Fridae

Julie Taymor is the Peter Jackson of theatre. The extraordinary director is capable of turning centuries-old Shakespearean plays and opera classics into wildly-imagined visually-stunning spectacles that make your eye pop and your jaws slack.

Her fantastical stage production of The Lion King(still playing on stages all over the world) and her breathtaking 1999 film adaptation of Shakespeare's Titus (starring Anthony Hopkins) are proof of her immense talent.

Her latest accomplishment is The Magic Flute, the last opera written by Mozart. Staged at the New York Metropolitan Opera and filmed on high-definition (HD) to be screened in cinemas worldwide, it tells an enchanting tale of a prince (Matthew Polanzi) and a bird-catcher (Nathan Gunn) who go in search of a princess (Ying Huang) who has been kidnapped by a powerful wizard (Rene Pape).

Once again, Julie's opera boasts her typically elaborate stage effects, from the huge rotating transparent set to the Eastern-looking origami-like costumes. Julie, who spent her younger years in Indonesia, is very much inspired by Javanese puppetry. She employs great deal of puppetry throughout The Magic Flute � not unlike The Lion King � as colourful birds and exotic beasts soar and swim around the characters.

Screened at the 22.4m-wide GVmax at VivoCity, one of the biggest screens in Asia, Singapore audiences can now enjoy front row seats at this grand opera conducted by the venerable James Levine.

We recommend it very highly to lovers of theatre, opera and classical music � and just about anyone with a moderate appreciation for the arts. But hurry because the screening ends on 9 Sep, which is the end of this week.