https://www.metopera.

org/discover/synopses/the-magic-flute/

A mythical land between the sun and the moon. Three ladies in the service of the
Queen of the Night save Prince Tamino from a serpent. When they leave to tell
the queen, the birdcatcher Papageno appears. He boasts to Tamino that it was he
who killed the creature. The ladies return to give Tamino a portrait of the queen’s
daughter, Pamina, who they say has been enslaved by the evil Sarastro. Tamino
immediately falls in love with the girl’s picture. The queen, appearing in a burst of
thunder, tells Tamino about the loss of her daughter and commands him to
rescue her. The ladies give a magic flute to Tamino and silver bells to Papageno to
ensure their safety on the journey and appoint three spirits to guide them.

Sarastro’s slave Monostatos pursues Pamina but is frightened away by Papageno.

The birdcatcher tells Pamina that Tamino loves her and is on his way to save her.
Led by the three spirits to the temple of Sarastro, Tamino learns from a high priest
that it is the Queen, not Sarastro, who is evil. Hearing that Pamina is safe, Tamino
charms the wild animals with his flute, then rushes off to follow the sound of
Papageno’s pipes. Monostatos and his men chase Papageno and Pamina but are
left helpless when Papageno plays his magic bells. Sarastro enters in great
ceremony. He punishes Monostatos and promises Pamina that he will eventually
set her free. Pamina catches a glimpse of Tamino, who is led into the temple with
Papageno.

Sarastro tells the priests that Tamino will undergo initiation rites. Monostatos tries
to kiss the sleeping Pamina but is surprised by the appearance of the Queen of
the Night. The Queen gives her daughter a dagger and orders her to murder
Sarastro.

Sarastro finds the desperate Pamina and consoles her, explaining that he is not
interested in vengeance. Tamino and Papageno are told by a priest that they
must remain silent and are not allowed to eat, a vow that Papageno immediately
breaks when he takes a glass of water from a flirtatious old lady. When he asks her
name, the old lady vanishes. The three spirits appear to guide Tamino through the
rest of his journey and to tell Papageno to be quiet. Tamino remains silent even
when Pamina appears. Misunderstanding his vow for coldness, she is
heartbroken.

The priests inform Tamino that he has only two more trials to complete his
initiation. Papageno, who has given up on entering the brotherhood, longs for a
wife instead. He eventually settles for the old lady. When he promises to be
faithful she turns into a beautiful young Papagena but immediately disappears.

Pamina and Tamino are reunited and face the ordeals of water and fire together,
protected by the magic flute.
Papageno tries to hang himself on a tree but is saved by the three spirits, who
remind him that if he uses his magic bells he will find true happiness. When he
plays the bells, Papagena appears and the two start making family plans. The
Queen of the Night, her three ladies, and Monostatos attack the temple but are
defeated and banished. Sarastro blesses Pamina and Tamino as all join in hailing
the triumph of courage, virtue, and wisdom.

https://www.eno.org/operas/the-magic-flute/

One of the greatest operas ever written, Mozart’s timeless classic concerns the
search for truth and reason, love and enlightenment.

It follows the adventures of Prince Tamino and the bird-catcher Papageno on

their quest to rescue Pamina. To assist their mission, they are given musical
instruments enhanced with magical powers, which they deploy to conquer the
trials and tribulations placed in their path towards a deeper understanding of true
love and happiness.

Synopsis of The Magic Flute

Act I
Chased by a serpent, Prince Tamino finds himself in an unknown land. He faints
and is saved by the Queen of Night’s three Ladies. When Tamino comes to, he is
approached by the bird-catcher Papageno.

The Ladies return to give Tamino a portrait of the Queen of Night’s daughter
Pamina, who has been kidnapped by the evil Sarastro. Tamino is instantly smitten
and the Queen of Night arrives to secure his promise that he will do everything in
his power to rescue Pamina from Sarastro’s stronghold. The Prince is given a
magic flute and Papageno a set of magic chimes as protection; the instruments
have a way of charming both man and beast. Additionally, three spirits, acting as
guardians and advisors, will lead the way.

Sarastro’s slave Monostatos pursues Pamina but is frightened away by Papageno,

who tells Pamina that he and Tamino have come to rescue her.

