Shooting in Swedish on a set replicating a lovely 18th-century theatre, Bergman begins this wonderfully warm, witty and sensuous movie by focusing on the faces of a rapt audience (momentarily including his own) enjoying the overture. Thereafter, as the (abridged and intriguingly amended) tale of Tamino, Pamina et al proceeds, he highlights the piece's exuberant theatrical illusionism, at the same time deploying close-ups to enhance the emotions conveyed by an excellent young cast.

In keeping with the accessibility of Mozart’s music – his opera was Singspiel (considered downmarket at the time) rather than opera seria, and written for a wide audience – Bergman’s interpretation had a light touch and was funny, as appealing to children as it was to adults. The message of the relatively simple story of a young man seeking to rescue a beautiful princess from the hands of an evil sorcerer was, essentially, love triumphs over all.

Filmed opera is now a mainstay of event cinema and has proved to be very popular, but this rare opportunity to see the master film director’s take on bringing opera to the screen is a must-see.

QFT presents a season of films as part of the global celebrations of the centenary of Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007), one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.