Around 1750 AD, the Singspiel was established, a genre of mixed performance of acting and music, a popular German form that included spoken dialogues alongside singing.
It originated from the initiative of German comedians who inserted both popular and concerted songs and opera arias into the musical work.
It was born in Vienna and then spread throughout Germany.
The Magic Flute, German Die Zauberflöte is a singspiel in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
It was written in 1791 at the suggestion of his friend, librettist and theatrical character Schikaneder.
During the writing Mozart led a very tiring life: he slept little and got up very early to complete his work.
On 30 September 1791 the premiere was staged and Schikaneder was the interpreter of Papageno: even if the newspapers did not give prominence to the event, the public greatly appreciated the opera that became famous.
On December 5 of the same year Mozart died.
The Magic Flute is Mozart’s last composition and it is a wonderful fairy tale set in an ancient and imaginative Egypt.
The story tells how Prince Tamino, aided by his faithful Papageno, fights the forces of evil to free his beloved Pamina.
ACT ONE
Prince Tamino, chased by a large snake, is rescued by three bridesmaids and led by the Queen of the Flaming Night, who complains about the kidnapping of her daughter Pamina, captured by the evil Sarastro.
Tamino, seeing the portrait of the young woman, falls in love with it and decides to save her; in exchange the Queen will give her in marriage.
Before embarking on the journey with Papageno, the three ladies give him a magic flute and the fowler a fairy music box.
Led by three boys, Tamino and Papageno set off towards the temple where Pamina is a prisoner.
Papageno is the first to arrive at the temple of Sarastro and manages to find the rooms where the jailer Monostatos holds the beautiful Pamina prisoner; the servant, frightened by Papageno’s appearance, flees.
Meanwhile, Tamino arrives in front of three Temples (Nature, Reason and Wisdom) and meets a priest who explains the truth about Sarastro, telling him that he is not the evil one but the Queen of the Night.
Tamino is confused and doesn’t know what to do. He starts playing his magic flute and so Papageno and Pamina find their way back to Tamino. Sarastro also arrives and punishes his servant. Pamina and Tamino fall in love but the priest tells them that to be free Tamino will have to face three trials.
SECOND ACT
Tamino and Papageno thus face the first test: to remain silent, whatever happens.
Three ladies, sent by the Queen of the Night, do everything to induce them to speak, but without success.
Monostatos, meanwhile, tries to kiss Pamina asleep but his mother Astrifiammante appears who drives him away and gives her daughter a dagger to kill Sarastro.
Monostatos, unseen, has listened to everything and threatens to reveal the intrigue if Pamina does not love him.
Sarastro arrives and, after chasing away Monostatos, he turns to Pamina and explains to her that happiness is not achieved with revenge but with only one.
Then, the princess looks for Tamino to talk to him but the prince does not answer her as he has to complete the test.
Pamina believes she is no longer loved and thinks about suicide.
Fortunately, three guys encourage her not to make the gesture.
After the test of silence, Tamino together with Pamina also manage to pass the tests of crossing water and fire with the help of the magic flute.
Pamina tells him about the origin of the Magic Flute, inheritance of his father, ancient Master of a Solar Fraternity, who carved the flute from the root of an ancient oak, in an enchanted hour, amidst thunder, lightning and storm.
Everything is fine for the two lovers, but Papageno is increasingly sad: he would like to meet his soul mate.
The three boys advise him to use the music box and when the object rings Papagena appears, a female creature perfectly similar to the fowler with whom to live happily.
Monostatos allies himself with Astrifiammante and together with the three ladies still try to plot against the happiness and peace of all.
Finally, a providential earthquake will plunge these dark characters forever.
This is how the victory of Good over Evil is celebrated: Pamina and Tamino are welcomed into the Kingdom of Light, ruled by Sarastro.
The work, in proposing the great feelings of humanity, goodness, brotherhood, makes extensive references to the contrast between man – woman, light – darkness, good – evil, sky – earth, fire – water.
Another obvious symbol is the number “three”.
In fact, the overture begins with three powerful chords, repeated three times, in which the solemn sound of three trombones predominates.
The musical theme returns three times in the “three acts”, conceived as three pyramidal levels, and again with the reference to the three Temples (Nature, Reason and Wisdom) and to the three tests that Tamino must overcome to purify himself.
Although the Magic Flute includes two acts, scholars believe that a third act begins after the twentieth scene of the second, with the attack of the Choir of Priests, and that Mozart would have “hidden” it for theatrical needs.
(+4 rating, 4 votes)
Loading...