Meanwhile the three spirits have led Prince Tamino to Sarastro’s Temple. There, he
meets a priest who explains to him that it is the Queen of Night who is evil, not
Sarastro. Heartened by the news that Pamina is alive, Tamino begins playing his
flute; it reveals its magical properties by bringing the forest to life. Pamina and
Papageno hear Tamino’s flute and hasten to find him. But they are intercepted
and detained by Monostatos. Papageno’s chimes come to their aid, allowing the
bird-catcher and Pamina to escape.

Pamina and Tamino see one another for the first time, and fall into a passionate
embrace.
Act II
Sarastro sees Tamino as a future leader of his people, who are in the midst of a
grave crisis. But in order to prove himself worthy of the role, and of Pamina,
Tamino must first undergo several rigorous trials.

Papageno does not share Tamino’s audacity and is only prepared to accompany
him after the promise of a wife as his reward. The Queen of Night’s Ladies arrive
and try to seduce the two men into abandoning their allegiance to Sarastro, but
Tamino and Papageno hold their nerve and pass their first ordeal.

Monostatos tries to kiss the sleeping Pamina, but is frustrated by the entrance of
the Queen of Night. Set on revenge, she charges Pamina with the task of
murdering Sarastro. Torn by her devotion to her mother and her love for Tamino,
Pamina is at a loss. Sarastro enters, reassuring Pamina that he is not out for
vengeance, but strives for understanding and forgiveness.

The second ordeal has begun for Tamino and Papageno: a vow of silence.
Papageno heartily ignores this, chattering cheerfully with his companion. Pamina
finds them, but believes herself betrayed when Tamino refuses to speak to her.
Her happiness dashed, she leaves in despair, but Tamino passes the second test.
Papageno, on the other hand, is at his wits’ end. He encounters an old woman
who, once he has sworn lifelong fidelity to her, reveals herself as a young girl
named Papagena. But as he has disobeyed the vow of silence, she is driven away
from him. Papageno’s life now seems futile.

Beside herself with grief, Pamina contemplates suicide, but the three spirits
intervene, bringing her and Tamino together for the final trials. Protected by the
magic flute, Tamino and Pamina successfully undergo fire and water ordeals. The
three spirits also manage to prevent Papageno from killing himself, and the
bird-catcher is reunited with his Papagena for good.

The Queen of Night and her Ladies, led by Monostatos, once again try to storm
the Temple, but the intruders are caught unawares by Sarastro and cast out by
the light of the rising sun. As dawn breaks, Tamino and Pamina are hailed for
enduring all the ordeals with beauty and wisdom.

The Magic Flute Opera FAQs

Who wrote The Magic Flute?
The Magic Flute was written by composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 -1791),
a child prodigy and one of the most well-known classical composers of all time –
lending to the impeccable music throughout the opera

When was The Magic Flute written?

The Magic Flute was written in 1791, just three months before Mozart’s untimely
death aged 35. The first performance took place at the Theater auf der Wieden,
Vienna, in September 1971.

What is The Magic Flute about?

The plot follows the adventures of Prince Tamino and his comical companion,
Papageno, on their search to rescue the Queen of the Night’s daughter, Pamina.
To help conquer the trials and tribulations faced on their quest, as well as the evil
sorcerer Sarastro, the duo are given magical musical instruments, including a
magic flute and a set of enchanted bells.

Where is The Magic Flute set?

The Magic Flute is set in a magical unknown land, filled with mystical creatures,
mysterious places and fantastical scenes.

https://www.eno.org/discover-opera/eno-engage/learning-resources/explore-the-
magic-flute/the-context/

ENO: The Magic Flute: The Context

In early 1791, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart teamed up with
actor-manager Emanuel Schikaneder, an old acquaintance and a fellow
Freemason, to write a ‘comedy with machines’ for a theatre in the Viennese
suburbs. The theatre’s finances, like Mozart’s own, were precarious. Schikaneder
was confident that the new opera would be a box-office triumph.

Schikaneder based his libretto for The Magic Flute on an eclectic range of sources
including pantomime, Paul Wranitzky’s magic opera Oberon, King of the Elves
and a popular collection of oriental fairy tales. Beyond these, he drew on at least
three further sources for the opera’s Masonic precepts and symbolism: a French
novel with an Egyptian setting; Tobias von Gebler’s heroic drama Thamos, König
in Egypten, for which Mozart had written some magnificent incidental music; and
an essay entitled The Mysteries of the Egyptians by Ignaz von Born, one of
Vienna’s most revered Freemasons.

In the bird-catcher Papageno – a reincarnation of a figure from Viennese

pantomime – Schikaneder created for himself a character in which he could
exploit his talent for milking an audience. He regularly stole the show, exactly as
planned.

