The opera “The Magic Flute” is the latest creation in this genre... and one of the most mysterious. The appearance of legends surrounding this work was also facilitated by the fact that the composer’s fellow Mason was the customer. It was Emanuel Schikaneder, director of the Auf der Wieden theater. He had already staged a number of operas based on fairy-tale plots - and he needed a new work. He chose the plot - it was the fairy tale “Lulu, or the Magic Flute” from the collection of the German poet K. M. Wieland “Dzhinnistan, or Selected Tales about Fairies and Spirits.” True, while working on the libretto, another theater staged the opera “Caspar the Bassoonist,” which was also based on this fairy tale - and in order to avoid competition, the libretto had to be remade literally on the fly. This is how those plot moves appeared that may seem awkward, but give the opera a special charm.
The fairy tale by K. M. Wieland is not the only literary source of the opera “The Magic Flute”. His other works were also used - the fairy tales “Clever Boys” and “Labyrinth”, the poem “Oberon, King of Wizards”, as well as the drama “Thamos, King of Egypt” by T. F. von Gebler, the novel “Sethos” by J. Terrason. Among the sources there was also a Masonic book - “On the Mysteries of the Egyptians” by Ignaz von Born. At the “intersection” of all these sources, a philosophical fairy tale was born, telling about the spiritual ascent of man.
The embodiment of this person is the main character - Prince Tamino, who will have to go through trials and reach the heights of wisdom. These peaks are personified by the sage Sarastro. But there is another side to human nature, its bearer is Papageno - kind, cheerful, but not enough stars from the sky, it is enough for him to “eat, sleep and find a girlfriend” - in essence, the same man in the street who will soon be mercilessly branded by romanticism, but W.A. Mozart just chuckles good-naturedly at him - after all, a person cannot escape from “base” interests (which is why Tamino and Papageno are inseparable). The special wisdom with which this work is filled lies in the fact that the characters cannot be clearly divided into positive and negative (as usually happens in a fairy tale, but never happens in reality): the Queen of the Night, who at first appears majestic and beautiful, turns out to be an evil intriguer - but it is she who gives Tamino a magic flute that helps him withstand trials, and is the mother of the beautiful Pamina, who personifies love. Sarastro, who kidnapped the daughter from her mother, thereby - as it turns out - saved her. However, he can also be cruel.
As for Masonic symbolism, there really is a lot of it in the opera “The Magic Flute”: the pyramid, inside which Tamino undergoes one of the tests, the number three (three fairies, three geniuses, three tests), Sarastro, whose name is the Italian pronunciation of the name of Zoroaster - an ancient priest deeply revered by the Freemasons.
In terms of genre, The Magic Flute is a singspiel, an opera with spoken dialogue. But here - as in many of his other operas - W. A. Mozart pushes the boundaries of the genre. The melodies that characterize the kingdom of Sarastro (the introduction to the overture, the arias of this hero, the choirs of the priests) in their bright grandeur make one recall Handel’s oratorios. The musical characterization of the Queen of the Night, with its “cold” vocal virtuosity, is reminiscent of opera seria. The comedic character – Papageno – is characterized by song and dance music. Tamino's part is at first close to the style of opera seria (he is influenced by the Queen of the Night), but later - as he turns from Sarastro's enemy into his friend - the musical material that characterizes him approaches Sarastro's sphere.
The opera The Magic Flute was staged on September 30, 1791 at the Auf der Wieden theater. Both authors took part in the performance - W. A. Mozart conducted the performance, and E. Schikaneder played the role of Papageno. Josepha Hofer, the sister of the composer’s wife, performed as the Queen of the Night. The audience greeted the opera with thunderous applause; some fragments had to be performed as an encore. More than twenty performances took place - and all of them were performed in a crowded hall. Talking about the success of the opera in a letter to his wife, W. A. Mozart makes a mysterious remark: “But what pleases me most is the tacit approval.” What did the composer have in mind - perhaps approval from the Freemasons? In this case, these words could serve as a refutation of the legend connecting the untimely death of W. A. Mozart with the revenge of this secret society for divulging its secrets... One way or another, “The Magic Opera” became a brilliant conclusion to the creative path of W. A. Mozart - he passed away in December of the same year. All the material benefits from the success of the opera went to E. Schikaneder: with the proceeds, he built a new theater, decorated with a statue that depicted himself in the image of Papageno.
Musical seasons
Many writers of opera librettos often turned to fantastic plots. The struggle between Light and Darkness is an immortal theme in art. Such is Mozart’s opera “The Magic Flute,” the content of which is a heap of supernatural events, as a result of which good triumphs.
Domain of the Queen of the Night
The first act of the opera takes place high in the mountains: the handsome prince Tamino is running from a monstrous snake. Having lost hope of salvation, he loses consciousness. But the higher powers to which the young man turned heard his prayers. Three warriors rush to his aid. They admire the handsome, emotionless prince and kill the monster.
When they leave to tell their mistress, the Queen of the Night, that Tamino has been saved, a wonderful character appears next to him: a man covered with feathers, like a strange bird. In this plot line, the content of The Magic Flute is more comic than dramatic. When the prince comes to his senses and sees that the enemy is defeated, the boaster Papageno claims that it was he who saved him.
Birdcatcher does not have to enjoy undeserved gratitude for long: the real saviors appear, shame the impostor and report that, as a sign of favor, their mistress sends Tamino a portrait of her only daughter.
The prince goes in search of the princess
This is where the further action begins, because “The Magic Flute” is an opera that is literally based on love. The prince, captivated by the image of the beautiful Pamina, falls in love with her and expresses a desire to see his beloved, but this, unfortunately, is impossible. She is captured by the wizard Sarastro, who villainously kidnapped her. Tamino volunteers to come to his beloved's aid. Then the Queen of the Night herself appears, who touchingly begs him to return her daughter. And if the brave man manages to do this, then his reward will be a beautiful girl.
When completing Tamino’s task, a magic flute will help: a summary of its wonderful properties boils down to the fact that it has the ability to protect from evil and turn human hatred into devoted love. The bird catcher Papageno must also go with the prince in search of the beautiful Pamina: for this he receives wonderful bells as a gift. Despite such generosity, he is not delighted with the prospect and grumbles dissatisfiedly, but no one is interested in his objections. It ends with the heroes setting off on their journey. Three boys go with them - these are kind geniuses who should help them on the road.
A series of kidnappings
Meanwhile, the kidnapper of the girls, the wizard Sarastro, failed to save his prey. The Moor Monostatos, who was entrusted with guarding the princess, himself fell in love with the girl. Filled with passion, he in turn kidnaps her and hides her. There is a serious commotion in the palace, and Papageno suddenly finds the missing person.
