The Magic Flute - wikipedia The Magic Flute For other uses, see The Magic Flute ( disambiguation ). The Magic Flute Singspiel by W.A. Mozart The arrival of the Queen of the Night. Stage set by Karl Friedrich Schinkel for an 1815 production Native title Die Zauberflöte Librettist Emanuel Schikaneder Language German Premiere 30 September 1791 ( 1791 - 09 - 30 ) Theater auf der Wieden, Vienna The Magic Flute ( German : Die Zauberflöte ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue. The work premiered on 30 September 1791 at Schikaneder 's theatre, the Freihaus - Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna, just two months before the composer 's premature death. In the opera the Queen of the Night persuades Prince Tamino to rescue her daughter Pamina from captivity under the high priest Sarastro ; instead, he learns the high ideals of Sarastro 's community and seeks to join it. Separately, then together, Tamino and Pamina undergo severe trials of initiation, which end in triumph, with the Queen and her cohorts vanquished. The earthy Papageno, who accompanies Tamino on his quest, fails the trials completely but is rewarded anyway with the hand of his ideal female companion Papagena. Contents 1 Composition 2 Premiere and reception 3 First publication 4 Themes 5 Roles 6 Instrumentation 7 Synopsis 7.1 Act 1 7.2 Act 2 8 Some musical numbers 9 Recordings 10 Works inspired by The Magic Flute 11 See also 12 Notes 13 References 14 Bibliography 14.1 Books and articles 14.2 Other 15 External links Composition This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( September 2016 ) Emanuel Schikaneder, librettist of Die Zauberflöte, shown performing in the role of Papageno. The object on his back is a birdcage ; see below. The opera was the culmination of a period of increasing involvement by Mozart with Schikaneder 's theatrical troupe, which since 1789 had been the resident company at the Theater auf der Wieden. Mozart was a close friend of one of the singer - composers of the troupe, tenor Benedikt Schack ( the first Tamino ), and had contributed to the compositions of the troupe, which were often collaboratively written. Mozart 's participation increased with his contributions to the 1790 collaborative opera Der Stein der Weisen ( The Philosopher 's Stone ), including the duet ( `` Nun liebes Weibchen '', K. 625 / 592a ) among other passages. Like The Magic Flute, Der Stein der Weisen was a fairy - tale opera and can be considered a kind of precursor ; it employed much the same cast in similar roles. The libretto for The Magic Flute, written by Schikaneder, is thought by scholars to be based on many sources. Some works of literature current in Vienna in Schikaneder 's day that may have served as sources include the medieval romance Yvain by Chrétien de Troyes, the novel Sethos by Jean Terrasson, and the essay `` On the mysteries of the Egyptians '' by Ignaz von Born. The libretto is also a natural continuation of a series of fairy tale operas produced at the time by Schikaneder 's troupe, including an adaptation of Sophie Seyler 's Singspiel Oberon as well as Der Stein der Weisen. Especially for the role of Papageno, the libretto draws on the Hanswurst tradition of the Viennese popular theatre. Many scholars also acknowledge an influence of Freemasonry. For detailed discussion of sources see Branscombe ( 1991 ), as well as Libretto of The Magic Flute. In composing the opera, Mozart evidently kept 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 -- sung by Schikaneder himself -- and Monostatos ( Johann Joseph Nouseul ) 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 little such help : this role is famous for its difficulty. In ensembles, Mozart skillfully combined voices of different ability levels. The vocal ranges of two of the original singers for whom Mozart tailored his music have posed challenges for many singers who have since recreated their roles. Both arias of the Queen of the Night, `` O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn '' and `` Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen '' require high F, rare in opera. At the low end, the part of Sarastro, premiered by Franz Xaver Gerl, includes a conspicuous F in a few locations. Premiere and reception The opera was premiered in Vienna on 30 September 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. On the reception of the opera, Mozart scholar Maynard Solomon writes : Although there were no reviews of the first performances, it was immediately evident that Mozart and Schikaneder had achieved a great success, the opera drawing immense crowds and reaching hundreds of performances during the 1790s. As Mozart 's letters show, he was very pleased to have achieved such a success. Solomon continues : Mozart 's delight is reflected in his last three letters, written to Constanze, who with her sister Sophie was spending the second week of October in Baden. `` I have this moment returned from the opera, which was as full as ever '', he wrote on 7 October, listing the numbers that had to be encored. `` But what always gives me the most pleasure is the silent approval ! You can see