not all scenic elements were realised through manual means, the staging demonstrated that its visual effects could, in principle, be achieved using traditional rope-driven stagecraft, with lighting as the primary modern approach.In contrast to the prevailing large-scale aesthetic often seen in domestic productions — characterised by extensive lighting, complex machinery and multimedia spectacle — the performance favoured a more restrained visual language, foregrounding theatrical illusion and craft over sheer technological and ego display.Critics said the closing-night production offered a different perspective on operatic staging in China, and expressed hope that it may prompt reflection among stage directors and cultural policymakers on the balance between technical resources and artistic expression. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit klassikom.substack.com