He tells the kidnapped girl about Tamino, who fell in love with her after looking at the portrait - so much so that he agreed to go to the powerful Sarastro and return Pamina to her mother. It is not enough to say that the content of the opera “The Magic Flute” is built on love - it is built on the feeling that arises in the characters who are unfamiliar with each other. The impressed girl agrees to go look for Tamino, who has fallen behind his companion and come to the temple.
The priest tells the prince an unexpected truth: it turns out that Sarastro is not a villain, but a kind and fair ruler. He took his beloved away only because it was the will of the gods.
Then the young man begs to know what is with his beloved, and receives an answer: she is unharmed. Tamino is happy, but the meeting of the lovers is postponed. Although Papageno and Pamina are busy searching for the prince, Monostatos intervenes in the course of events (this is “The Magic Flute” - the summary of the opera is replete with kidnappers). The bells saved the fugitives: hearing their miraculous sound, the Moor and all his minions disappear, led by an unknown force.
Long-awaited meeting
In the next scene Sarastro appears. Pamina is frightened - she does not know how the powerful wizard reacted to her disappearance. But he not only is not angry with the girl, but also promises her help in finding Tamino. The name of the powerful wizard traces a connection with the Freemasons, to which the author of the opera “The Magic Flute” V.A. Mozart. There is even a version that this work was written by order of the lodge.
There was no need to look for the prince - the restless Monostatos caught him and brought him to the ruler, hoping to avoid punishment for kidnapping Pamina and receive a reward for the capture of her supposed savior. The scoundrel’s calculation turned out to be wrong: he is punished for unsatisfactory performance of his direct duties.
The lovers rush to each other, beside themselves with happiness.
The path to happiness
The second act begins with Sarastro informing the priests about the future fate of the young prince: he will become a servant in the temple of wisdom and its protector, and as a reward he will receive his beloved as a wife (in order for the will of the gods to be accomplished, the wizard, in fact, kidnapped her). However, not everything is so simple: “The Magic Flute”, a brief summary of which is not able to contain all the plot twists, cannot give Tamino such a high honor if he does not deserve it. Therefore, it must withstand a number of tests.
The prince happily agrees to all the conditions, saying that even death does not frighten him at all. In contrast, the “squire” Papageno is desperately cowardly: even the prospect of finding a life partner (which the priests promise) does not inspire him too much to exploits.
Mother and daughter
Minostatos managed to evade the guards (and the promised punishment). He is full of hopes to still achieve what he wants. Noticing a girl who has fallen asleep in the gazebo, he sneaks up and kisses her, but immediately takes to his heels: the voice of the Queen of the Night is heard in the garden. Waking up, Pamina tells her that Tamino abandoned the idea of returning and firmly decided to serve the gods, but her mother is not happy. She hoped that the prince would destroy the wizard and the Queen of the Night would regain her former power. Thus, the opera “The Magic Flute,” a brief summary of which can be described as a struggle between light and darkness, depicts the struggle for power in the fantasy world where the events take place.
The mother asks Pamina to persuade Tamino to run away, otherwise she will lose her lover. But the girl cannot dare to betray. Then the Queen of the Night orders her to kill the wizard, otherwise she will disown her daughter. The girl remains in fear and despair.
Hero Trials
And Tamino and Papageno (he nevertheless agreed to the tests under pressure from the priests) set off to meet their fate. The first test for them should be silence. For Tamino it turns out to be difficult: hearing the sounds of a flute, his beloved runs out to him. She rushes to the prince, but he cannot answer her. The girl is in despair: if Tamino has stopped loving her, she has no reason to live.
Papageno unexpectedly also rose to the occasion: when an ugly old woman appears, calling herself his future wife, he is so angry that she could not get a word out of him.
Now Tamino and the bird catcher face their next test. To pass it, the lover must inform Pamina that he is leaving her. She cries in horror and despair, but the prince is unshakable.
The funny Papageno doesn’t lag behind the main character: “The Magic Flute” is an opera in which happiness is destined for everyone. The ugly old woman from the previous test promises to be a good companion for him. Counting on the fact that he will subsequently be able to get rid of her, the bird catcher agrees. And suddenly - lo and behold! - the old woman appears as a young Papagena. The bird catcher is delighted: she is lovely, and she has the same wonderful tastes in clothes as her prospective husband.
Victory of light and goodness
In the next scene, Pamina is in the garden. She is inconsolable and is about to commit suicide: Tamino has renounced her and their love. Now all that remains is to die, but three geniuses who appear out of nowhere console the girl: the prince is faithful to her.
Tamino approaches the cave, where the final, third test awaits him. Then Pamina appears: she has finally found her beloved, and now they will always be together. A magic flute helps them both pass the exam. A summary of the bird catcher's ordeals would be tragic if it were not funny. At first, Papageno was unlucky: he chickened out, and for this the gods took his bride away from him. But the good geniuses came to the rescue again: after ringing the bells on their advice, the bird catcher gets it back.
The Queen of the Night makes her last attempt to destroy her rival: having enlisted the support of the same Minostatos, she is going to destroy the temple. But then, finally, the day comes, and she becomes powerless: light has defeated darkness, and the priests praise Sarastro.
It is not at all surprising that the work ends so life-affirmingly, since the author of the opera “The Magic Flute” is Mozart. A summary will never be able to convey the main thing: the beautiful, sublime music of a brilliant composer, which is able to compensate for any shortcomings of the plot.
With libretto (in German) by Emanuel Schikaneder, possibly co-authored with Karl Ludwig Gieseke.
Characters:
TAMINO, Egyptian prince (tenor)
PAPAGENO, birdcatcher (baritone)
ZARASTRO, High Priest of Isis and Osiris (bass)
QUEEN OF THE NIGHT (soprano)
PAMINA, her daughter (soprano)
MONOSTATOS, chief of the temple slaves (tenor)
PAPAGENA (soprano)
THREE LADIES, fairies of the queen of the night (two sopranos and one mezzo-soprano)
THREE GENIUS OF THE TEMPLE (two sopranos and one mezzo-soprano)
ORATOR (bass)
TWO PRIESTS (tenor and bass)
TWO WARRIORS IN ARMOR (tenor and bass)
Time of action: uncertain, but approximately during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses I.
Setting: Egypt.
First performance: Vienna, Theater Auf der Wieden, 30 September 1791.