how this opera is becoming more and more esteemed. ''... He went to hear his opera almost every night, taking along ( friends and ) relatives. The opera celebrated its 100th performance in November 1792, though Mozart did not have the pleasure of witnessing this milestone, as he had died 5 December 1791. The opera was first performed outside Vienna ( 21 September 1792 ) in Lemberg, then in Prague. It then made ( Branscombe ) `` triumphal progress through Germany 's opera houses great and small '', and with the early 19th century spread to essentially all the countries of Europe -- and eventually, everywhere in the world -- where opera is cultivated. As Branscombe documents, the earlier performances were often of highly altered, sometimes even mutilated, versions of the opera ( see Ludwig Wenzel Lachnith ). Productions of the past century have tended to be more faithful to Mozart 's music, though faithful rendering of Mozart and Schikaneder 's original ( quite explicit ) stage directions and dramatic vision continues to be rare ; with isolated exceptions, modern productions strongly reflect the creative preferences of the stage director. The Magic Flute is presently among the most frequently performed of all operas ; statistics collected for the 2015 - 2016 season indicate over 500 productions worldwide, totaling more than 3000 performances. First publication On 28 December 1791, three and a half weeks after Mozart 's death, his widow Constanze offered to send a manuscript score of The Magic Flute to the electoral court in Bonn. Nikolaus Simrock published this text in the first full - score edition ( Bonn, 1814 ), claiming that it was `` in accordance with Mozart 's own wishes '' ( Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, 13 September 1815 ). Themes Main article : Libretto of The Magic Flute See also : Mozart and Freemasonry The Magic Flute is noted for its prominent Masonic elements, although some scholars hold that the Masonic influence is exaggerated. Schikaneder and Mozart were Freemasons, as was Ignaz Alberti, engraver and printer of the first libretto. The opera is also influenced by Enlightenment philosophy, and can be regarded as an allegory advocating enlightened absolutism. The Queen of the Night represents a dangerous form of obscurantism or, according to some, the anti-Masonic Roman Catholic Empress Maria Theresa, or, according to others, the contemporary Roman Catholic Church itself, which was also strongly anti-Masonic. Her antagonist Sarastro symbolises the enlightened sovereign who rules according to principles based on reason, wisdom, and nature. The story itself portrays the education of mankind, progressing from chaos ( the serpent ) through religious superstition ( the Queen and Ladies ) to rationalistic enlightenment ( Sarastro and Priests ), by means of trial ( Tamino ) and error ( Papageno ), ultimately to make `` the Earth a heavenly kingdom, and mortals like the gods '' ( `` Dann ist die Erd ' ein Himmelreich, und Sterbliche den Göttern gleich '' ) ; this couplet is sung in the finales to both acts. Modern audiences often find the prominent strains of misogyny and the casual racism in The Magic Flute problematic. Sarastro describes the Queen of the Night as usurping the rightful power of men ( `` ( She is ) a proud woman ! A man must guide your hearts, for without him all women tend to step outside their own sphere of activity '' ), and her supposed ' feminine ' vindictive hysteria serves as a foil for Sarastro 's ' masculine ' dignified reason. The perfidious villain Monostatos, meanwhile, is written as a Moor ( African ). Roles Playbill for the premiere, 30 September 1791. Role Voice type Premiere cast, 30 September 1791 ( conductor : Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ) Tamino tenor Benedikt Schack Papageno baritone Emanuel Schikaneder Pamina soprano Anna Gottlieb The Queen of the Night soprano Josepha Hofer Sarastro bass Franz Xaver Gerl Three ladies 3 sopranos M Klöpfer, M Hofmann, Elisabeth Schack Monostatos tenor Johann Joseph Nouseul Three child - spirits treble, alto, mezzo - soprano Anna Schikaneder ; Anselm Handelgruber ; Franz Anton Maurer Speaker of the temple bass - baritone Herr Winter Three priests bass, tenor, speaking role Johann Michael Kistler, Urban Schikaneder Papagena soprano Barbara Gerl Two armoured men tenor, bass Johann Michael Kistler, Herr Moll Three slaves 2 tenors, bass Karl Ludwig Giesecke, Herr Frasel, Herr Starke Priests, women, people, slaves, chorus The names of the performers at the premiere are taken from a preserved playbill for this performance ( at right ), which does not give full names ; `` Hr. '' = Herr, Mr. ; `` Mme. '' = Madame, Mrs. ; `` Mlle. '' = Mademoiselle, Miss. While the female roles in the opera are assigned to different voice types, the playbill for the premiere performance referred to all of the female singers as `` sopranos ''. The casting of the roles relies on the actual vocal range of the part. Instrumentation The work is scored for two flutes ( one doubling on piccolo ), two oboes, two clarinets ( doubling basset horns ), two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, three