The Magic Flute, K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, written in German to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is a Singspiel, a popular form of opera that included both singing and spoken dialogue. It premiered on 30 September 1791 at the Vienna Theater and is considered one of the most performed pieces of opera history.
The Magic Flute is a fairy tale that moves freely between earthy comedy and noble mysticism. Written for a theater located just outside Vienna, it is known as a Singspiel, a German language comic opera with singing and dialogue. It features comedy, magic, and fantastical creatures. The opera follows the adventures of Prince Tamino and Papageno on their quest to rescue Pamina.
The Magic Flute is a type of opera known as a Singspiel, which means it includes singing AND dialogue. The musical, set in contemporary South Africa, re-interprets the story from a South African perspective, telling of Prince Tamino’s quest to rescue Pamina. To assist their mission, they are given musical assistance.
The Magic Flute is technically not an opera but a “sing-play” (Singspiel in German) similar to the modern Broadway musical. The story is told in a sing-play format characterized by separate musical numbers connected by dialogue and stage activity, providing an excellent structure for the story.
In summary, The Magic Flute is a remarkable combination of musical and dramatic styles, featuring a fantastical evening filled with sorcerers, heroes, and magical creatures.
📹 The Magic Flute – Queen of the Night aria (Mozart; Diana Damrau, The Royal Opera)
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What type of story is The Magic Flute?
The Magic Flute is a fairy tale about darkness, light, and finding one’s way in the world. It is a Singspiel that includes singing and spoken dialogue. The story begins with Tamino, a prince lost in a foreign land, being pursued by a monster. He is rescued by three mysterious ladies who kill the monster and give him a picture of Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night. They inform him that Pamina has been captured by the powerful Sarastro, and Tamino vows to rescue her.
With the help of a magic flute and bells, Tamino embarks on his quest, but soon discovers that nothing is as it seems. The film stars Katie Sharpe as Tamino, Egor Zhuravskii as Tamino, Hazel Croft as Third Lady, and Charlie Drummond as First Lady.
Who is the real villain in The Magic Flute?
The Queen of the Night, also known as Königin der Nacht, is the main villain in Mozart’s 1791 opera, Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute). Initially introduced as a desperate mother whose daughter is kidnapped, she becomes the villain’s main antagonist, attempting to steal the powerful Circle of the Sun. Her role is among the most famous in opera, with her two coloratura arias, O Zittre Nicht Mein Lieber Sohn and Der Hölle Rache, becoming legendary.
The Queen of the Night is a majestic woman, clad in night and stars, and even Prince Tamino from a distant kingdom knows her name. Initially, she appears to be a loving mother, but in reality, she is cruel and selfish, willing to sacrifice her daughter for revenge.
Is The Magic Flute baroque or classical?
The Magic Flute, a comic opera created for commercial, public performance, is a significant example of the Classical style in the European opera tradition. It was composed nearly two hundred years later by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the most important opera composer of the era. Mozart was born into a musical family in Salzburg, where his father, Leopold, was a composer and violinist. Leopold realized his children possessed greater talent than him and abandoned composing to focus on their education. Mozart had an older sister, Marianne, who was his equal as a child prodigy. Both children mastered the harpsichord and fortepiano, and Mozart also became an expert violinist.
Mozart was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps and took a job at the Salzburg court in 1773. However, he was dissatisfied with the provincial life he led and wanted greater personal freedom. In 1781, he quarrelled with the Archbishop of Salzburg and was released from his position. Despite his father’s disappointment, Mozart moved to Vienna, an important center of politics and culture in the German-speaking world, and set out to build an independent career.
Is magic flute good for kids?
The Magic Flute is a musical fantasy film that introduces kids to opera, but may not be suitable for those who are not fond of formal, classical music. Executive-produced by Roland Emmerich, the film features a Harry Potter-like framework and a modern-day real-world setting. The film includes elements such as big adventure, hero’s quest, kid vs. giant creature, a sidekick, teen romance, triumphing over bullies, a princess, and magic. However, the film’s success depends on the acceptance of classical singing and opera.
The film may appeal to even the skeptical, as they may recognize familiar songs like “Birdcatcher’s Song” and “The Wrath of Hell”. F. Murray Abraham, who won the Academy Award for his performance in the Mozart biopic Amadeus, plays Tim, the strict music academy principal. Families can discuss the film’s effectiveness as an introduction to opera and classical music, and whether it changed their opinion about the music.
What style of music is The Magic Flute?
The Magic Flute is a singspiel, a form that includes spoken dialogue between musical numbers, and was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in two acts. The opera, Mozart’s last, premiered at the Theater auf der Wieden near Vienna on September 30, 1791, shortly before his death on December 5. The piece is a complex allegory of the quest for wisdom and enlightenment, presented through symbols of Freemasonry, with the number three being the most obvious Masonic symbol.