"The Magic Flute" is what the Germans call a Singspiel, that is, a play (dramatic work) with singing, like an operetta, or a musical comedy, or an opera ballad, or even an opera comique ( fr. - comic opera). Most operettas and musical comedies demonstrate certain absurdities and absurdities in their plots, and this opera is no exception. For example, the Queen of the Night appears as a good woman in the first act, and as a villain in the second. Further, this whole story begins as a romantic fairy tale, and then takes on a serious religious character. In fact, the rites of the Temple of Isis and Osiris are generally considered to reflect the ideals of the Masonic order, and various critics, writing about the opera long after the death of the author, found deep political symbolism in the second act of the opera. Perhaps this is so, since both creators of the opera - Mozart and his librettist - were Freemasons, and Freemasonry was not officially supported (in 1794, Emperor Leopold II completely banned the activities of Masonic lodges - A.M.).
Today such questions do not seem to matter much. Much more important is the fact that Schikaneder, this eccentric actor-singer-writer-impresario, who appears and disappears somewhere, ordered this work from his old friend Mozart in the last year of the composer’s life, precisely at the moment when Mozart was in extraordinary need of such an order. Mozart wrote his magnificent work with specific singers in mind, for example Schikaneder himself, this very modest baritone, sang the part of Papageno, while Josepha Hofer, Mozart's sister-in-law, was a brilliant, sparkling coloratura soprano, and it was for her that the arias of the Queen of the Night were composed . Giesecke, who may have had a hand in writing the opera's libretto (he later claimed to have written the entire libretto), was a man of scientific and literary talent and may have served as a model for Goethe's Wilhelm Meister, but he had no great stage talent. and he was appointed to the role of the first warrior in armor.
As for all sorts of absurdities in the plot, they can be attributed to the fact that, while the libretto was being written, one of the competing theaters successfully staged the opera “Caspar the Bassoonist, or the Magic Zither” by a certain Libeskind, which was based on the same story, which Schikaneder developed - “Lulu, or The Magic Flute,” one of the tales in the collection of Christoph Martin Wieland. It is believed that Schikaneder changed the entire plot already in the middle of the work, that is, after the entire first act had already been written and work on the second had begun. This is a pure hypothesis, and the only available evidence for it is indirect.
Despite the absurdities (or perhaps because of them), this opera always radiated the charm of a fairy tale and was a huge success from the very beginning. This success did not help Mozart too much. He died thirty-seven days after the premiere. As for Schikaneder, he was able - partly from the income from performances of the opera, which were held with constant success - to build himself, seven years later, a completely new theater and crown it with a sculpture depicting himself in Papageno's bird feathers. That was the peak of his career, and fourteen years later he died, mentally ill, in the same poverty as Mozart.
OVERTURE
The overture begins solemnly with three powerful dotted chords, which later sound in the opera in the most solemn moments associated with priestly images. But everything else in the overture (with the exception of the repetition of these chords, which now sound like a reminder) is permeated with light and fun and written in a fugue style - everything, as it should be in an overture to a fairy tale.
ACT I
Scene 1. The fairy tale itself begins - as a fairy tale should - with the fact that a young prince was lost in the valley. His name is Tamino and he is being pursued by an evil snake. Tamino calls for help and, losing consciousness, eventually falls to the ground unconscious. At this moment, three ladies save him. These are the fairies of the Queen of the Night - of course, supernatural creatures. They are completely enchanted by the beauty of the young man lying unconscious. Then they leave to notify their mistress about the young man who has wandered into their domain. At this moment the main comedic character appears on the stage. This is Papageno, a birder by profession. He introduces himself with a cheerful folk-style melody - the aria "Der Vogelfanger bin ich ja" ("I am the most dexterous bird-catcher"). He says that he loves to catch birds, but it would be better for him to catch his wife. At the same time, he plays along with himself on the pipe - an instrument that we will hear later.
Papageno tells Tamino that the prince found himself in the domain of the Queen of the Night and that it was he, Papageno, who saved him from the terrible snake by killing him (in fact, the snake was killed by three fairies of the Queen of the Night, they cut it into three parts). For this lie, he receives punishment from the fairies who returned here - his lips are locked. Then they show Tamino a portrait of a lovely girl. This is the daughter of the Queen of the Night, who was kidnapped by an evil sorcerer and whom Tamino must save. Tamino immediately falls in love with the girl depicted in the portrait and sings an aria, which is called the aria with the portrait (“Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schon” - “What a charming portrait”). The mountains shake and move apart, the Queen of the Night herself appears, she sits on the throne and in a dramatic and incredibly difficult aria “O zittre nicht mein lieber Sohn” (“Oh, do not be afraid, my young friend”) tells Tamino about her daughter and promises to give him she will be his wife if he frees her. The first scene concludes with the quintet, one of the finest ensembles in opera, rivaling the magnificent finales of The Marriage of Figaro, although written in a completely different style. During this finale, the three fairies give Tamino a magic flute, the sounds of which are capable of taming and pacifying the most evil forces, and Papageno, this bird catcher, is given musical bells, since he must accompany Tamino in his search for Pamina, and these also magic bells will protect him from all dangers.
Scene 2 takes place in Sarastro's palace. He is the head of a secret and powerful Egyptian religious caste, and it is in his possession that Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night, is now in his possession. Here she is guarded by the comical villain Moor Monostatos. He kidnapped Pamina, threatening her with death if she refused to belong to him. At a critical moment, Papageno accidentally wanders in here. He and Monostatos are terribly scared of each other, which is actually extremely comical. No eight-year-old child would be afraid of such a meeting. Monostatos eventually escapes, and when Pamina and Papageno are alone, the birdcatcher convinces her that there is one young man who loves her, and that he will soon come to save her. She, in turn, assures Papageno that he too will soon find a girlfriend. They sing a charming duet in praise of tenderness (“Bei Mannern welche Liebe fuhlen” - “When a man is a little in love”).
Scene 3. The scene changes again. This time it is the grove near the Temple of Sarastro. Tamino is led by three pages. These are the geniuses of the temple, they encourage him, but do not answer his questions. Left alone in a grove near three temples, he tries to enter each of the doors. A voice sounding from behind the doors warns him against entering two temples, but then the third door opens and the high priest himself appears. From a rather long (and - I have to admit this - rather boring) conversation, Tamino learns that Sarastro is not the villain he thought, and that Pamina is somewhere nearby and alive. In gratitude for this information, Tamino plays a wonderful melody on his magic flute, and then sings the same beautiful melody (“Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton” - “How full of enchantment is the magic sound”). Suddenly he hears the sounds of Papageno's pipe and rushes towards him. Pamina and Papageno appear. They are pursued by the comical villain Monostatos, who wants to put Pamina in chains. At a critical moment, Papageno remembers his magic bells. He plays them (they sound like a child's musical snuffbox), and the wonderful melody makes the Moorish servants and Monostatos himself dance in the most harmless way. Pamina and Papageno sing a charming duet. He is interrupted by the sounds of a solemn march - the stern Sarastro with his entire retinue is approaching. He forgives the girl for her attempt to escape. Monostatos bursts in with Prince Tamino, who has also been captured. Monostatos demands a reward from Sarastro and receives it - the one he deserves, namely seventy-seven blows with a stick for his insolence. The action ends with Tamino and Pamina solemnly preparing to perform the rites of passage that will determine whether they are worthy of each other.