trombones ( alto, tenor, and bass ), timpani and strings. It also requires a four - part chorus for several numbers ( notably the finales of each act ). Mozart also called for a stromento d'acciaio ( instrument of steel ) to perform Papageno 's magic bells ; an instrument which has since been lost to history, though modern day scholars believe it to be a keyed glockenspiel, which is usually substituted with a celesta in modern - day performances. Charles Rosen has remarked on the character of Mozart 's orchestration : Die Zauberflöte has the greatest variety of orchestral color that the eighteenth century was to know ; the very lavishness, however, is paradoxically also an economy as each effect is a concentrated one, each one -- Papageno 's whistle, the Queen of the Night 's coloratura, the bells, Sarastro 's trombones, even the farewell in Scene I for clarinets and pizzicato strings -- a single dramatic stroke. '' Synopsis Overture Performed by Musopen Symphony Orchestra ( 6 : 39 ) Problems playing this file ? See media help. The opera begins with the overture, which Mozart composed last. Act 1 Scene 1 : A rough, rocky landscape Tamino, a handsome prince lost in a distant land, is pursued by a serpent and asks the gods to save him ( aria : `` Zu Hilfe ! Zu Hilfe ! '' segued into trio : `` Stirb, Ungeheuer, durch uns 're Macht ! '' ). He faints, and three ladies, attendants of the Queen of the Night, appear and kill the serpent. They find the unconscious prince extremely attractive, and each of them tries to convince the other two to leave. After arguing, they reluctantly decide to leave together. Baritone Markus Werba appearing as Papageno. He wears his pipes and carries his magic bells ; both instruments are essential to the plot. Tamino wakes up, and is surprised to find himself still alive. Papageno enters dressed as a bird. He describes his life as a bird - catcher, complaining he has no wife or girlfriend ( aria : `` Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja '' ). Tamino introduces himself to Papageno, thinking Papageno killed the serpent. Papageno happily takes the credit -- claiming he strangled it with his bare hands. The three ladies suddenly reappear and instead of giving him wine, cake and figs, they give him water, a stone and place a padlock over his mouth as a warning not to lie. They give Tamino a portrait of the Queen of the Night 's daughter Pamina, with whom Tamino falls instantly in love ( aria : `` Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön '' / This image is enchantingly beautiful ). The ladies return and tell Tamino that Pamina has been captured by Sarastro, a supposedly evil sorcerer. Tamino vows to rescue Pamina. The Queen of the Night appears and promises Tamino that Pamina will be his if he rescues her from Sarastro ( Recitative and aria : `` O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn '' / Oh, tremble not, my dear son ! ). The Queen leaves and the ladies remove the padlock from Papageno 's mouth with a warning not to lie any more. They give Tamino a magic flute which has the power to change sorrow into joy. They tell Papageno to go with Tamino, and give him ( Papageno ) magic bells for protection. The ladies introduce three child - spirits, who will guide Tamino and Papageno to Sarastro 's temple. Together Tamino and Papageno set forth ( Quintet : `` Hm ! Hm ! Hm ! Hm ! '' ). Scene 2 : A room in Sarastro 's palace Pamina is dragged in by Sarastro 's slaves, apparently having tried to escape. Monostatos, a blackamoor and chief of the slaves, orders the slaves to chain her and leave him alone with her. Papageno, sent ahead by Tamino to help find Pamina, enters ( Trio : `` Du feines Täubchen, nur herein ! '' ). Monostatos and Papageno are each terrified by the other 's strange appearance and both flee. Papageno returns and announces to Pamina that her mother has sent Tamino to save her. Pamina rejoices to hear that Tamino is in love with her. She offers sympathy and hope to Papageno, who longs for a wife. Together they reflect on the joys and sacred duties of marital love ( duet : `` Bei Männern welche Liebe fühlen '' ). Finale. Scene 3 : A grove in front of a temple The arrival of Sarastro on a chariot pulled by lions, from a 1793 production in Brno. Pamina appears at left, Papageno at right. In the background are the temples of Wisdom, Reason, and Nature. The three child - spirits lead Tamino to Sarastro 's temple, promising that if he remains patient, wise and steadfast, he will succeed in rescuing Pamina ( Quartet : `` Zum Ziele führt dich diese Bahn '' ). Tamino approaches the left - hand entrance and is denied access by voices from within. The same happens when he goes to the entrance on the right. But from the entrance in the middle, an old priest appears and lets Tamino in. ( The old priest is referred to as `` The Speaker '' in the libretto, but his role is a singing role. ) He tells Tamino that Sarastro is benevolent, not evil, and that he should not trust the Queen of the Night. He promises that Tamino 's confusion will be lifted when Tamino approaches the temple as a friend. Tamino plays his magic flute. Animals appear and dance, enraptured, to his music. Tamino hears Papageno 's pipes sounding offstage, and hurries off to find him ( aria : `` Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton '' ). Papageno and Pamina enter, searching for Tamino ( trio : `` Schnelle Füße, rascher Mut '' ). They are recaptured by Monostatos and his slaves. Papageno plays his magic bells, and Monostatos and his slaves begin to dance, and exit the stage, still dancing, mesmerised by the beauty of the music ( chorus : `` Das klinget so herrlich '' ). Papageno and Pamina hear the sound of Sarastro 's retinue approaching. Papageno is frightened and asks Pamina what they should say. She answers that they must tell the truth. Sarastro enters, with a crowd of followers. ( chorus : `` Es lebe Sarastro ! '' ) Pamina falls at Sarastro 's feet and confesses that she tried to escape because Monostatos had forced his attentions on her. Sarastro receives her kindly and assures her that he wishes only for her happiness. But he refuses to return her to her mother, whom he describes as a proud, headstrong woman, and a bad influence on those around her. Pamina, he says, must be guided by a man. Monostatos brings in Tamino. The two lovers see one another for the first time and embrace, causing indignation among Sarastro 's followers. Monostatos tells Sarastro that he caught Papageno and Pamina trying to escape, and demands a reward. Sarastro, however, punishes Monostatos for his lustful behaviour toward Pamina, and sends him away. He announces that Tamino must undergo trials of wisdom in order to become worthy as Pamina 's husband. The priests declare that virtue and righteousness will sanctify life and make mortals like gods ( `` Wenn Tugend und Gerechtigkeit '' ). Act 2 Scene 1 : A grove of palms The council of priests of Isis and Osiris, headed by Sarastro, enters to the sound of a solemn march. Sarastro tells the priests that Tamino is ready to undergo the ordeals that will lead to enlightenment. He invokes the gods Isis and Osiris, asking them to protect Tamino and Pamina ( Aria and chorus : `` O Isis und Osiris '' ). Scene 2 : The courtyard of the Temple of Ordeal Tamino and Papageno are led in by two priests for the first trial. The two priests advise Tamino and Papageno of the dangers ahead of them, warn them of women 's wiles and swear them to silence ( Duet : `` Bewahret euch von Weibertücken '' ). The three ladies appear and try to frighten Tamino and Papageno into speaking. ( Quintet : `` Wie, wie, wie '' ) Papageno can not resist answering the ladies, but Tamino remains aloof, angrily instructing Papageno not to listen to the ladies ' threats and to keep quiet. Seeing that Tamino will not speak to them, the ladies withdraw in confusion. Scene 3 : A garden Pamina is asleep. Monostatos approaches and gazes upon her with rapture. ( Aria : `` Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden '' ) He is about to kiss the sleeping Pamina, when the Queen of the Night appears. Monostatos hides. In response to the Queen 's questioning, Pamina explains that he is joining Sarastro 's brotherhood and she is thinking of accompanying him too. The Queen is not pleased. She explains that her husband was the previous owner of the temple and on his deathbed, he gives the ownership to Sarastro instead of her, rendering the Queen powerless ( This is in the original libretto, but in modern productions, it is usually omitted, making the scene with Pamina and her mother shorter ). She gives Pamina a dagger, ordering her to kill Sarastro with it and threatening to disown her if she does not. ( Aria : `` Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen '' ). She leaves. Monostatos returns and tries to force Pamina 's love by threatening to reveal the Queen 's plot, but Sarastro enters and drives him off. Pamina begs Sarastro to forgive her mother and he reassures her that revenge and cruelty have no place in his domain ( Aria : `` In diesen heil'gen Hallen '' ). Scene 4 : A hall in the Temple of Ordeal Tamino and Papageno are led in by priests, who remind them that they must remain silent. Papageno complains of thirst. An old woman enters and offers Papageno a cup of water. He drinks and teasingly asks whether she has a boyfriend. She replies that she does and that his name is Papageno. She disappears as Papageno asks for her name, and the three child - spirits bring in food, the magic flute, and the bells, sent from Sarastro ( Trio : `` Seid uns zum zweiten Mal willkommen '' ). Tamino begins to play the flute, which summons Pamina. She tries to speak with him, but Tamino, bound by his vow of silence, can not answer her, and Pamina begins to believe that he no longer loves her. ( Aria : `` Ach, ich fühl 's, es ist verschwunden '' ) She leaves in despair. Scene 5 : The pyramids The priests celebrate Tamino 's successes so far, and pray that he will succeed and become worthy of their order ( Chorus : `` O Isis und Osiris '' ). Pamina is brought in and Sarastro instructs Pamina and Tamino to bid each other farewell before the greater trials ahead, alarming them by describing it as their `` final farewell. '' ( Trio : Sarastro, Pamina, Tamino -- `` Soll ich dich, Teurer, nicht mehr sehn ? '' Note : In order to preserve the continuity of Pamina 's suicidal feelings, this trio is sometimes performed earlier in act 2, preceding or immediately following Sarastro 's aria `` O Isis und Osiris ''. ) They exit and Papageno enters. The priests grant his request for a glass of wine and he expresses his desire for a wife. ( Aria : `` Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen '' ). The elderly woman reappears and warns him that unless he immediately promises to marry her, he will be imprisoned forever. When Papageno promises to love her faithfully ( muttering that he will only do this until something better comes along ), she is transformed into the young and pretty Papagena. Papageno rushes to embrace her, but the priests drive him back, telling him that he is not yet worthy of her. Finale. Scene 6 : A garden Tamino and Pamina undergo their final trial ; watercolor by Max Slevogt ( 1868 -- 1932 ) The three child - spirits hail the dawn. They observe Pamina, who is contemplating suicide because she believes Tamino has abandoned her. The child - spirits restrain her and reassure her of Tamino 's love. ( Quartet : `` Bald prangt, den Morgen zu verkünden '' ). Scene change without interrupting the music, to Scene 7 : Outside the Temple of Ordeal Two men in armor lead in Tamino. They recite one of the formal creeds of Isis and Osiris, promising enlightenment to those who successfully overcome the fear of death ( `` Der, welcher wandert diese Strasse voll Beschwerden '' ). This recitation takes the musical form of a Baroque chorale prelude, to the tune of Martin Luther 's hymn `` Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein '' ( Oh God, look down from heaven ). Tamino declares that he is ready to be tested. Pamina calls to him from offstage. The men in armour assure him that the trial by silence is over and he is free to speak with her. Pamina enters and declares her intention to undergo the remaining trials with him. She hands him the magic flute to help them through the trials ( `` Tamino mein, o welch ein Glück ! '' ). Protected by the music of the magic flute, they pass unscathed through chambers of fire and water. Offstage, the priests hail their triumph and invite the couple to enter the temple. Scene change without interrupting the music, to Scene 8 : A garden with a tree Papageno and Papagena. From a production at Texas A&M University - Commerce. Papageno despairs at having lost Papagena and decides to hang himself ( Aria / Quartet : `` Papagena ! Papagena ! Papagena ! Weibchen, Täubchen, meine Schöne '' ) The three child - spirits appear and stop him. They advise him to play his magic bells to summon Papagena. She appears and, united, the happy couple stutter in astonishment and make bird - like courting sounds at each other. They plan their future and dream of the many children they will have together ( Duet : `` Pa... pa... pa... '' ). Scene change without interrupting the music, to Scene 9 : A rocky landscape outside the temple ; night The traitorous Monostatos appears with the Queen of the Night and her three ladies. They plot to destroy the temple ( `` Nur stille, stille '' ) and the Queen confirms that she has promised her daughter Pamina to Monostatos. But before the conspirators can enter the temple, they are magically cast out into eternal night. Scene change without interrupting the music, to Scene 10 : The Temple of the Sun Sarastro announces the sun 's triumph over the night, and hails the dawn of a new era of wisdom and brotherhood. Some musical numbers `` March of the Priests '' ( beginning of act 2 ) Queen of the Night 's second aria, `` Der Hölle Rache '' Both pieces performed in 2006 by Siam Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Trisdee na Patalung `` Ach, ich fühl 's '', Pamina, act 2 Aulikki Rautawaara ( soprano ), Orchester des Deutschen Opernhauses, Berlin, conducted in 1938 by Hans Schmidt - Isserstedt Problems playing these files ? See media help. Act 1 `` Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja '' ( The birdcatcher am I ) -- Papageno, scene 1 `` Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön '' ( This image is enchantingly beautiful ) -- Tamino, scene 1 `` O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn '' ( Oh, tremble not, my beloved son ) -- The Queen of the Night, scene 1 `` Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen '' ( In men, who feel love ) -- Pamina and Papageno ( duet ), scene 2 `` Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton '' ( How strong is thy magic tone ) -- Tamino, finale Act 2 `` O Isis und Osiris '' ( O Isis and Osiris ) -- Sarastro, scene 1 `` Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden '' ( All feel the joys of love ) -- Monostatos, scene 3 `` Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen '' ( Hell 's vengeance boils in my heart ) -- The Queen of the Night, scene 3 `` In diesen heil'gen Hallen '' ( Within these sacred halls ) -- Sarastro, scene 3 `` Ach, ich fühl 's, es ist verschwunden '' ( Ah, I feel it, it is vanished ) -- Pamina, scene 4 `` Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen '' ( A girl or a woman ) -- Papageno, scene 5 `` Pa --, pa --, pa -- '' -- Papageno and Papagena, scene 10 Recordings Main article : The Magic Flute discography The first recording of the Magic Flute Overture was issued around 1901 -- 1903, at the dawn of the recording era, by the Victor Recording Company and played by the Victor Grand Concert Band. The first recording of The Magic Flute was of a live performance at the 1937 Salzburg Festival, with Arturo Toscanini conducting the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera. The first studio recording of the work, with Sir Thomas Beecham conducting the Berlin Philharmonic, was completed in 1938. Both of these historic recordings have been reissued on modern recording media. Since then there have been many recordings, in both audio and video formats. Works inspired by the Magic Flute The opera has inspired a great number of sequels, adaptations, novels, films, and other works of art. For a listing, see Works inspired by The Magic Flute. See also Opera portal List of operas by Mozart Notes Jump up ^ The genre of the work is hard to specify. The programme at the premiere performance announced it as `` Eine grosse oper '' ( A grand opera ). Mozart entered the work in his personal catalog as a `` German opera '', and the first printed libretto called it a Singspiel. Jump up ^ This is known from testimony by Ignaz von Seyfried ( 1776 -- 1841 ), a composer who later ( 1798 ) became the musical director at the same theatre. According to Seyfried 's memories ( which he published in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, vol. 12, 5 June 1840, p. 184 ), `` ( Mozart ) personally directed the premiere there on 30 September 1791, at which Süßmayr, the faithful Pylades, sat to his right, diligently turning the pages of the score. '' The description implies that Mozart was seated at a keyboard instrument, playing along with the orchestra, rather than standing on a podium with a baton ; this was fairly standard practice for conductors in Mozart 's time. Mozart conducted only the first two performances, whereupon direction was taken over by the regular leader of the orchestra, Johann Baptist Henneberg ( Abert 2007 : 1246 ). Jump up ^ I ( mperial ) & R ( oyal ) priv ( ileged ) Wieden Theatre / Today, Friday 30 September 1791. / The actors of the Imperial and Royal privileged Theatre on the Wieden will have the honour to perform / For the first time : / Die Zauberflöte. / A grand opera in 2 acts, by Emanuel Schikaneder. / Characters. / Sarastro.... Hr. Gerl. / Tamino.... Hr. Schack. / Speaker.... Hr. Winter / ( First, Second, Third ) priest (... ) ( Hr. Schikaneder the elder. Hr. Kistler. Hr. Moll. ) / Queen of the Night... Mad. Hofer. / Pamina, her daughter.... Mlle. Gottlieb. / ( First, Second, Third ) lady.... ( Mlle. Klöpfer. Mlle. Hofmann. Mad. Schack. ) / Papageno.... Hr. Schikaneder the younger. / An old woman ( i.e., Papagena ).... Mad. Gerl. / Monostatos a Moor.... Hr. Nouseul. / ( First, Second, Third ) slave.... ( Hr. Gieseke. Hr. Frasel. Hr. Starke. ) / Priests, slaves, retinue. / The music is by Herr Wolfgang Amade Mozart, Kapellmeister, an actual I ( mperial ) and R ( oyal ) Chamber Composer. Herr Mozart, out of respect for a gracious and honourable public, and from friendship for the author of this piece, will today direct the orchestra in person. / The book of the opera, furnished with two copper - plates, on which is engraved Herr Schikaneder in the costume he wears for the role of Papageno, may be had at the box office for 30 kr ( eutzer ). / Herr Gayl, theatre painter, and Herr Nesslthaler as designer, flatter themselves that they have worked with the utmost artistic zeal according to the prescribed plan of the piece. / Prices of admission are as usual. / To begin at 7 o'clock. ( According to English translation from Deutsch ( 1965, 407 -- 08 ). ) Jump up ^ The Queen is sometimes referred to by the name `` Astrifiammante '', an Italian translation of the German adjective `` sternflammende '' ( `` star - blazing '' ) in the original libretto Jump up ^ The three child - spirits are often portrayed by young boy singers but also sometimes by mature women, particularly in studio recordings Jump up ^ For instance, in the videotaped performance from the Bayerisches Staatsoper, Munich, 19 September 1983, available from Deutsche Grammophon Jump up ^ The hymn was translated by Martin Luther in 1524 from the eleventh Psalm Jump up ^ For the origin of this duet, see Emanuel Schikaneder References Jump up ^ Foil, David ; Berger, William ( 2007 ). The Magic Flute -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Emanuel Schikaneder, Carl Ludwig Giesecke. Black Dog & Leventhal Pub. : Distributed by Workman Pub. Co. ISBN 9781579127596. Jump up ^ Buch, David J. ( 1997 ). `` Mozart and the Theater auf der Wieden : New attributions and perspectives1 ''. Cambridge Opera Journal. 9 ( 3 ) : 195 -- 232. doi : 10.1017 / S0954586700004808. ISSN 1474 - 0621. Jump up ^ Branscombe 1991, ch. 2. Jump up ^ Metropolitan Opera 2014. Jump up ^ Buch, David J. ( 2005 ). `` Three Posthumous Reports Concerning Mozart in His Late Viennese Years ''. Eighteenth - Century Music. 2 ( 1 ) : 125 -- 29. doi : 10.1017 / S147857060500028X. ISSN 1478 - 5714. Jump up ^ `` Documents - Mozart Documents ''. ^ Jump up to : Solomon 1995, p. 487. Jump up ^ Lemberg, today the Ukrainian city of Lviv, was at the time a provincial center of the Austrian Empire. The Lviv performance was brought to the attention of musical scholarship only recently by Dexter Edge and David Black Jump up ^ Branscombe 1991, p. 162. Jump up ^ For extensive discussion of the spread of The Magic Flute and its performance traditions, see Branscombe ( 1991 : ch. 7 ) Jump up ^ For discussion and examples, see Branscombe ( 1991 : ch. 7 ) Jump up ^ `` Statistics : 2015 / 16 ''. Jump up ^ `` First full - score edition ( Bonn, 1814 ) ''. Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library, Harvard Library. Jump up ^ Freyhan, Michael ( 2009 ). The Authentic Magic Flute Libretto : Mozart 's Autograph or the First Full Score Edition ?. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810869677. Jump up ^ See, for instance, Julian Rushton, `` Die Zauberflöte '' in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie, 4 vols. ( London and New York, 1992 ), Volume 4, pp. 1215 -- 18, and in `` Mozart '' in volume III of the same dictionary, pp. 489 -- 503. Jump up ^ Macpherson, Jay ( October 2007 ). `` ' The Magic Flute ' and Freemasonry ''. University of Toronto Quarterly. 76 ( 4 ) : 1080 -- 1083. doi : 10.3138 / utq. 76.4. 1072. Jump up ^ Buch, David J. ( January 1992 ). `` Fairy - Tale Literature and ' Die Zauberflöte ' ''. Acta Musicologica. 64 ( 1 ) : 32 -- 36. doi : 10.2307 / 932991. JSTOR 932991. Jump up ^ `` Die Zauberflöte, Masonic Opera, and Other Fairy Tales ( PDF Download Available ) ''. Jump up ^ `` Libretto ''. Jump up ^ Condee, Newcomb. `` Brother Mozart and The Magic Flute ''. Archived from the original on 14 August 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009. Jump up ^ Arthur Jacobs, Stanley Sadie : The Wordsworth Book of Opera ( 1996 ), p. 91. ISBN 1853263702 Jump up ^ 1963 -, Brown - Montesano, Kristi, ( 2007 ). Understanding the women of Mozart 's operas. Berkeley : University of California Press. ISBN 9780520248021. OCLC 65204972. Jump up ^ Branscombe 1991, p. 148. Jump up ^ `` Synopsis : Die Zauberflöte ''. Jump up ^ Branscombe 1991, pp. 145 -- 151. Jump up ^ Boldrey 1994. Jump up ^ `` The otherworldly feeling of Mozart 's magic '' by Louise Schwartzkoff, The Sydney Morning Herald, 28 July 2009 Jump up ^ Rosen ( 1997 : 254 ) Jump up ^ `` The Magic Flute Overture '', Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Retrieved 2 February 2016. Jump up ^ Cairns, David ( 1 January 2006 ). `` Mozart and His Operas ''. University of California Press -- via Google Books. Jump up ^ Heartz 2009, p. 284. Jump up ^ Melitz 1913. Jump up ^ `` Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( composer ) - Discography of American Historical Recordings ''. adp.library.ucsb.edu. Jump up ^ `` Mozart : Die Zauberflöte, K620 ( The Magic Flute ) ''. Presto Classical. Retrieved 19 December 2012. Jump up ^ Gruber, Paul, ed. ( 1993 ). The Metropolitan Guide to Recorded Opera. London : Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0 - 500 - 01599 - 6. Bibliography Books and articles Abert, Hermann ( 2007 ). W.A. Mozart. Translated by Stewart Spencer ; edited and with supplementary footnotes by Cliff Eisen. New Haven : Yale University Press. Besack, Michael ( 2002 ). Which Craft ? : W.A. Mozart and The Magic Flute. Berkeley, California : Regent Press. ISBN 978 - 1587900136. Boldrey, Richard ( 1994 ). Guide to Operatic Roles & Arias. Dallas : Pst Inc. ISBN 978 - 1877761645. Branscombe, Peter ( 1991 ). Die Zauberflöte. New York, NY : Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521319164. Buch, David J. ( 2004 ). `` Die Zauberflöte, Masonic Opera, and Other Fairy Tales ''. Acta Musicologica. 76 ( 2 ) : 193 -- 219. Chailley, Jacques ( 1992 ). The Magic Flute unveiled : esoteric symbolism in Mozart 's masonic opera. An interpretation of the libretto and the music. Rochester, Vermont : Inner Traditions International. ISBN 9780892813582. Deutsch, Otto Erich ( 1966 ) ( 1965 ). Mozart : a documentary biography. Translated by Eric Blom, Peter Branscombe and Jeremy Noble ( 2nd ed. ). Stanford, Cal. : Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804702331. Heartz, Daniel ( 2009 ). Mozart, Haydn and early Beethoven, 1781 -- 1802. New York : W.W. Norton. ISBN 978 - 0 - 393 - 06634 - 0. Melitz, Leo ( 1913 ). The Opera Goers ' Complete Guide : Comprising Two Hundred and Sixty - Eight Opera Plots with Musical Numbers and Casts. Translated by Richard Salinger. NY : Dodd, Mead & Co. ISBN 9781297599934. Rosen, Charles ( 1997 ) The Classical Style : Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. New York : Norton. The cited passage can be read on line at Google Books : ( 1 ). Solomon, Maynard ( 1995 ). Mozart : a life. New York, NY : Harper Collins. ISBN 9780060190460. Schikaneder, Emanuel ; von Winter, Peter ( 1992 ). Jahrmärker, Manuela ; Waidelich, Till Gerrit, eds. Der Zauberflöte zweyter Theil unter dem Titel : Das Labyrinth oder der Kampf mit den Elementen. Eine große heroisch - komische Oper in zwey Aufzügen von Emanuel Schikaneder. In Musik gesetzt von Herrn Peter Winter, Kapellmeister in Churpfalz - bayrischen Diensten. Vollständiges Textbuch. Erstveröffentlichung nach den zeitgenössischen Quellen und mit einem Nachwort. see also Das Labyrinth Other `` Die Zauberflöte '' ( Program notes ). Metropolitan Opera. 