50th Season 2005–2006 |
The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder & Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart |
Act I
Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night, has been kidnapped. Prince Tamino is chased by a snake and falls unconscious. The Ladies-in-Waiting of the Queen kill the snake and compete over keeping Tamino for each other. Tamino awakes and meets Papageno, the Queen’s bird catcher, who boasts of his defeat of the snake. The three ladies reappear and punish him for lying by putting a padlock on his mouth. They show Tamino a picture of Pamina that fills Tamino’s heart. They tell him she is a prisoner of Sarastro. Tamino vows to free Pamina and the Queen herself comes to reinforce his determination with her depiction of her motherly desolation. She promises Pamina to Tamino when he sets her free. The three ladies remove the padlock from Papageno's mouth and give him a set of chimes. To Tamino they give a golden flute. These instruments will enable them to escape the perils of liberating Pamina. They will also be accompanied by three young children.
Monostatos, a Moor at Sarastro’s service, is pursing Pamina with unwelcome advances. Papageno appears and Monostatos takes flight. Papageno recognizes Pamina. He advises her not to fear. She will soon be rescued. Papageno laments that nothing like this ever happens to him. Pamina assures him that he will soon find a girlfriend.
The first finale takes place close to three temples. This is where the three children have led Tamino with the advice to be patient, silent and to persevere. Tamino is refused entrance to the temples. A priest appears and tells Tamino that Sarastro is not a tyrant as he has been told, but a noble character of wisdom. Tamino’s desire for knowledge awakens and he plays his flute as wild animals listen.
He leaves before Papageno enters with Pamina, who has been followed by Monostatos. Papageno, by playing on his magic chimes, stops the threatening Moor. A chorus is heard singing praise to Sarastro as he enters. Pamina explains that she was trying to escape from the Moor. Sarastro assures her that he understands her predicament. Monostatos drags Tamino in, denounces him to Sarastro but, instead of a reward, he gets a flogging. Sarastro commands Pamina and Tamino to endure the trials of initiation.
Act II
Sarastro informs the priests that Tamino and Papageno must go through severe tests to be worthy of entering the Temple of Light. Sarastro prays to Isis and Osiris that the two may be worthy of their goal. They are warned not to fail in their vow of silence. The three Ladies try to get them to abandon their quest, but they remain silent.
Pamina is discovered lying asleep. The Moor steals towards her. The Queen gives a dagger to her daughter with the command to kill Sarastro. Monostatos threatens to reveal this plot if Pamina will not give him her love. Sarastro enters and dismisses the Moor who hopes to have better luck with the Queen. Pamina pleads for mercy for her mother and Sarastro assures her that vengeance is not on his mind.
Tamino and Papageno are again urged to keep silence. Papageno finds himself chattering with an old woman who claims to be his sweetheart. The woman disappears. The children bring the flute, the chimes, food and drink. Pamina enters, and is overjoyed to see Tamino. Unaware of the vow of silence, she is distraught over his lack of response. The priests sing a chorus of praise to Isis and Osiris. Sarastro tells Pamina and Tamino to say their last farewell to each other.
The old woman comes back and threatens Papageno with dire consequences if he does not swear to be true to her. He swears and she reveals herself to be young and attractive, but Papageno is warned off by a priest who says he is not worthy of her yet.
The three children sing of the joys of the rising sun. Pamina contemplates suicide but is restrained by the children. Tamino arrives for the trials of fire and water, flanked by two armed guards. Pamina joins him. Meanwhile, Papageno intends to commit suicide instead of facing life without a mate. Elsewhere, Monostatos leads the Queen and her Ladies who are making an unsuccessful bid at revenge on Sarastro.
In the end. some are rewarded and some are not…
