Learn everything about the story of the opera and its origins.
Enter the mysterious world of The Magic Flute, a captivating opera that fuses magic and adventure. Join the brave prince Tamino on his journey through dark forests in search of the enchanting princess Pamina.
The mysterious Queen of the Night provides Tamino with a wondrous flute to protect him from all dangers and a mischievous bird catcher named Papageno and instructs him to free her daughter Pamina from the captivity of a mystical brotherhood and its leader Sarastro.
Prince Tamino gets lost in the forest and is pursued by a snake and collapses in fear. He is rescued by the Queen of the Night, who immediately commissions him to rescue her daughter Pamina, who is in the grip of the terrible tyrant Sarastro. Together with the funny bird catcher Papageno and the help of a magic flute and a special glockenspiel, he sets off in search of the princess, who is being held prisoner in Sarastro's castle by the evil Monostatos.
Papageno tries to trick Monostatos, but unfortunately Pamina and Papageno's escape fails. Sarastro, however, turns out not to be evil at all; he has only kidnapped the princess so that she can get to know and love Prince Tamino, for Tamino has been chosen by Sarastro as his successor and Pamina as his wife. The high couple passes the prescribed fire and water test and are now ready to assume their leadership roles. Tamino's companion Papageno also wishes for a girlfriend, but he does not trust himself to pass the tests. With the help of his magic chime, he finally meets his dream woman Papagena.
The plot combines elements of Masonic philosophy, mythology and fairy tale while conveying a message about virtue, love and knowledge.
"The Magic Flute" was first performed on September 30, 1791, at the Freihaustheater auf der Wieden (now Theater an der Wien) in Vienna, directed by librettist Schikaneder. Mozart conducted the premiere himself. Reactions to the first performance were mixed, as some critics found the opera confusing and inconsistent, while the rest of the audience enjoyed the catchy melodies and magical elements of the story.Despite the mixed reception, "The Magic Flute" soon achieved sustained success, becoming probably the most popular and widely performed opera in the history of music. Its unique style, combining comic opera with romantic magic opera, has had a lasting impact on the opera world and continues to delight audiences around the world with its timeless magic.
