the Magic Flute , K. 620, in German Die Zauberflöte , is a opera in two acts of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, on a booklet of Emanuel Schikaneder. The first representation took place with Vienna, the September 30th 1791 in Theater auf der Wieden.

Characters

  • Tamino , a prince (Tenor)
  • First Lady (Soprano)
  • Second Lady (soprano)
  • Third Lady (Contralto)
  • Papageno , a bird-catcher (baritone)
  • the Queen of the Night (soprano Colorature)
  • Pamina , girl of the Queen of the Night (soprano)
  • Monostatos , servant Moor of Sarastro (baritone)
  • First boy (Soprano)
  • Second boy (Soprano)
  • Third boy (viola)
  • Sarastro , sovereign of the Kingdom of the Light (low), inspired of Zoroastre
  • First priest (tenor)
  • Second priest (low)
  • Third priest (spoken role)
  • Papagena , woman-bird intended for Papageno (soprano)

Great outdoors

  • Air of Papageno ( Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja )
  • Air of Tamino ( Dies Bildnis STI bezaubernd schön )
  • First air of the Queen of the Night ( O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn )
  • Duet Papageno and Pamina (" Mann und Weib")
  • Air of Pamina ( Ach, ich fühl' S )
  • Second air of the Queen of the Night ( Der Hölle Rache )
  • Second air of Papageno ( Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen wünscht Papageno sich )
  • First air of Sarastro (" O Isis und Osiris")

Synopsis

The action proceeds in a remote region.

Ier act

Mislaid on a journey in an unknown country, prince Tamino is attacked by a snake. Whereas he disappears sure to die, he is saved by the three lady-in-waitings of the Queen of the Night. While the prince is still disappeared, the three ladies sing the beauty of the young man. They decide to go to carry the news to their queen, but each one of them wants to remain close to Tamino proposing to both others to carry the message. After being itself disputed, they disappear. The prince awakes and sees the inanimate body of the monster. Wondering whether he dreamed or if somebody saved the life to him, he suddenly hears an air of Panpipes. He hides and sees arriving Papageno the bird-catcher. During their first dialog, Papageno is praised to have killed the snake. The three ladies reappear and punish it of this lie by giving him water to the place of the wine and a stone in the place of the sweetened bread that they usually give him. To finish, they reduce it to silence by closing the mouth with a gold lock to him.

The three ladies then reveal in Tamino that they saved the life to him. They speak to him then about Pamina, the girl of the Queen of the Night. They show him its portrait, and disappear. To the sight of the portrait, Tamino falls in love with the young girl and dream to the happiness which awaits it. The three ladies reappear who say to him which Pamina is captive. At once, Tamino wants of it only more to deliver it. The Queen of the Night appears then in grondement of thunder and tells him its despair to see his/her captive daughter. She says finally to Tamino which if she sees it returning victorious, Pamina will be his for eternity. At this point in time the Queen disappears. Tamino wonders then about what he saw and requests the gods not to have misled it.

Then appears sad Papageno to more be able to speak. The three ladies reappear and release it from its lock, making him promise not to lie more. They also give to each one an instrument which is sent to them by the Queen. Tamino is seen offering a Magic Flute, while Papageno receives a magic Carillon. These instruments will help them to triumph over the tests which await them. The two men leave in search Pamina each one on its side.

In the palate of Sarastro, the servant Moor Monostatos continues Pamina of his assiduities. Papageno occurs. The Moor and the bird-catcher are face to face. Each one frightens the other believing to be in the presence of the Devil. Monostatos flees, and Papageno is only with Pamina. It reveals to him whereas a prince will come to deliver it, by adding that the prince became madly in love with it as soon as that he saw his portrait. Pamina makes him a compliment on its large heart. Touched by these words, Papageno tells its sadness then not to have found its Papagena not yet. Pamina comforts it, and the princess and the bird-catcher agree to sing the beauty of the love before fleeing.