ACT II
Scene 1. In the second act of the opera, scenes change much faster than in the first. The music in it becomes more serious. For example, the very first scene is the meeting of the priests of Isis and Osiris in a palm grove. Sarastro informs the priests that Tamino has been chosen to marry Pamina, who has come to them, but first this couple must prove that she is worthy to join the Temple of Light. He pronounces his famous appeal to the gods “O Isis und Osiris” (“His temple, Isis and Osiris”). Bernard Shaw once said of this majestic and simple aria with a male choir: “This is music that can be put into the mouth of God without blasphemy.”
Scene 2. At the walls of the temple, Tamino and Papageno meet priests who give them the most necessary cult instructions. The two priests (who sing in an octave, probably to make their instructions perfectly clear) warn the prince and the birdcatcher to be on their guard and not to fall for women's tricks, because women are the root of all human troubles. Three ladies appear from the Queen of the Night. They, in turn, warn our heroes against the priests and threaten them with a terrible fate. Papageno enters into conversation with them, while the smart Tamino does not give in to this temptation. He stands the test of silence. Then the choir of priests (singing off stage) sends these messengers of the Queen of the Night back to where they came from.
Scene 3. The scene changes again. This time we have a garden in front of us - Pamina is sleeping in a gazebo covered with roses. Monostatos, who managed to escape punishment, is again near her - he has not given up the thought of pursuing the girl and is trying to kiss her. At this moment, her mother, the Queen of the Night, appears. In her terrifying aria of revenge, she demands that Pamina kill Sarastro herself. She puts a dagger in her hand and threatens that if she does not do this and does not remove the sacred solar disk from his chest, she will be cursed by her. This revenge aria (“Der Holle Rache kocht” - “The thirst for revenge burns in my chest”) with its two high “Fs” always turned out to be a stumbling block for dozens of sopranos who were otherwise quite suitable for this role.
Immediately after the disappearance of the Queen of the Night, Monostatos returns. He overheard a conversation between a mother and her daughter and now demands from the girl that she belong to him - this should be her payment for her silence about her conspiracy with the Queen of the Night. But Pamina manages to escape again - this time thanks to the arrival of Sarastro. When Pamina is in prayer, he explains to her that within the walls of this temple there is no place for revenge and only love binds people here. An aria of extraordinary beauty and nobility sounds (“In diesen heil" gen Hallen” - “Enmity and revenge are alien to us”).
Scene 4. In some productions, at this moment there is an intermission, and the next scene opens the third act. However, in most published scores this is just another scene of the second act - a hall, and quite a spacious one at that. The two priests continue to instruct Tamino and Papageno, imposing a vow of silence on them and threatening punishment with thunder and lightning if this vow is broken. Tamino is a very obedient young man, but the birdcatcher cannot keep his mouth shut, especially when an ugly old witch appears who tells him, firstly, that she has just turned eighteen years old and, secondly, that she has a lover, slightly older than her, named Papageno. But just as she is about to say her name, thunder and lightning are heard and she instantly disappears. Immediately after this, the three boys appear once more and, in a charming terzetto, present Tamino and Papageno not only with food and drink, but also with their magic flute and bells, which were taken from them. While the birdcatcher is enjoying his meal and the prince is playing his flute, Pamina appears; she resolutely heads towards her lover. She knows nothing about his vow of silence and, not understanding his behavior, sings a sad aria (“Ach, ich fuhl"s, es ist verschwunden” - “Everything is gone”). At the end of this scene, trombones sound, calling on Papageno and Tamino for a new test.
Scene 5. In the next scene, Pamina finds herself at the temple gates. She is filled with fear, for she is afraid that she will never see her beloved Prince Tamino again. Sarastro, in the most consoling tones, convinces her that everything will be fine, but in the next terzetto (with Tamino) she is by no means sure of this. Tamino is taken away, and the two lovers pray that they will meet again.
Scene 6. Now - as a kind of change of mood - the action turns again to Papageno. He is informed (by the Orator) that he is deprived of "heavenly pleasures which are bestowed upon initiates." But he doesn't really need them. A good glass of wine is much dearer to him than all the shrines of wisdom. The wine loosens his tongue and he sings his song. He has only one desire: to get himself a lifelong friend or at least a wife! His recent acquaintance appears - an old witch. She demands from him an oath of allegiance to her, otherwise he will remain here forever, cut off from the world, only on bread and water. As soon as Papageno agrees to such a marriage, the witch turns into a young girl, dressed in feathers, to match Papageno. Her name is Papagena! However, they cannot get married yet. The birder must first earn it. And the Speaker takes her away.
Scene 7. The next scene takes place in the garden, where the three geniuses of the temple of Sarastro eagerly await the triumph of the goddess. But poor Pamina is suffering. There is a dagger in her hand. She thinks that Tamino has completely forgotten her, and she will never see him again. She is ready to commit suicide. Just then the boys stop her and promise to take her to Tamino.
Scene 8. The boys did everything as they were told. The prince will face the final test of the four elements - fire, water, earth and air. He is taken away by priests and two warriors in armor, who this time again give their instructions in an octave. Just before he enters the terrible gates, Pamina runs out. She wants only one thing - to share the prince's fate. Two warriors allow her to do this. Tamino takes out his magic flute, he plays it, and the lovers pass through these trials painlessly. And so, when everything is behind them, a joyful choir greets them.
Scene 9. But what about our friend Papageno? Well, of course, he is still looking for his beloved, his Papagena. He calls her again and again in the garden and, finding no one, decides, like Pamina, to commit suicide. With great reluctance, he ties a rope to a tree branch, ready to hang himself. But those three boys (the geniuses of the temple) who saved Pamina also save him. They advise him to play his magic bells. He plays and a gentle little girl bird appears. They sing a charming comic duet “Ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-Rarageno” (“Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-Papageno”). Their dream is to create a big, big family.