Within six months Mozart had almost completed the whole score of the opera. He
then broke off to embark on a new, serious opera, La clemenza di Tito, for the
coronation of Leopold II in Prague; and it was only after his return from Prague in
mid-September that he returned to The Magic Flute, completing the Overture
and the March of the Priests just two days before the premiere on 30 September.
Although not an immediate sensation, the opera quickly became the hit of the
season.

Freemasonry and Masonic Symbolism

The Magic Flute is not set in a particular historical period, but the opera is strongly
influenced by the ideas of Freemasonry. Both Mozart and Schikaneder were
Freemasons, an organisation that taught self-improvement and philosophy
through participation in a progression of ceremonies. These ceremonies inspired
the trials of silence, water and fire in the opera.

Sarastro’s cult based on wisdom and the male pursuit of knowledge represents
this Enlightenment ideal of a learned world order only available to men at this
time. Mozart’s representation of the female characters of the Queen of the Night
and Pamina can also be said to contradict traditional eighteenth-century gender
politics. For example, the powerful force of the Queen’s music demonstrates her
independence and her domination in contrast to the subdued male choruses of
Sarastro’s followers, and it is only through Pamina’s choice to enter the trials
alongside Tamino that their happy ending is ultimately ensured.

The symbol of the number three, significant in Masonic symbolism, is peppered

throughout in the opera, for example, by the use of Three Ladies, Three Spirits,
three trials, and the three chords first heard in the overture. The overture is also
written in the key of E flat – which has three flats in its key signature.

The Text

When Emanuel Schikaneder wrote the libretto for The Magic Flute in 1790 he
specifically chose to write it in his native German rather than Italian (the
traditional language of opera in his day). At ENO we perform all our productions in
English for the same reason, translating and adapting original texts so they are
accessible to anyone.

Writer Stephen Jeffreys created the text for this ENO production of The Magic
Flute. The role of the translator comes with certain freedoms to make choices for
new English words, which director Simon McBurney wanted to make sure had a
contemporary edge.

For example, Jeffreys and McBurney wanted the three Ladies at the beginning to
be strong female characters. Subtle changes in the text can define characters in
very different ways, for example in one of the Ladies’ opening lines:
(original German) Er ist befreit durch unsres Armes Tapferkeit
(literal translation) He is freed by our poor bravery
(Stephen Jeffrey’s translation) The man is saved, by feminine valour, strength and
steel.

When translating text for opera you have to take into account the rhythms of the
musical notes. Opera often contains recitatives, sections were the musical phrases
are short and simple to carry the text so that the words are the most important
thing heard. Often in the rehearsal room, singers will allow themselves some
freedom with recitatives, moving the rhythms around to impart different
emotions on chosen words.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Magic-Flute

The Magic Flute, singspiel in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with a
German libretto by Austrian actor and theatrical producer Emanuel Schikaneder.
The opera, Mozart’s last, premiered at the rustic Theater auf der Wieden near
Vienna on September 30, 1791, not long before Mozart’s death on December 5.

Background and context

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: “Birdcatcher Song”
Papageno's “Birdcatcher Song” from Act I of The Magic Flute by Mozart.
On one level, The Magic Flute is a simple fairy tale concerning a damsel in distress
and the handsome prince who rescues her. Beneath the surface, however, the
piece is much more complex. It is an allegory of the quest for wisdom and
enlightenment as presented through symbols of Freemasonry; Mozart and
Schikaneder were both Freemasons. Most obvious of the Masonic symbols is the
number three: among the cast are three boys, three ladies, and three slaves, and
musical passages feature three chords (as those that begin the overture) or three
stanzas, among other instances.

The music of The Magic Flute closely underscores the drama. Mozart used varied
musical styles to depict his characters. Folksy birdcatcher Papageno—a role first
played by Schikaneder himself—and his late-appearing sweetheart Papagena
(the names derive from the German word for “parrot”) are given unpretentious,
folklike melodies. By contrast, 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, with its light, fast coloratura
singing and large intervals between consecutive pitches.) For the young lovers
Tamino and Pamina, Mozart composed music that is sweetly romantic yet also
harmonically progressive, using at times an unusually chromatic vocal line. Using
music to reinforce personality allowed Mozart to create characters that continue
to move modern audiences.

