Magic Flute Guide

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The Magic Flute
(Die Zauberflöte)
Opera in two acts, sung in German with projected English titles
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder
Premiered September 30, 1791, Theater auf der Wieden, Vienna
THE CHARACTERS (in order of vocal appearance)
Tamino, a prince ...................................................................................... Tenor
Three Ladies, attendants to the Queen of the Night ....................................
................................................................Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, Contralto
Papageno, a birdcatcher . ................................................................ Baritone
The Queen of the Night ......................................................................Soprano
Monostatos , servant of Sarastro ............................................................. Tenor
Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night ................................Soprano
Three Boys , spirit guides ........................................................................Trebles
Sarastro, lord of the realm of light ........................................................... Bass
Speaker for Sarastro’s order ......................................................Bass-Baritone
Two Priests of Sarastro’s order . ...............................................Tenor, Baritone
Papagena, Papageno’s intended ...................................................Soprano
Two Men in Armor, guardians of the final trials ...........................Tenor, Bass
Slaves, priests, Sarastro’s entourage
SETTING
Lyric’s production is set in a 1960s Chicago suburban home
ACT I
The Queen of the Night sends a serpent to pursue Prince Tamino, who faints.
The serpent is killed by the queen’s three ladies-in-waiting. After admiring the
handsome prince, they leave to report to their mistress.
Once awake, Tamino assumes that an extraordinary power saved him. He
meets Papageno, the queen’s birdcatcher (Aria: ), who
boasts that he strangled the serpent. Overhearing this, the ladies seal his
lips with a padlock. They give Tamino a portrait of the queen’s daughter,
Pamina, who has been abducted by Sarastro. Tamino is enraptured by the
portrait (Aria: and the queen tells Tamino that Pamina will be the
prince’s reward if he rescues her.
The ladies unlock Papageno’s mouth and inform him that he is to be
Tamino’s traveling companion. Each man receives protection: a magic flute
for Tamino, magic bells for Papageno. The Three Boys appear to guide them
to Sarastro’s realm.
Sarastro’s loathsome overseer, Monostatos, is menacing Pamina when he is
surprised by Papageno. After the terrified Monostatos flees, the birdcatcher
reveals to Pamina that she is loved by a prince. She sympathizes with
Papageno, who longs for a sweetheart.
Having followed the Three Boys, Tamino approaches the portals of Sarastro’s
temples. When he approaches the Temple of Wisdom, a dignified priest
emerges. He informs Tamino that Sarastro rules here. Remembering the
queen’s distress, Tamino is appalled, but the priest reprimands him for taking
a woman’s words to heart. Left in darkness, the apprehensive Tamino is
overwhelmed with joy when voices announce that Pamina is alive. Hearing
Papageno’s pipe in the distance, Tamino rushes off to search for him and
Pamina.
Monostatos is about to capture Papageno and Pamina when the
birdcatcher plays his bells, at which the overseer and his followers dance
away. Sarastro then arrives, Pamina confesses that she wished to escape
because Monostatos demanded her love. Sarastro says gently that he will
neither punish her nor free her. Monostatos drags in Tamino. When he asks
for a reward, Sarastro orders that he receive seventy-seven lashes instead.
After relinquishing the flute and bells, Tamino and Papageno are led to the
Initiation Temple.
A Synopsis of the Opera