Scene 10. And finally, another scene change. Monostatos now allied himself with the Queen of the Night, who promised him Pamina. Together with the three fairies of the Queen of the Night, they captured the temple of Sarastro. But they cannot defeat Sarastro. Thunder roars and lightning flashes, and the villainous quintet disappears into the bowels of the earth. The temple of Isis and Osiris appears. And this fabulous opera ends with a triumphant chorus of priests crowning Tamino and Pamina with crowns of Wisdom and Beauty.
Henry W. Simon (translated by A. Maikapara)
The history of the creation of this last opera by Mozart must be, at least briefly, restored. Between 1790 and 1791 the composer was quite far from the operatic genre. After the death of Emperor Joseph II (in February 1790), Leopold II ascended the throne, who did not have the same respect for music as Joseph. In addition, the superintendent of the imperial theaters, Count Orsini Rosemberg, and the librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte, who could have encouraged Mozart to write music for a theatrical work, left their positions. In addition, the Jesuits demanded the closure of Masonic lodges, which were already suspected by the authorities as the inspirers of the revolution in France. Mozart, who belonged to the Masonic organization, was thus deprived of important connections that could help him end the increasingly persistent poverty that haunted him. Nevertheless, in March 1791, Emmanuel Schikaneder, an outstanding actor, entrepreneur, freethinker associated with the Freemasons, entrusted Mozart with the creation of the opera, writing its libretto. Schikaneder had recently become the director of a theater in the Vienna suburbs (theater Auf der Wieden), which broke with mythological performances that required large expenditures on stage machinery. Here, in this theater, The Magic Flute received approval and began its victorious path through the German countries, from success to success. The composer himself wrote to his wife during performances at the Auf der Wieden theater: “The hall is invariably full. Duet “Man and Woman” (We are talking about the duet of Pamina and Papageno “When a man is a little in love.”), “Bells” from the first act, as before, require an encore. Just like the trio of pages from the second act. But what makes me most happy is the tacit approval! It feels like opera is growing more and more in public opinion.” Applause accompanied the opera until the composer's death in December of the same 1791, when he was buried as an unknown pauper.
It is noted that the plot of “The Magic Flute” is associated with the mythology of Ancient Egypt, recreated from ancient Greek sources, and is nourished by the cultural atmosphere in which the myth of Isis and Osiris was seen as having a certain influence on all subsequent religions. In reality, Isis and Osiris are sung only by the priests, the servants of this cult: the cult of suffering and light, which will also be remembered by Beethoven in Fidelio and Wagner in Tannhäuser. The rest of the action of the opera takes place in an eastern setting, and Egypt occupies only a small part of it. A variety of exotic customs depict a Masonic ritual and at the same time a cheerful children's fairy tale, something between a puppet show and a circus performance. After the acutely satirical depiction of morals, which gives the opera a cheerful comic fervor, Mozart turns to the creation of a temple of concord. We are transported into a truly Goethean atmosphere; instincts are subject to the laws of wisdom and kindness, the belief in the existence of which on earth still remains, although the French Revolution showed that the balance of enormous theocratic power is more than illusory.
Mozart's caustic and crafty mind is also felt in The Magic Flute and softens the importance and severity of moral edifications, symbols, tests, concepts, systems present in the opera and almost pressing on the viewer. The playfulness is evident in the very structure chosen for this charming tale. Before us is a real Singspiel. The alternation of words and music - prolonged and clearly pronounced sound - creates something airy, rational and at the same time simple. A heart burning with love that fights darkness and deception, humanism, which is the essence of the opera, is also visible in the images of such funny puppets as the Moor Monostatos, an erotomaniac who pours out his feelings with exciting sincerity: “Everyone tastes the joys of love, the trumpet sounds, calling for caresses and kisses. And I have to give up love, because the Moors are ugly!.. But I also love girls!”
Mozart makes the loving Moor perform vocal pirouettes with magnificent ease, not with the lyrical and pure ease of Cherubino from “The Marriage of Figaro”, but with an ease more caricatured, but nevertheless achieving a softness and delicacy, like the whim of a child alien to vice. The music surrounds him with a fantastically legendary brilliance, already reminiscent of Mendelssohn and Rossini. Above him in the heights, as if on an imaginary circus rope, the Queen of the Night moves in an acrobatic sketch, there, under the illuminated vault, making magnificent flights on the trapeze, demonstrating the utmost vocal virtuosity, so that the sound of her voice reverberates in the empty interstellar spaces. This airy creature, a poor restless soul, was supposed to become the bearer of evil, but there is nothing harmful in her, only something sad, animal and at the same time human: this is a mother, powerful and defeated, whose daughter was kidnapped. In a fairy tale about animals, Pamina's mother would be a bird of prey at night; here the emphasized sonority of her voice is, as it were, a further exaltation of the bell ringing of Papageno, the man-beast currying favor with the wise men, who, like Monostatos, is driven by lust. As much as Papageno is simple-minded and greedy, Monostatos is so stupid and restless, but they are similar to each other. Everything in The Magic Flute has a common origin, forming, as it were, the roots and branches of one tree. Everyone is attracted by the power of love, which Sarastro and his priests try to balance between love-lust and love-disposition. Strict solemnity, dramatic tension (going back to Bach's passions and Handel's oratorios) reign at the entrance to the sanctuary and reinforce the words of Sarastro's anticipating Parsifal, the only words that, as J. B. Shaw wrote, could be put into the mouth of a god without risking committing blasphemy. The instrumental part of the opera is an architectural structure filled with a certain meaning - sparkling and at the same time porous, like beautiful antique glass, fragile, with warm reflections. The orchestral part, as it were, takes under its protection innocent toy instruments, from Tamino's flute to Papageno's pipes and bells, including the darkly deep sound of fanfares, and accompanies large choirs during a ritual close to the Masonic. The choice of timbres already testifies to calm attention to every good aspiration, no matter how insignificant it may be. In this opera, with its silks and sparkles of puppet performance, suffering and the one who experiences it win. This is especially evident in the image of Pamina, who is destined to become a victim. Her love aria (“Oh Tamino! These tears, like flames, burn me”) contains a whole series of vocal difficulties: these difficulties symbolize the moral tests proposed by Sarastro, and at the same time they are associated with the desire upward, towards the mother. This is a Bach aria, but without the persistently questioning accompaniment of the orchestra, which, on the contrary, slows down more and more, its trembling becomes weaker, it also reaches a spiritual level, depicting sadness and humility.