During this time, Tamino is led towards the three temples of the Sagesse, the Raison and the Nature by three geniuses which recommend to him to remain “firm, patient and discrete”. After Tamino was seen refusing the entry of the first two temples, a priest addresses himself to him to explain to him that Sarastro is not a monster as the Queen of the Night described to him, but that it is on the contrary large wise. Tamino, seized by the solemnity of the ceremony, éprend of a thirst for knowledge and starts to raise questions with the priests. It seizes its magic flute and its song accompanies some. It is found then surrounded by wild beasts left their den which come to lie down with its feet, charmed by the sound of the instrument. Seule Pamina does not answer the crystalline sounds of the flute, but Papageno answers Tamino on its panpipes. Delighted, the prince tries to join them.

On their side, Papageno and Pamina hope to find Tamino before Monostatos and its slaves do not catch up with them. Here which emerges suddenly and the Moor orders whereas the fugitive ones are connected. Papageno remembers whereas it has a magic chime and makes use of it for envoûter Monostatos and its slaves who start to dance and to sing before disappearing. A fanfare of trumpets stops silence suddenly: it is Sarastro followed by a procession of priests. Papageno trembles of fear and request with Pamina what it is necessary to say. Pamina answers that it is necessary to say the truth even if it costs some to them, and kneels in front of Sarastro. As it decided to say the truth, it then explains to Sarastro why it tries to escape Monostatos. This one remade its appearance then, trailing with him Tamino which it captured. At once that they are seen, Pamina and Tamino throw in the arms one of the other in the presence of Monostatos and the priests. This last separates them and prostrate in front of Sarastro for then praising its personal merits. It expects to be rewarded, but on the contrary is condemned to receive seventy-seven whiplashes.

Sarastro orders whereas Papageno and Tamino are led to the Temple of the Tests.

Act II

Sarastro announces to the priests that the gods decided to marry Tamino and Pamina. But before, Tamino, Pamina and Papageno will have to cross tests before penetrating in the Temple of the Light which will enable them to counter the machinations of the Queen of the Night. Sarastro requests Isis and Osiris to grant to the candidates the force to triumph over these tests.

The priests question Tamino and Papageno on their aspirations. Those of Tamino are noble, while Papageno is interested only by the pleasures of the life, including by the idea finding a partner. Their first test consists of a search of the Truth. The priests enjoignent to them to preserve complete silence and only leave them. At this point in time the three ladies of the Queen of the Night appear. Tamino opposes a solved silence to them, but Papageno cannot be prevented from speaking to them. The priests reappear to congratulate Tamino and thunder the weakness of Papageno.

During this time, Pamina is extent made sleepy in a garden. At this point in time between Monostatos, decided to try the virtue of the young girl again. The Queen of the Night appears then in a clap of thunder, making flee Monostatos. She gives a dagger to her daughter and the enjoint, in a exalté song, to kill Sarastro.

And the Queen of the Night disappears. Monostatos returns then towards Pamina and tries to make it sing. But Sarastro appears and returns Monostatos without care. The Moor then decides to go to find the mother of Pamina. Sarastro then declares in Pamina that it will make pay his mother.

In a dark part, the priests asked Tamino and Papageno once again to keep silence. As always Papageno cannot control itself and engages the conversation with an old woman who presents herself to him. It disappears before to have told him its name.

Pamina appears and, ignorant their wish of silence, approaches the two men. At this point in time she despairs not to receive any answer of their share. Believer that Tamino does not like it any more, it leaves the broken heart.

The priests reappear and proclaim that Tamino will be soon Initié. Sarastro prepares it with its last tests. Pamina is introduced the bandaged eyes after it was said to him that she would see Tamino so that it makes him a last good-bye. It is acted in fact of a test and Sarastro endeavors to reassure Pamina, but it is cut down too much to include/understand the direction of its words.

During this time, Papageno is seen granting the right to carry out a wish. He asks for wine glass, but becomes aware that he would like over all to have a partner. He then sings his desire while being accompanied by his magic chime. The old woman reappears, and threatens Papageno of the worst torments if he does not agree to marry it. He swears fidelity then to him and she is discovered being a young person and beautiful woman. But a priest separates them under pretext that Papageno was not yet worthy of it.