The music of The Magic Flute closely underscores the drama, with Mozart using varied musical styles to depict his characters. The folksy birdcatcher Papageno and his late-appearing sweetheart Papagena are given unpretentious, folklike melodies, while the deceptive Queen of the Night is portrayed as an Italianate coloratura indulging in both vocal and emotional histrionics. The role, written for Mozart’s sister-in-law Josepha Hofer, is famed in opera circles as the highest and perhaps most difficult ever composed.
The music for the young lovers Tamino and Pamina is sweetly romantic yet harmonically progressive, using an unusually chromatic vocal line. Using music to reinforce personality allowed Mozart to create characters that continue to move modern audiences.
Why is the number 3 important in The Magic Flute?
The Magic Flute, a 1790 opera by Emanuel Schikaneder, features the number three symbol, which is significant in Masonic symbolism. The opera features Three Ladies, Three Spirits, three trials, and the three chords first heard in the overture. The overture is written in the key of E flat, which has three flats in its key signature. ENO performs all its productions in English, translating and adapting original texts to make them accessible to everyone. The text for this ENO production was created by Stephen Jeffreys, who had the freedom to make choices for new English words, ensuring a contemporary edge.
Is magic flute worth watching?
The acting and singing are worthy of three-and-a-half stars, with noteworthy performances from Niamh McCormack and Iwan Rheon, and impressive vocal displays from soprano Sabine Devieilhe in the role of Queen of the Night. These elements collectively make the production a worthwhile viewing experience for those with an affinity for the narrative.
Is The Magic Flute homophonic?
The musical composition is primarily characterized by a straightforward, melody-centric approach to homophony, encompassing a combination of melodic lines and chords, with a discernible minimalism in the utilization of contrapuntal techniques.
Is Magic Flute a musical?
The Magic Flute is a popular German-language comic opera, known as a Singspiel, featuring comedy and fairy-tale themes. It is considered one of the greatest operas ever written by Mozart, focusing on the search for truth, reason, love, and enlightenment. The opera follows Prince Tamino and the bird-catcher Papageno on their quest to rescue Pamina, using musical instruments with magical powers to help them overcome trials and tribulations. The Magic Flute is a light-hearted and timeless masterpiece that explores themes of love, happiness, and the pursuit of truth.
Why is The Magic Flute so special?
The Magic Flute, initially a magic farce, gradually shifts towards Masonic ideals, highlighting the duality of Enlightenment and obscurantism. The opera follows the love story of Tamino and Pamina, who are caught between the forces of the feminine and masculine. The Queen of the Night represents darkness, negativity, and chaos, while the male Sarastro represents light, positivity, and order. Both Mozart and his librettist, Emanuel Schikaneder, were Freemasons, teaching self-enhancement and philosophy through ceremonies. The opera’s trials of silence, water, and fire reflect these ceremonies.
Is The Magic Flute funny?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Emanuel Schikaneder created The Magic Flute, a German comic opera with singing and dialogue. The opera follows Prince Tamino and Papageno’s quest for the Queen of the Night’s daughter, Pamina, using magical musical instruments like a magic flute. Mozart moved to Vienna in 1781, where he wrote most of his famous works, including operas like The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte. He completed The Magic Flute and The Clemency of Titus three months before his death, but his Requiem was left unfinished.
📹 The Magic Flute – ‘Pa–, pa–, pa–, Papageno’ duet (Mozart; Gansch, Williams; The Royal Opera)
Mozart wrote Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) for a suburban theatre in Vienna, the Theater auf der Wieden. He drew on the …
This was the greatest recorded performance ive yet found, and the full version got taken down recently. Such a shame, because no other performances compare to this one, with all actors being 100% on point, as well as the conducting/interpretation. I would pay good money to have a copy of this recording, because we might never see another of such greatness (atleast no others exist online that Ive found) EDIT: they sell dvd copies of the full performance online. Easiest purchase I’ve ever made, and I don’t even buy my sheetmusic.
Gansch is an absolute standout. She, along with Williams, brings this piece to LIFE. Best performance I’ve seen on this piece. Everyone is praising the one with Roth and Le Roi, but the better part of that performance are the costumes. I think they should have been in matching outfits here, but the performance is spot on. Brilliant!
Mozart was an incredible compozer 225 years after his death his music is still so prevalent. I think it is really sad that for many millenial’s and Generations Zs his music is irrelevant and does not matter to them. I feel blessed to be the exceptional 31 year old man who has embraced his music and realize how relevant his music is today in the present and the great joy it brings me.
I like how this song actually sounds cheerful and not stuffy. Usually opera sounds stuffy. (Really, who decided it should sound stuffy?) The impression of cheerfulness seems to come as much from the acting as from the music, which leads me to wonder: did Mozart do only the music, or did he also do the choreography? Who actually did the choreography?
Please tell me which exact version this is from (& if possible, where I can find it), as I would truly appreciate it! The whole thing used to be on YouTube somewhere, but they seem to have deleted it very recently; which is a shame, because both me & my little chihuahua loved perusal it together! 😥💔🐕