25 October 2014. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Die Zauberflöte. Die Zauberflöte : Score and critical report ( in German ) in the Neue Mozart - Ausgabe Die Zauberflöte. Facsimile of Mozart 's autograph Die Zauberflöte : Scores at the International Music Score Library Project ( IMSLP ) Opera Guide, Synopsis, libretto, highlights Opera in a nutshell '' Soundfiles ( MIDI ) Libretto and English translation from Aria-Database.com Frontispiece of the first edition libretto Brief programme notes from recent Opera Gold production, Goldsmiths, University of London San Diego OperaTalk ! with Nick Reveles : Mozart 's The Magic Flute, UC - TV and San Diego Opera The Magic Flute opera ( in German ) List of performances of Die Zauberflöte on Operabase. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 's The Magic Flute Music Discography `` O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn '' `` Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön '' `` Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen '' Sequel Das Labyrinth Films The Magic Flute ( 1975 ) The Magic Flute ( 2006 ) Other adaptations The Magic Flute ( musical ) Related Libretto of The Magic Flute Works inspired by The Magic Flute Mozart and Freemasonry Introduction and Variations on a Theme by Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Biography Biographies Birthplace Grand tour Name Nationality Scatology Smallpox Italy Berlin Prague Death Music Köchel catalogue List of compositions Concert arias, songs, canons Dances Horn concertos Masses Operas Piano concertos Works for solo piano Sonatas Symphonies Compositional method Family Leopold Mozart Anna Maria Mozart Maria Anna Mozart ( Nannerl ) Constanze Mozart Maria Anna Thekla Mozart ( Bäsle ) Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart Karl Thomas Mozart Johann Georg Mozart Joseph Lange Cäcilia Weber Josepha Weber Aloysia Weber Sophie Weber Georg Nissen Family trees Influences Beethoven Catholic Church Freemasonry Haydn Salieri Related Mozart in popular culture Book Operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Operas Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots ( 1767 ) Apollo et Hyacinthus ( 1767 ) Bastien und Bastienne ( 1768 ) La finta semplice ( 1769 ) Mitridate, re di Ponto ( 1770 ) Ascanio in Alba ( 1771 ) Il sogno di Scipione ( 1772 ) Lucio Silla ( 1772 ) La finta giardiniera ( 1775 ) Il re pastore ( 1775 ) Thamos, King of Egypt ( 1779 ) Zaide ( 1780 ) Idomeneo ( 1781 ) Die Entführung aus dem Serail ( 1782 ) L'oca del Cairo ( 1783 ) Lo sposo deluso ( 1784 ) Der Schauspieldirektor ( 1786 ) The Marriage of Figaro ( 1786 ) Don Giovanni ( 1787 ) Così fan tutte ( 1790 ) La clemenza di Tito ( 1791 ) The Magic Flute ( 1791 ) Arias `` Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen '' `` Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön '' `` Madamina, il catalogo è questo '' `` Non più andrai '' `` O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn '' `` Se vuol ballare '' Discographies Così fan tutte Die Entführung aus dem Serail Don Giovanni The Magic Flute The Marriage of Figaro VIAF : 176580465 LCCN : n81081247 GND : 300112068 SELIBR : 171377 SUDOC : 027511758 BNF : cb13915321b ( data ) NLA : 35290474 BNE : XX2229876 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Magic_Flute&oldid=836434728 '' Categories : The Magic Flute 1791 operas German - language operas Operas Operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Operas set in fictional, mythological and folkloric settings Operas adapted into films Singspiele Hidden categories : Articles containing German - language text Use British English from February 2017 Articles needing additional references from September 2016 All articles needing additional references Articles containing Italian - language text Articles with hAudio microformats Articles with German - language external links Works with IMSLP links Articles with International Music Score Library Project links Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with SELIBR identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with NLA identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Aragonés Asturianu Azərbaycanca Беларуская Български Brezhoneg Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Հայերեն Hrvatski Italiano עברית ქართული Latina Latviešu Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Română Русский Scots Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt Walon Winaray 中文 43 more Edit links This page was last edited on 14 April 2018, at 20 : 06. 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Question: what type of opera is the magic flute
Answer: Singspiel