Toronto: The ‘lavishness and eccentricity’ of the 18th century will be center stage in The Magic Flute, a magical realist take on the Mozart opera now in the works at Toronto’s Sullivan Entertainment (Wind at My Back).

The feature – penned, directed and produced by Sullivan boss Kevin Sullivan – follows a young man who is hired, along with his girlfriend, to perform in the famous opera in Salzberg, Austria. Once there, however, he is lured into the criminal underworld by a mysterious diva and ‘real life’ gets jumbled up with that of the stage.

‘Reality starts to butt up against fantasy and it’s hard to tell which side of the fence you’re on,’ says Sullivan.

Warren Christie (10.5, This Space for Rent) appears along with opera singers Mireille Asselin and Erin Windle, and Rutger Hauer (Sin City).

The footage from the now-wrapped Toronto shoot, much of it in front of a green screen, will be CG’ed together with location shots of Vienna and Salzberg, with Thom Best (Billable Hours) as DOP and effects by Tony Willis (Evel Knievel, Saint Ralph).

The end result will have a highly stylized CG look, says Sullivan, akin to Moulin Rouge or Sin City – highlighting the look and feel of the time.

‘It’s not really an opera. It’s more like a musical,’ he says. ‘Audiences today aren’t going to watch an aria that goes on for five minutes. They might watch 30 seconds or a minute if it’s done with style and panache.’

Which is where Opera Atelier comes in. The noted Toronto opera company is also part of the production – lending cast, costumes and crew to the show. Atelier’s co-bosses Marshall Pynkoski and Jeannette Zingg also choreographed Flute’s many dance numbers.