The Magic Flute Study Guide - Manitoba Opera

ACT II.
Queen of
the Night
Papageno and Papagena
Sarastro announces his intentions. Papageno and Tamino are to undergo
the initiation process in order to gain admission to the Temple of Light
and thereby overpower the Queen of the Night. Tamino is then free to
wed Pamina, who is to be held in Sarastro’s protection for the time being.
At the temple, Papageno and Tamino are preparing to undergo their first
ordeal: a vow of silence. The ladies-in-waiting try unsuccessfully to trick
them into speaking.
In the garden, Monostatos creeps up on the sleeping Pamina. The
Queen of the Night appears, giving her daughter a dagger with
which to kill Sarastro. Monostatos threatens Pamina, but Sarastro
arrives and dismisses him. Tamino is still trying to keep his vow of
silence. Papageno talks to himself, before entering into
conversation with an old lady who claims to be a love he has yet
to meet. She vanishes and the Genii appear, arranging a feast.
Pamina arrives and, not knowing of Tamino’s vow of silence, is
hurt by his apparent coldness.
Sarastro comforts Pamina. Papageno is visited again by the old lady, who
makes him swear to be faithful to her. When he swears, she turns into
Papagena, a beautiful young feathered woman, but Papageno is told that
he is not yet ready. Pamina considers suicide, but is prevented by the
Genii.
Tamino enters for the final ordeals of his initiation: those of fire and
water. Pamina accompanies him as he undergoes the tests; he can now
speak again. In a parody of the previous events, Papageno too
contemplates suicide, but changes his mind when Papagena is brought
to him. At the Temple of Light, the Queen of the Night, her ladies-inwaiting
and Monostatos try to wreak revenge on Sarastro, but are
destroyed. Tamino and Pamina, who have passed the ordeals, are
accepted into the community.
Musical Highlights
� Papageno’s “Der Vogelfänger bin ich” (I am the Bird Catcher)
� Tamino’s “Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön” (This portrait is beautiful)
� Pamina’s aria “Auch, ich fühl’s” (Ah, I sense his love fading)
� The Queen of the Night’s “O zittre nicht” and “Der Hölle rache” (The Rage of Hell)
9
Papageno
Tamino and Pamina
undergo their final trial