Like Mozart’s few other German-language operas—including Die Entführung aus

dem Serail, The Abduction from the Seraglio—The Magic Flute is a singspiel, a
form that includes spoken dialogue between the musical numbers. (See also
operetta.) Works combining spoken words and sung text in local
languages—German, French, and English—were fairly common, and these
more-accessible works had periods of great local popularity. The Magic Flute,
which was successful from the beginning, continues to make frequent
appearances on the world’s opera stages.

Cast and main vocal parts

Tamino, a prince (tenor)
Papageno, a birdcatcher (baritone)
The Queen of the Night (coloratura soprano)
Pamina, her daughter (soprano)
Sarastro, high priest of Isis (bass)
Monostatos, chief slave of the temple (baritone)
Papagena (soprano)
Three Ladies, attendants to the Queen (sopranos, mezzo-soprano)
Three Spirits, boys (treble, alto, mezzo-soprano)
Speaker of the temple (bass-baritone)
Three priests (tenor, basses)
Two men in armour (tenor, bass)
Three slaves (tenors, bass)
Priests, priestesses, slaves, populace, animals.

Setting and story summary

Act I
Scene 1. Prince Tamino, lost in a wild forest, is being pursued by a giant serpent.
He collapses. The Three Ladies, who serve the Queen of the Night, appear and kill
the monster. They find the unconscious Tamino attractive, and they argue about
who will guard him while the others report to the Queen of the Night; unable to
decide, they all leave. Papageno the birdcatcher enters, singing of the joys of his
profession and his desire for a wife. Tamino recovers consciousness, and
Papageno claims to have strangled the serpent himself. The Three Ladies
reappear and padlock his mouth for lying. They show Tamino a portrait of Pamina;
he falls in love at first sight. The Queen arrives. She tells Tamino that Pamina is her
daughter, who has been captured by the evil Sarastro. She persuades Tamino to
rescue Pamina, promising him Pamina’s hand if he succeeds. The Three Ladies
give Tamino a magic flute and Papageno a set of magic bells to protect them on
their journey. The Three Spirits will guide them to Sarastro’s temple.

Scene 2. In Sarastro’s palace, his slave Monostatos is trying to molest Pamina

when Papageno appears. Monostatos and Papageno are terrified by each other
and flee. But Papageno returns and reassures Pamina that her mother has sent
Tamino to help her. She is overjoyed to learn that Tamino loves her, and she
sympathizes with Papageno’s longing for a wife. They leave together.
Scene 3. The Three Spirits lead Tamino to Sarastro’s temple grove. Tamino is at first
rebuffed as he seeks to enter the temples of Reason and Nature, but the speaker
of the temple of Wisdom reveals to him that Sarastro is good, not evil. Having
learned that Pamina is alive, Tamino plays his magic flute to summon Pamina and
Papageno; its sounds tame the animals. Papageno answers with his pipes, and
Tamino rushes off to find them.

Scene 4. Papageno and Pamina are making their way toward Tamino when they
are captured by Monostatos and his fellow slaves. Papageno uses his magic bells
to enchant his enemies, making them dance away. Sarastro and his entourage
approach. Pamina reassures Papageno and tells him that they must tell Sarastro
the truth. She confesses to Sarastro that she tried to escape because of
Monostatos’s attentions. Sarastro is kind, but he says he cannot grant her
freedom, because she needs a man’s guidance. Monostatos now enters with
Tamino as his prisoner. Tamino and Pamina see each other for the first time and
rush into each other’s arms, to the astonishment of Sarastro’s followers.
Monostatos seeks a reward, but instead Sarastro punishes him for lusting after
Pamina. Sarastro leads Tamino and Papageno to the temple.

Act II
Scene 1. Sarastro meets with his council. They decide that Tamino and Pamina
should marry and that Tamino should succeed Sarastro as their leader, provided
he passes the trials set out by the ancient rite. Sarastro prays to Isis and Osiris,
asking them to protect Tamino and Pamina.

Scene 2. A priest warns Tamino that this is his last chance to turn back, but
Tamino is determined to proceed. Papageno is not interested in trials; all he wants
is food, wine, and a wife. The priest replies that he will get a wife only if he
undergoes the trials. In the first trial, Tamino and Papageno must not speak to
anyone. The Three Ladies arrive and try to get them to speak. Papageno cannot
resist answering, but Tamino remains steadfast. The priests praise Tamino but
scold Papageno, who does not understand why he has to undergo these trials if
Sarastro has already found a wife for him.