Tamino and Pamina confidently go from test to test; finally the magic flute, preceded by soft timpani, guides the young people through water and fire and through the horror of stage mechanics designed to test the courage of the candidates. Tamino, an ardent, already romantic hero, finds in a mysterious temple an ideal that he could not find in life. Papageno wanders around the temple, also happy, holding the hand of his Papagena, who is eager to give him many little Papagenos. Monostatos, unfortunately, received cuffs and was exiled into darkness, like the Queen of the Night. The union of light and darkness has not been achieved; agreement comes only after the victory won by light over darkness, that is, after the external victory of joy. Darkness meant suffering, but also tenderness, the mother's womb. So, when creating a future ideal society, there should be no alternative to light; a person is still seduced by the absence of obstacles and doubts about choice. But Mozart himself knows how light and darkness compensate each other and that a true temple is nothing more than life.
G. Marchesi (translated by E. Greceanii)
History of creation
The libretto of The Magic Flute was proposed to Mozart in March 1791 by his longtime friend, the entrepreneur of one of the theaters in the Vienna suburb, Emmanuel Schikaneder (1751-1812). Selected tales about fairies and spirits" (1786-1789). Schikaneder processed this plot in the spirit of popular folk extravaganzas of that time, full of exotic wonders. Its libretto features the sage Sarastro appearing in a chariot drawn by lions, the vengeful Queen of the Night, fairies, magical boys and savages, Masonic trials in the Egyptian pyramid and mysterious transformations.
In this naive plot, Mozart, however, invested a serious moral and philosophical idea, his deepest, most cherished thoughts. Having absorbed a lot from the philosophy of the Enlightenment, he was inspired by the ideals of equality, brotherhood of people, faith in the primordial nature of good, the possibility of moral improvement of man, in the ultimate triumph of light and reason. The sublime philosophy of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” attracted the sympathy of outstanding minds of that time. “The kingdom of the night, the queen, the solar kingdom, mysteries, initiations, wisdom, love, trials, and, moreover, certain commonplaces of morality that are magnificent in their ordinariness,” Hegel wrote in his “Aesthetics,” “all this, with depth, enchanting cordiality and the soulfulness of the music, expands and fills the imagination and warms the heart.” Among all Mozart's operas, Beethoven especially singled out The Magic Flute. Goethe compared it with the second part of his Faust and made an attempt to write its continuation.
The humanistic ideals of this opera have the character of a naive utopia, which was characteristic of the progressive views of the late 18th century. But in addition, they are invested with mystery and mystical symbolism associated with the ideas and rituals of the Masonic society, the order of “freemasons”, of which both Mozart and Schikaneder were members. This society united many leading people of Austria, sought to spread education, fight superstitions, remnants of the Middle Ages, and the influence of Catholicism. Suffice it to say that the French bourgeois revolution of 1789 in aristocratic circles was explained by a “Masonic conspiracy,” and in 1794, the Austrian Emperor Leopold II banned the activities of Masonic lodges.
In Mozart's interpretation, social utopia and fantasy are mixed with humor, apt life observations, and rich everyday touches. Fantastic characters have acquired the characters of real people. The evil and vengeful queen of the night turned out to be a despotic, stubborn and treacherous woman. Three fairies from her retinue are ladies of the demimonde, talkative, absurd, playfully sensual. The savage birdcatcher Papageno is a handsome everyman, a curious, cowardly and talkative merry fellow, dreaming only of a bottle of wine and a little family happiness. The most ideal image is Sarastro, the personification of reason, goodness, harmony. Tamino, a man seeking the truth and coming to it through a series of trials, rushes between his solar kingdom and the kingdom of the night.
This is how the optimistic idea of “The Magic Flute,” Mozart’s last opera, his favorite creation, is embodied. The opera premiered on September 30, 1791 under the direction of the composer, just over two months before his death.
Music
Papageno is musically characterized by the cheerful aria “I am the bird-catcher known to all,” in the spirit of a folk dance song; after each verse the simple-minded roulades of his pipe sound. Tamino's aria with the portrait “Such magical beauty” combines song, virtuoso and recitative elements in a lively, excited speech. The Queen of the Night’s aria “My days pass in suffering” begins with a slow, majestically sad melody; the second part of the aria is a brilliant, decisive allegro. The quintet (three fairies, Tamino and Papageno) vividly juxtaposes the comic mooing of Papageno (with a lock on his lips), the sympathetic remarks of the prince, and the fluttering phrases of the fairies. In the second picture, the duet of Pamina and Papageno “Who Tenderly Dreams of Love”, written in the form of a simple verse song, stands out; his simple, heartfelt melody gained wide popularity in the composer’s homeland. The finale of the first act is a large stage with choirs of priests and slaves, ensembles and recitatives, in the center of which is Tamino’s jubilantly bright aria with the flute “How full of enchantment is the magic sound,” and a choir of slaves dancing to Papageno’s bells; the act is concluded by a solemn chorus.
The second act involves frequent changes of scene and contains seven scenes. The opening march of the priests (orchestra) sounds muffled and solemn, reminiscent of a chorale. In the first scene, Sarastro’s majestically sublime aria with the chorus “O you, Isis and Osiris” is contrasted with a lively quintet, where the incessant chirping of the fairies of the Queen of the Night is interspersed with short replicas of Tamino and Papageno, trying to remain silent.
The following picture gives three remarkably vivid musical portraits: the defiantly daring aria of Monostatos “Everyone can enjoy”, the aria of the Queen of the Night “The thirst for revenge burns in my chest”, to which the Italian coloraturas give a parodic shade, and the calm, melodically expressive aria of Sarastro “Enmity and Revenge” are alien to us."
At the beginning of the third scene, the airy terzetto of the magical boys with fluttering passages in the orchestra, sustained in the rhythm of an elegant minuet, attracts attention. The aria of the saddened Pamina “Everything is gone” is a magnificent example of Mozart’s operatic monologue, marked by melodic richness and truthfulness of declamation. In the terzetto, the excited melodic phrases of Pamina and Tamino are contrasted with the strict recitation of Sarastro. The lyrical scene gives way to a comedic one: Papageno’s aria “To Find a Friend of the Heart” is full of carelessness and humor of folk dance tunes.
The scene of the meeting between the magical boys and Pamina is deeply impressive; Pamina’s remarks intrude into the light transparent sound of their terzetto in dramatic sharp contrast. This scene begins the finale of the second act, permeated by the continuous musical development that unites the last three scenes.
In the fifth scene, after a stern and alarming orchestral introduction, the strict measured chorale of the men-at-arms “Who has walked this path” sounds; with their archaic melody they accompany the enthusiastic duet of Pamina and Tamino. Their next duet, “We Walked Boldly Through Smoke and Fire,” is accompanied by the orchestra with a solemn march that sounds as if in the distance.
