Stereogum shared that Damon Albarn is set to debut his latest opera The Magic Flute II: La Malédiction in Paris this March. Following his previous operatic works Dr. Dee and Monkey: Journey to the West, Albarn has taken on the ambitious task of continuing Mozart’s iconic opera The Magic Flute, with a new piece inspired by Goethe’s uncompleted sequel.

Albarn first revealed the project two years ago, discussing the intriguing opportunity to bring Goethe’s ideas to life through music. “I got offered this amazing opportunity to set Goethe’s Magic Flute Part Two to music and song,” Albarn said. While grappling with the complexities of Goethe’s writing and Mozart’s genius, Albarn found unexpected inspiration in the sounds of Kraftwerk, which influenced the opera’s innovative electro style.

The Magic Flute II: La Malédiction will premiere at Théâtre du Lido in Paris from March 27-30. The opera, described as an “electro opera,” brings Goethe’s unfinished narrative into the present day. It offers a fairy tale about the initiation of a couple set against a Masonic backdrop, with elements of ancient Egypt and the spirit of 18th-century philosophy.

The story draws on the intellectual climate of the time, influenced by figures like Friedrich Hölderlin, Schiller and Goethe. Benoît Chantre’s book on Hölderlin sparked the opera’s creation, leading to Albarn’s collaboration with playwright Jeremy Sams. 

Jean-Luc Choplin, the project’s artistic director, shared his excitement about the piece, emphasizing its timely relevance. “This new fable is a good way to think about our world and draw a moral lesson of courage and optimism from it,” Choplin said. In a world facing environmental crises and global unrest, the opera’s themes of initiation, transformation and hope offer a poignant reflection of contemporary challenges.