In a garden, the three geniuses announce the one new era advent, light and love. They see Pamina suddenly, agitated by ideas of suicide. They save it and reassure it on the love of Tamino.

The priests lead Tamino towards its two last tests: that of fire and that of water. Pamina joint with him, and guides it through its last tests. They are accommodated triumphing by Sarastro and the priests.

On its side, Papageno is always in the search of Papagena. Despaired, the bird-catcher plans to hang himself with a tree. The three geniuses appear then, and suggest to him using its magic chime to attract his/her partner. Profiting that he plays of the instrument, the three geniuses will quérir Papagena and bring it to its in love. After being itself recognized, the couple can finally converse in the joy.

To the favor of the darkness, Monostatos carries out the Queen of the Night and its ladies towards the temple for a last attempt against Sarastro. But the sky is then flooded of light and they disappear in darkness like him. Sarastro and the chorus of the priests appear to praise the merits of the new initiates, and to rent the union of the force, wisdom and the beauty.

Dramatic analysis

Direction clarifies on the scene

Light against the night, the illusions and the frauds fights, allowing the introduction of a new order, inheriting the old order and the Lumières. The good triumphs, symbolized by the love found by the characters.

Maconnic reading

First of all, let us analyze why the flute is magic. Because this instrument is symbol of air, manufactured under the downpour (water symbol) with the noise of the thunder (symbol of the ground) and with the gleam of the flashes (symbol of fire). It is because the flute joins together the four paramount elements in it, that it is magic.

The hierarchy of the main roles is made dualities:

  1. Sun - the Moon

  2. * Sarastro is symbol static of the man, the good, it does not know passion. It keeps the field of the Spirit while having succeeded the father of Pamina which was the Master. It is symbolized by the Sun.
  3. * the Queen of the Night is the symbol of the evil, of the revolt of the woman against the supremacy of the man. It is symbolized by the Moon.
  4. Fire - Water
  5. * Tamino is intended to form the couple in the highest acceptance of the term thanks to the love making him overcome the tests of initiation. It is symbolized by fire and plays of the magic flute.
  6. * Pamina which is the complementary one to Tamino while being the engine of their common initiation. It changes world into passing from the reign of the night to that of the Sun by the love and initiation. It is symbolized by water.
  7. Air - Ground
  8. * Papageno, the bird-catcher who appears humanity " ordinaire" full with good will but without courage and intelligence thus makes indignant to be initiated. It is with the service of the Queen of the Night but its voyage with Tamino enables him to pass in the reign of the day. It is symbolized by the air.
  9. * Monostatos the Moor is the only man of the Kingdom of the Night after its treason (it makes the opposite way of Papageno). Its blackness of Moor is related to his traditional civil statue of the guards of slaves. It evokes also the darkness of the Earth which it symbolizes.

If one disregards label (night, lights, etc), the screen appears complex, mixing with the traditional elements and others more original. One sees there in particular:

  • a power (the queen) which asks for the assistance of somebody who is not yet only a potential, which it gives the instruments of success; it ends up being made replace by this pawn become victorious prince;
  • a man (the prince) which escapes its condition from servant by conquering for his own account what it had the role of beginning again, and by exploiting an ideology intelligently to which it is subjected seemingly (the history does not say if it really does it)
  • a man (the prince) and its promised which crosses initiatory tests victoriously, learns how to be controlled (to hide its feelings, etc) and by doing this conquers the world (the love, the throne); another man (the servant) and its promised which acts also naively and are made conquer.
  • a thinker, philosophical, who at the same time handles the knight to make triumph the Light and Wisdom, and by doing this especially, to give legitimacy so that the world turns over to balance (like time when the father of Pamina and husband of the Queen of the Night reigned before Sarastro)
  • a revolution all is changed: at the beginning of the Flute, all is chaos and fight between the Queen of the Night and Sarastro. By the double initiation of Tamino and Pamina, the couple will reach with Wisdom, the Force and the Beauty and will make reign Peace, the Joy and the Love among the men and the women.
The topics approached in this opera for are borrowed much from the ritual of initiation of the Freemasonry whose Mozart and the librettist Emmanuel Schikaneder formed part although for Schikaneder, this one was driven out by it, not having never exceeded the rank of companion. The initiatory course of Tamino and Pamina (dedicated to Min God) in the Temple of Sarastro is inspired by the ceremonies of maconnic initiation within a cabin.

