The Magic Flute Study Guide - Manitoba Opera

coloratura (this is one of the hardest parts for a soprano to sing). Tamino and Pamina’s lyrical
style highlights their position as hero and heroine of the drama, including two beautiful arias for
Tamino and one for Pamina. Meanwhile, Sarastro’s rich bass voice and slow, dignified arias
convey the nobility of the ruler of the Temple. With such a wealth of different characters and
styles, it is easy to see why The Magic Flute has remained one of the most popular operas of all
time.
Behind the Story
The Magic Flute premiered in Vienna on September 30, 1791, at the
suburban Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden. Mozart conducted the
orchestra, Schikaneder himself played Papageno, while the role of
the Queen of the Night was sung by Mozart's sister-in-law Josepha
Hofer. The opera garnered only a lukewarm reception at the time of
its opening but slowly gained popularity, and celebrated its 100th
performance in November 1792. Mozart did not have the pleasure of
witnessing this milestone, as he had died on December 5, 1791,
barely two months after the opera's premiere.
The Magic Flute is noted for its prominent Masonic elements; both
Schikaneder and Mozart were Masons and lodge brothers. The opera
is also influenced by Enlightenment philosophy, and can be
regarded as an allegory espousing enlightened absolutism. The
Queen of the Night represents irrational-diabolic plotting, whereas
her antagonist, Sarastro, symbolizes the reasonable sovereign who
rules with paternalistic wisdom and enlightened insight.
Mozart evidently wrote keeping in mind the skills of the singers
intended for the premiere, which included both virtuosi and
ordinary comic actors, asked to sing for the occasion. Thus, the vocal lines for Papageno and
Monostatos are often stated first in the strings so the singer can find his pitch, and are frequently
doubled by instruments. In contrast, Mozart's sister-in-law Josepha Hofer, who premiered the
role of the Queen of the Night, evidently needed no such help: this role is famous for its
difficulty. In ensembles, Mozart skillfully combined voices of different ability levels.
Costumes for Sarastro and a
genie from an 1816 production
of The Magic Flute
The Story: A Freemasonry Fable
The Magic Flute has a huge range of dramatic influences, from
fairytales to puppet theatre to myth (Tamino charms animals with his
flute like Orpheus) to Enlightenment and Masonic ideals. The story of
The Magic Flute was largely invented by Schikaneder, though he may
have been in part inspired by various fairytales (the title of the opera
comes from a story from the collection Dchinnistan) and by dramas
which he had seen set in ancient Egypt (the gods Isis and Osiris are
often referred to in the opera). Mozart was a Mason (as, briefly, was
Schikaneder) and many of the rites and symbols in the opera relate to
Freemasonry.
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A page from the thematic
catalogue of his works, which
Mozart kept between 1784 and
1791. This page, covering July-
November 1791, shows The
Magic Flute, The Clemency
Titus, the Clarinet Concerto,
and a Masonic cantata.