‘The Magic Flute’ among Bienen School winter opera and voice offerings

A master class with one of America’s most sought-after young countertenors and an operatic fairy tale by Mozart are highlights of the winter voice and opera season at the Bienen School of Music.

Bienen alumnus Kangmin Justin Kim ’11 will coach vocal students Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. in Galvin Recital Hall as part of the Tichio-Finnie Vocal Master Class Series.

Northwestern University Opera Theater’s production of Mozart’s beloved classic “The Magic Flute” will be presented Feb. 23 to 26 in Cahn Auditorium. In this staging of the opera told through the lens of the Chinese yin and yang philosophy, the abduction of a princess turns a lush paradise to a barren and frigid landscape until a handsome prince, with the help of a magic flute, can rescue her and restore balance to the land. 

Tickets are available online at concertsatbienen.org, by phone at 847-467-4000 or by visiting the Bienen School ticket office at 50 Arts Circle Drive in Evanston.

Kangmin Justin Kim vocal master class

7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 25
Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Drive
Tickets are $10 or $5 for full-time students with valid ID

The Tichio-Finnie Vocal Master Class Series continues with a vocal coaching by countertenor Kangmin Justin Kim ’11. One of the most sought-after countertenors of his generation, Kim has earned recognition for his roles in Baroque repertoire, contemporary music and Mozart’s trouser roles. The 2021-22 season saw his return to the Vienna State Opera for Hans Werner Henze’s “The Betrayed Sea;” his highly anticipated role debut as Knusperhexe in Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hänsel und Gretel” at Theater Wiesbaden; and his Santa Fe Opera debut in the title role of the world premiere of Huang Ruo’s “M. Butterfly.” His 2022-23 season opened with a return to Venice as Hyacinthus in Teatro La Fenice’s new staging of Mozart’s “Apollo et Hyacinthus” at Teatro Malibran. In this master class, Kim will coach Bienen School voice and opera program students. 

> Read his profile in Northwestern Magazine: Finding the right voice

Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”

7:30 p.m., Thursday to Saturday, Feb. 23-25, and 3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 26
Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson Street
Tickets are $18 or $8 for full-time students with valid ID

In “The Magic Flute,” a handsome prince and an abducted princess are caught between the warring forces of the Queen of the Night and the Priests of the Sun. But the powers of the magic flute — and the help of the bird catcher Papageno — lead the young lovers to truth and light. For over 200 years, Mozart’s operatic fairy tale has delighted young and old alike with its fantastic mix of intriguing symbolism, spirited comedy and ravishing music.

Northwestern University Opera Theater’s production is directed by Bienen School director of opera Joachim Schamberger with guest artist Andrew Bisantz conducting the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra.