Kickstarter

Who are you people?

West Edge Opera is located in the San Francisco bay area. We produce operas for a new audience. We don't do stuffy opera. We re-imagine classics and create new works in order to appeal to non opera fans and expose them to this art form, making them life long opera lovers.  

So what's the project?

So glad you asked. This project is a new look at the beloved, classic opera The Magic Flute by Mozart. The Magic Flute is full of great music and characters but its story has baffled audiences for over 200 years. We seek to correct this 200 year tragedy. Bold? Yes. We like bold. 

How bold?

We have commissioned David Scott Marley to create both a new English translation and new story inspired by the Japanese manga films of Hayao Miazaki, the noted creator of many popular films including Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. In addition, we have commissioned artist Megan Willis to create new manga art to be projected as scenery. Manga art seems perfect for the mystical world of Flute and this popular style will delight and excite both opera fans and new audiences.

Who's in the show?

Top quality opera singers have been engaged for the production. The role of Papageno is performed by Eugene Brancoveanu. Eugene is the real deal. He's performed on opera stages all over the world and was an Adler fellow with San Francisco Opera. Oh. And he won a Tony award for Baz Luhrman's production of La Boheme. 

Also performing are Heidi Moss, Darron Flagg, Cliff Romig, Keith Perry, Elyse Nakajima, Lori Schulman, George Killingsworth, Melody King, Kathleen Moss, Rebecca Krouner, 

Why kickstarter?

The production is currently in rehearsal and this campaign will provide funding for the final phase of the project which will pay the artists and singers as well as the orchestra for their performances. Opera is expensive, but it's totally worth it.