Scene 3. Monostatos approaches the sleeping Pamina and is about to kiss her
when the Queen of the Night, who had arrived unseen earlier, frightens him away.
Seeking power that can be hers only if Sarastro dies, the Queen awakens Pamina
and gives her a dagger, ordering her to kill Sarastro. After the Queen leaves,
Monostatos tries to blackmail Pamina by threatening to reveal the murder plot,
but Sarastro drives him off and reassures Pamina.

Scene 4. Tamino and Papageno are undergoing a second trial of silence. An old
woman enters, carrying water. She says that she is 18 years and 2 minutes old.
Papageno at first believes she means 80, but the old woman insists she is 18.
Papageno inquires if she has a sweetheart. She replies that she does, and that his
name is Papageno. She then disappears. Pamina enters and tries to talk to
Tamino, but he refuses to answer. She leaves in despair.

Scene 5. In the council room, the priests celebrate Tamino’s success. Sarastro
separates Pamina and Tamino for their final trial.

Scene 6. Papageno, still longing for a wife, plays his magic bells. The old woman
reappears and demands that he promise to marry her, or else he will be alone
forever. Papageno reluctantly agrees. She is immediately transformed into a
pretty girl: Papagena. As Papageno runs to embrace her, the priests frighten her
away.

Scene 7. The Three Spirits come upon Pamina in a courtyard. She is trying to kill
herself with her mother’s dagger because she thinks Tamino has abandoned her.
They promise that she will see him soon.

Scene 8. Two armoured men lead Tamino to his next trials, at mountains gushing
fire and water. They recite the credo of Isis that he who overcomes fear will
achieve enlightenment. Tamino is reunited with Pamina. They exchange loving
words and enter the trials together. They are unharmed by the water and fire,
thanks to the magic flute’s protection. The priests laud their success.

Scene 9. In a garden on the temple grounds, Papageno has given up hope of ever
finding Papagena again, so he tries to hang himself. But the Three Spirits remind
him of the magic bells. He plays them, and Papagena appears. The happy pair
celebrate their union.

Scene 10. Meanwhile, Monostatos, the Queen, and the Three Ladies attempt to
destroy the temple, but they are vanquished and cast into eternal darkness. All
ends happily when Sarastro unites Tamino and Pamina in marriage. Sarastro’s
followers praise the couple and give thanks to the gods.

Singspiel, 18th-century opera in the German language, containing spoken

dialogue and usually comic in tone. The earliest singspiels were light plays whose
dialogue was interspersed with popular songs. Resembling the contemporary
English ballad opera and the French opéra-comique (both of which stimulated its
development), the singspiel rose to great popularity in the late 18th century. Its
success was partly caused by a reaction by composers and audiences against the
artificial conventions of the then dominant Italian opera.
https://www.operagr.org/mozarts-the-magic-flute-a-masonic-opera/

Mozart’s The Magic Flute: A Masonic Opera

Mozart’s The Magic Flute is universally recognized as being a masterpiece among
masterpieces. This opera is an allegorical tale, not a fairy tale, and uses symbols to
express truths about the human spirit. The overarching theme is: Harmony in
human society can only be realized by the perfect union of man and woman,
characterized by an equality that is achieved through pure love, strength of
character, and the rituals of Freemasonry.

Mozart, like many of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was a Freemason.
In the late 18th century, Freemasonry was considered a radical movement,
aligned with the free thinkers of the Enlightenment. It was a threat to the
aristocracy and established religion and, as such, was suppressed by the nobility
and Vatican.

The opera is set in two polar opposite kingdoms: The Kingdom of Night –
symbolized by the moon and the color silver, and ruled by the Queen of the Night.
The Queen represents the Austrian empress Maria Theresa who oppressed
Masonic Lodges. The Kingdom of the Temple of the Wisdom is symbolized by the
sun and the color gold, and is led by the High Priest Sarastro who represents
Ignaz von Born, leader of the Vienna Masonic Lodge of which Mozart was a
member. These two kingdoms will only be reconciled by the union of opposing
kingdom prince and princess Tamino and Pamina, respectively, and the victory of
the sun (enlightenment) over the moon (the established order).

When we first meet Tamino he is running in fear from a serpent that represents
his irrational ignorance of the Masonic Order. He is then lied to by the Queen to
the Night and sent off to rescue her daughter Pamina from Sarastro. The rest of
the opera is occupied by Tamino and Pamina finding pure love and enduring the
Masonic trials of self-discipline through silence. They are ultimately purified by the
basic elements of fire and water. Once they have successfully gone through these
trials, Sarastro gives them the shield of the sun to be wise and benevolent rulers.

