When it comes to the crazy adventures of the bird-catcher and his gang, Opera Chic is partial to the 2005 production by Graham Vick that was duly considered offensive by the Salzburg old dudes and their wives (who don't like to have their sh^t f*cked up the way Vick does) and promptly replaced one year later with Pierre Audi's half-rehashed, inoffensive production.
This year, Audì's production came back -- conducted as always by Riccardo Muti.
We have to admit that:
a) Markus Werba as Papageno and Irena Bespalovaite as Papagena, despite the silly dreads, despite having being dunked in a tub full of saffron, are still cute as the proverbial buttons.
b) Chucks are always cool