The comedy line of the opera naturally ends with the duet of Papageno and Papagena - full of genuine humor, reminiscent of the carefree chirping of birds.
The last picture begins in sharp contrast: an ominous march, muted by the quintet of the Queen of the Night, her three fairies and Monostatos. The opera concludes with the brilliant, jubilant chorus “Reasonable force has won the struggle.”
M. Druskin
Written in the traditional Singspiel form, Mozart's last opera is a true masterpiece, one of the most popular works of musical theater. An amazing wealth of expressive means, humanistic content and inspired melodicism distinguish this work, which has made a triumphant march throughout the world.
The first production in Russia took place in 1797 (by a German troupe). The opera was first staged on the Russian stage in 1818 (Mariinsky Theatre). A major event was the production of the opera in 1906 at the Bolshoi Theater (soloists Bonacich, Salina, Nezhdanova, etc., director U. Avranek). Among modern productions, we note the 1956 performance at the Metropolitan Opera (director Walter, the role of the Queen of the Night was brilliantly performed by R. Peters). The most important event in artistic life was the design of the Metropolitan Opera production (1967) by M. Chagall.
Of outstanding importance are the recordings of Beecham (1937, as Pamina T. Lemnitz), Frichai (1954). In 1974, Swedish film director I. Bergman created an opera film.
13 January 2015, 14:19Good afternoon, dear gossips!
To be honest, I have never been a big fan of opera. I liked ballet much more. But due to the fact that my little enlightened nephews (10 and 8 years old) love opera, I had to overcome myself and watch the opera with them.
It all started with Carmen, who simply fascinated them. Then there was Cinderella (they had to watch a billion different productions until they found their favorite), The Barber of Seville and much more. But my world was turned upside down by Mozart's The Magic Flute.
"The Magic Flute" is Mozart's Singspiel opera in two acts; libretto by E. Schikaneder. Opera-singspiel, i.e. with spoken dialogues (maybe at least thanks to these spoken dialogues my level of German will improve significantly)))
Summary
Act I. Prince Tamino got lost in the mountains, fleeing from a snake. Three ladies, servants of the Queen of the Night, save him from the serpent. The awakened prince sees the birdcatcher Papageno, pretending that it was he who saved the prince. The three ladies are outraged by his bragging and punish him by putting a padlock on his mouth. The ladies tell the prince that he has been saved by the Queen of the Night, who gives him a portrait of her daughter Pamina. Tamino falls in love with the portrait. According to the Queen of the Night, the girl was kidnapped by the evil wizard Sarastro. The prince goes to save Pamina. The queen gives him a magic flute that will help him overcome evil. Papageno receives magic bells and must, at the behest of the Queen, help the prince. Accompanied by three boys, they set off on their journey.
The Moor Monostatos, who was guarding Pamina in the wizard’s castle, kidnapped her. Papageno enters the room where the girl is hidden. The bird catcher and the Moor are frightened of each other, the Moor runs away. Papageno tells Pamina that his mother sent him, and about Prince Tamino, who fell in love with her from the portrait. The girl agrees to run, the Moor gives chase. Tamino at this time is in a sacred grove with three temples. The priest tells the prince that he was deceived: Sarastro is actually a good wizard, not an evil one, and he kidnapped Pamina by the will of the gods. Tamino begins to play the flute and hears the bells on Papageno's suit. At the sound of the magic flute, the Moor is forced to stop the chase. Sarastro promises to help Pamina meet Tamino. Monostatos appears, having captured the prince. Tamino and Pamina throw themselves into each other's arms.
Act II. Sarastro reveals to the priests that Tamino has been sent to become the protector of the Temple of Wisdom from the Queen of the Night, and as a reward will receive Pamina as his wife, for which she was kidnapped. The prince faces trials. Meanwhile, Monostatos pursues Pamina again. But the voice of the Queen of the Night is heard, and he runs away. The queen is in despair that Prince Tamino wants to devote himself to serving the temple, and asks her daughter to influence him. She refuses. The queen threatens to disown her daughter if she does not kill the wizard.
In the temple, the prince and Papageno are subjected to the first test - silence. Pamina thinks that the prince has stopped loving her. Second test - Tamino is told that he must say goodbye to Pamina forever. And he leaves her. But Papageno, seeing a wonderful girl, does not stand the test - he finally found his Papagena.
Pamina wants to die, but three boys calm her down. The prince has one last test: to go through fire and water. Pamina appears to go with him. The magic flute will help them. Papageno is punished, he lost Papagena. But three boys remind him of the magic bells that should help him find his beloved again. The Queen of the Night makes a last attempt: she promises her daughter to Monostatos if he helps destroy the temple. But the day comes, and the power of the Queen disappears. The darkness dissipates and the sun rises. The priests praise Sarastro's kindness and intelligence.
There are a huge number of productions. But my nephews and I liked two of them the most:
Cartoon from the Opera Vox series
True, the opera has been well shortened and the arias are performed in English. But it's not that important. The cartoon is really very beautifully drawn, the arias are impeccably performed. But the main thing is how wonderfully my dear Papageno and Papagena are depicted)
Theater Royal Covent Garden production (2003)
Simply the best (in my opinion) production. In the rest, something is wrong.
First of all, I like the cast.
Divine Diana Damrau in the role Queens of the night. She is exactly what you imagine the Queen of the Night to be - cold, menacing, powerful.
By the way, sometimes listening to her arias I wonder: did Mozart, when he wrote the opera, remember that people would perform it?! Sometimes it seems to me that he did not remember. The Queen of the Night’s arias are painfully complex) For example, the famous aria “Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen” ( The thirst for revenge burns in my soul.)
Tamino-Will Hartmann And Pamina-Dorothea Reschmann They performed their parts well, but did not cause any special delight in me.
The main diamond of this production is Simon Keenlyside as Papageno! How he sings, how he plays! He never left his character for a second. Frankly, I had never heard of him before, but after The Magic Flute I became his big fan.
Next, costumes. In many productions, the costumes are one more ridiculous than the other (I hope that’s how to put it). Either the Prince is dressed as Little Mook, or the Queen of the Night is dressed in such a way that it is simply difficult for her to sing in her costume, or Papageno’s costume seems to have been dipped in glue and then sprinkled with feathers. It’s difficult to empathize with the characters when they are dressed up as jesters. Everything is perfect in this production (just look at Papageno’s hat))
That's all. I hope I didn't bore you.