In its work the Magic Flute, opera maconnic (editions Robert Lafont, exhausted), the Musicologue Jacques Chailley explores the rich person musical allusions to the symbols maconnic. Only in the first notes of the opening, one recognizes rate/rhythm 5 (- /- -/- -) symbolizing the women then follow one another three agreements, each one repeated three times, in a Tonalité in semi major Bémol comprising three flat with the key . One can see there an allusion to the number of the Apprentice, symbolizing the harmony of the Osiris trinity, Isis and Horus ensuring the unit and the balance of the world.

Mozart, freemason devoted to initiation decides to write a work recalling the Great Mysteries and finally celebrating the Alchemical Weddings announced in the initiatory Operas that are the Marriages of Figaro, Don Juan and Cosi Fan Tutte. The type-setter dreams of ressusciter lost and so important Egyptian Initiation in his eyes for peace of the World. He wants to give again the place with the Women, forgotten and yet in the center of the initiatory beliefs. It is in this opera that the genius of Mozart is expressed fully, it reaches an unequalled perfection here before. It manages thanks to the music to transport the listener within an initiatory ritual of which the Initiates would be each listener of this music " Divine".

Uses

Ludwig Van Beethoven 12 variations piano & violoncello on “the Magic Flute” Op.66 7 variations for piano & violoncello according to “the Magic Flute” of Mozart WoO46

Ferdinando Carulli “Variations of Beethoven” Op.169

Fernando Sor “Six selected airs of the opera of Mozart the Magic Flute”

  • the Magic Flute is a film adaptation carried out by Ingmar Bergman, under the artifice of a collecting on scene and sung in Swedish.
  • the air “Ach ich fühl' S” was used in the music of the film Volte-face of John Woo in 1997.
  • the great outdoors of the Queen of the Night was used in 2001 in a publicity for banks direct , like for a publicity for Golstar .
  • the air “ Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen ” belongs to the band its film the blue Angel of Josef von Sternberg in 1930.
  • the air “O zittre nicht” was used in a publicity for rice winged Taureau in 1992.
  • the chorus “ Das Klinget so herrlich ” was used in a publicity for chocolates Rocher in 2003.
  • Several airs as well as an extract of the opening are found in the band of film of Amadeus of Milos Forman left in 1984. The words are unfortunately translated into English, in particular for the air of Papageno “ Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja ”.
  • an adaptation in Comic S.A. realized by P. Craig Russell.
  • Marion Zimmer Bradley also made of it a book, the princess of the night .
  • the Magic Flute is a new film adaptation, sung in English, carried out in 2006 by Kenneth Branagh.

Others

  • the names of Papageno and Papagena are based on the word " Papegeai " old generic name of the Psittacidae , term replaced usually today by " Parrot ". (For this reason their body is covered with multicoloured feathers.)
  • In practice, the sound of the chime is played orchestra by a Glockenspiel.

See too

Related articles

External bonds

  • Guide of listening of '' the Magic Flute '' of Mozart (partition, analyzes, extracted vidéos).
  • trilingual Full text in English and German French (pdf)
  • Presentation of the opera
    • Video
  • of a young soprano singing the aria of the Queen of the Night (video google)
  • Partition voice and orchestra
  • Festival Operated in the open air - Edition the 2006 Magic Flute
  • Sopranistin ('' Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen '') MP3

Simple: The Magic Flute

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