The Magic Flute

I saw Mozart's The Magic Flute last night at the Michigan Theater. It's so nice to live in a city like Ann Arbor, because I can go to shows like this pretty easily and for not very much money. I've known about the famous arias, like the Queen of the Night's ultra high coloratura aria "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" ("The vengeance of Hell boils in my heart") lol . Here's the video link if you want to hear what a high F6 sounds like : ) But I didn't know what the story was actually about or that it is full of Masonic symbolism and influenced by the Enlightenment. I don't have much of an opinion about Masonry or the Enlightenment. In any case, like any good opera, it's a story about love. And Mozart wrote a great overture and several catchy arias to go along with it.

This is the basic story. Tamino, the central male protagonist, is in the woods and a serpent is there and he is scared and needs help conquering this serpent which has been chasing after him. He faints. Three enchanted women kill the serpent. They were sent on a mission by the Queen of the Night. It is revealed that Tamino must fall in love with Pamina, the Queen's daughter, so that he can rescue her from the Queen's enemy, Sarastro, who has the princess tied up at the moment with Monostatos. His reward will be Pamina. Tamino sees Pamina's portrait and is suddenly smitten. Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön ("This image is enchantingly lovely." The three enchanted women give him the magic flute. Die Zauberfloete. It has the power to turn things into their opposites. So when a group of enemies attack him, he can play the flute and they will suddenly be filled with joy and merriment to the degree that they were filled with hatred. I wish I had a flute like that. I can play the flute, but I can't quite do that - change men's hearts.

Then, the comical figure, Papageno, shows up and sings about his profession, a bird catcher. "Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja!" Then, the Queen of the Night reminds Tamino of his mission. "O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn!" (Oh Tremble not, my dear son) Tamino and Papageno find Pamina at Sarastro's palace and there is drama. And that is basically Act 1.

Act 2 : The priests, lead by Sarastro, had already decided that Tamino should be united with Pamina, but he must first successfully go through various trials and ordeals. Papageno also needs to go through trials so that he may have his bride, Papagena. The first test is to remain silent when tempted by women. When Tamino and Pamina meet again, Pamina tries to speaks to him, but he must remain firm and not say anything. Unaware of this vow of silence, she takes this as rejection. And sings the famous aria, "Ach, ich fühl's, es ist verschwunden."



Ach, ich fühl's, es ist verschwunden, (Oh, I feel it, it disappeared)

Ewig hin der Liebe Glück! (Gone forever is love's luck!)

Nimmer kommt ihr Wonnestunde (Never again comes the blissful hour)

Meinem Herzen mehr zurück! (Back to my heart!)

Sieh', Tamino, diese Tränen, (See, Tamino, these tears,)

Fließen, Trauter, dir allein! (Flowing, beloved, for you alone!)

Fühlst du nicht der Liebe Sehnen, (You do not feel the chords of love,)

So wird Ruh' im Tode sein! (Thus there will be peaceful rest in death!)

Eventually Tamino and Pamina are reunited and Tamino is allowed to speak again. But they still must go through the trials of fire, water, wind and earth....or something like that, with the help of the magic flute. Pamina also tells Tamino that this flute was carved by her father from an ancient oak tree.

Papageno finds his Papagena and they sing the famous duet, "Papageno!, Papagena!" He's so funny.

The forces of evil have not been completely conquered yet. Monostatos and the Queen of the Night destroy a temple. But then they are cast out into eternal night.

Then the chief priest, Sarastro, appears at another, more important temple and unites the lovers, praises Tamino and Pamina for enduring the trials and gives thanks to God.

And they live happily ever after...

*** I did not mean to italicize everything. I can't seem to glean out all of the italics out of the html...oh well.