Thank you for your attention:)
And finally, Keenlyside as Olivier (I know this is off topic, but I couldn’t resist))))
Magical flute
opera in two acts
composer - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder
Characters
Queen of the Night (soprano)
Pamina, her daughter (soprano)
First Lady of the Queen of the Night's Retinue (soprano)
Second Lady of the Queen of the Night's Retinue (soprano)
Third Lady of the Queen of the Night's Retinue (soprano)
Tamino, Prince (tenor)
Sarastro (bass)
Speaker (bass)
Monostatos, Moor in the service of Sarastro (tenor)
Papageno, bird catcher (bass)
Papagena, Papageno's bride (soprano)
First Warrior (tenor)
Second Warrior (bass)
Three boys, priests, servants, people.
Time of action: uncertain, but approximately during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses I.
Setting: Egypt.
ACT ONE
PICTURE ONE
Rugged rocky terrain, partially covered with trees; there are hills on both sides of the stage. A new temple is visible. There is a gorge in the depths. Tamino quickly descends from one of the rocks with a bow, but no arrows. He is being pursued by the Serpent.
Help! Help me or I'll die!
Help! Help me or I'll die
doomed to fall victim to the insidious serpent.
Merciful gods!
Here he comes closer and closer,
Here he comes closer and closer.
The Serpent appears.
Ah, save me, ah, save, save, protect me!
He reaches the gorge and falls, losing consciousness. The temple door immediately opens; three veiled ladies come out, each with a silver spear.
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD LADIES
Perish, monster, at our hands!
They kill the Snake.
Triumph! Triumph!
A heroic deed has been accomplished!
He is freed by the courage of our hands,
the courage of our hands!
FIRST LADY
looking around Tamino
Charming young man, gentle and beautiful!
SECOND LADY
I have never seen such a beautiful young man before.
THIRD LADY
Yes Yes! That's right, beautiful as a picture.
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD LADIES
If I were to dedicate my heart to love, then this,
it would probably be this young man. Let's hurry to our
lady and we will tell her this news.
Perhaps this wonderful man can restore
her lost peace, restore her lost peace.
FIRST LADY
Go ahead and tell her. In the meantime, I'll stay here.
SECOND LADY
No, no, you both go. I'll follow him here!
THIRD LADY
No, no, it can't be like that. I will guard it alone.
FIRST LADY
I'll stay here for now.
SECOND LADY
I'll follow him here.
THIRD LADY
I will guard it alone.
FIRST LADY
I'll stay!
SECOND LADY
I'll follow!
THIRD LADY
I'll keep watch!
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD LADIES
About myself
Am I supposed to go? Well, well, that would be a wonderful thing!
They want to be alone with him. No! No! This can't be true.
What I wouldn’t give to live with this young man!
If only I could have it alone!
However, no one comes; you can not do it this way.
The best thing for me is to leave now!
Wonderful and tempting youth, dear youth, farewell!
Until I see you again!
They leave through the temple door.
He wakes up and looks around in surprise.
Where I am? Is this a dream or am I still alive? Or am I saved by some higher power?
What? Is the serpent dead? What is this I hear? Where I am?
Papageno walks down the path with a large birdcage on his back containing various birds. He holds a pipe in both hands, which he plays and sings. He is dressed in strange clothes made of feathers.
PAPAGENO
I know how to fish and how to be excellent at pipe playing.
That's why I can be cheerful and joyful, that's why all the birds, of course, are mine.
The bird catcher is me, always joyful, hurray, hurray!
As a birder, I am known to both young and old everywhere on earth.
I would also like a net for girls, then I would catch dozens of them for myself!
Then I would lock them up with me, and all the girls would be mine.
I would trade birds for sugar to feed my girls;
only one that I like the most - I would give her all the sugar at once;
and if she then kissed me tenderly, then she would become my wife,
and I am her husband; she would fall asleep under my side, and I would lull her to sleep like a child.
PAPAGENO
What's happened?
PAPAGENO
PAPAGENO
Stupid question! A person just like you. And who are you?
I am a prince.
PAPAGENO
My father is a ruler.
PAPAGENO
Ruler?
He rules many lands and peoples.
PAPAGENO
Lands and peoples?
So there, behind these mountains, therefore, there is still land and peoples?
Many thousands.
PAPAGENO
That way I could get things going with my birds there.
Where are we, tell me now?
PAPAGENO
Well, here you are!
What do you live for?
PAPAGENO
PAPAGENO
I catch birds, and every day in exchange I get food and drink
from the three ladies of the Starfire Queen.
PAPAGENO
From the Starfire Queen!
About myself
Mighty Lady of the Night; is it possible?
to Papageno
Tell me, my friend, have you ever seen her?
PAPAGENO
Have you seen her? Have you seen the Starfire Queen? What mortal can see her?
About myself
Now it is clear! This is the same Queen of the Night that my father talked about
told me so many things. And there is not a single ordinary person here.
PAPAGENO
About myself
How he stares at me!
to Tamino
Why are you looking at me so suspiciously?
Because I doubt whether you are human.
PAPAGENO
Who then?
Judging by the feathers that cover you, I think you...
PAPAGENO
Well, of course - not a bird?
By the power of giants?
Then you were my liberator who overcame this poisonous Serpent?
PAPAGENO
About myself
What Snake?
I just wanted to tell you that I will
I am always grateful to you for this brave act.
PAPAGENO
Let's not talk about this anymore; let's be glad he's dead.
But how did you, being here on earth, overcome this monster, my friend?
After all, you don't even have a weapon.
PAPAGENO
And it’s not necessary at all!
Then you…
PAPAGENO
Strangled him!
The Three Ladies are returning.
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD LADIES
Papageno!
PAPAGENO
Yep, that means me.
Who are these ladies?
PAPAGENO
These are the ladies who take my birds from me every day
and they bring me wine, cake and sweet figs in exchange.
Apparently they are very beautiful?
PAPAGENO
I don't think so.
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD LADIES
Papageno!
PAPAGENO
After all, if they were beautiful, they, of course, would not hide their faces.
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD LADIES
Papageno!
PAPAGENO
I have never seen anything more beautiful in my life.
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD LADIES
Papageno!
PAPAGENO
Here, my beauties, I present to you my birds.
FIRST LADY
Today, this time, our mistress is sending you not wine, but water in exchange.
SECOND LADY
And instead of a cake - this stone.
PAPAGENO
Do you want to feed me stones?
THIRD LADY
And instead of tender figs - this golden castle.
to Tamino
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD LADIES
It was we who freed you.
FIRST LADY
Look, this picture...
SECOND LADY
Sent to you by our great mistress.
THIRD LADY
This is a portrait of her daughter.
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD LADIES