Friday Fun: Emanuele Luzzati’s “The Magic Flute,” 1978

We’ve looked at Emanuele Luzzati’s versions of Pulcinella on previous explorations of the colorful work of the talented artist, director and animator. One of his best known short films was 1978’s The Magic Flute set to the music from Mozart’s two-act opera.

As a stage director, Luzzati had mounted a lavish 1963 full-scale production of the opera and fell in love with the music and the story. His animated The Magic Flute, made fifteen years later, was met with glowing reviews and multiple awards. He followed the completion of the film with a children’s picture book that succinctly retells the story.