And why a magic flute? A common Masonic theme is that music has the power to
transcend human fear and hatred. So, the moral of the story is that through the
Masonic Order and guided by the beauty of music, society is enlightened – men
and women equally.

The most memorable character in The Magic Flute is Papageno the birdcatcher,
who was created to entertain the audience and further obscure the Masonic
messaging of the plot. For the opera’s premier performances, the role of
Papageno was played by actor Emanuel Schikaneder. Schikaneder was also the
librettist for The Magic Flute and the owner of Teatre on Der Wien where the work
premiered. Papageno is an Everyman and endures his own set of trials, at which
he fails miserably. Yet, the kindly gods provide him a beautiful young wife and our
Everyman couple populate the world with many little Papagenos and Papagenas.
It’s a bit of a cynical comment that while there are few Taminos and Paminas,
there are many Papagenos and Papagenas.
But why not just come out and say all of this? Well, remember that at the time of
Mozart, Freemasonry was under a Papal bull of condemnation, and suppressed by
the nobility. It was not only unfashionable, but potentially dangerous to be a
Freemason. As you enjoy the delightfully brilliant music of Mozart in The Magic
Flute, keep in mind the philosophical journey toward enlightenment that is
shared by Tamino and Pamina.

Opera Grand Rapids’ production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute
is being performed, in English, October 26th and 27th at DeVos Performance Hall.
The production stars acclaimed artists John Viscardi as the comic Papageno and
Jana McIntyre as the star-blazing Queen of the Night, with the Opera Grand
Rapids Chorus and the Grand Rapids Symphony under the baton of Artistic
Director, Maestro James Meena.

Initiation ceremony in a Viennese Masonic Lodge, during reign of Joseph II. The
inside of what is thought to be the lodge New Crowned Hope (Zur Neugekrönten
Hoffnung) in Vienna. It is believed that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is depicted at
the extreme right, sitting next to his close friend Emanuel Schikaneder. Painting
by Ignaz Unterberger (1748-1797)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozart_and_Freemasonry

https://medium.com/the-collector/the-hidden-symbolism-behind-mozarts-the-m
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The Hidden Symbolism Behind Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — the prolific composer of the Classical period was a
Freemason. Just after his 29th birthday, he joined the Masonic lodge called
Beneficence in Vienna and rose from the ranks of Apprentice to be a Journeyman
in the following year and shortly becoming a Master Mason. For the last seven
years of his life, the Masonic order played an important role.

Mozart’s The Magic Flute was his final masterpiece that might appear to be a
childish fairytale but encapsulates profound symbolism. It is now regarded as one
of the most influential operas in history.

This article would delve into the 18th-century Masonic movement and the hidden
symbolism behind Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

The 18th-century Masonic movement

Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Mark Twain, and Mozart are some of the
luminaries entitled “Master Masons” in the 18th century. Freemasonry is a fraternal
organization established around the middle ages and famous for its secret rites
and rituals. The only people familiar with the ceremonies are Masons — and
they’re all sworn to secrecy. Mozart laid a rationalist and enlightenment-inspired
membership in the Masonic movement as compared to those members who
were driven towards mysticism and occult.

Geometry is the central symbol of Freemasonry and since geometry measures

the harmony of the universe, the overarching theme of Freemasonry is harmony.
The hidden symbolism behind Mozart’s The Magic Flute
The opera starts with a fable — a boy named Prince Tamino who runs through a
dark wood and is abducted by a dragon. As soon as the dragon approaches the
Prince, the three mysterious ladies appear and kill the dragon.

And begins Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Magic Flute.”

The work is in the form of singspiel, a type of folk opera with music and dialogue
premiered in Vienna in 1791.

The encounter of Prince Tamino with the dragon is only the start of his journey.
The Queen of the Night summons the Prince and persuades him to rescue her
daughter Pamina from captivity under the high priest, Sarastro. The Queen gives
the titular magic flute to Tamino and eventually, he finds Pamina at the Sarastro
temple. But during this event, the Prince realized that it is the Queen who wants
to plunge the world into darkness and a new quest begins for Tamino and
Pamina.

Both of them together undergo severe trials of initiation that ultimately turn out
to be in their favor, with the Queen and her cohorts vanquished.

This fable might sound like a conspiracy theory but over time it has been the
subject of scholarly interest. Many elements in the play are influenced by Mozart’s
involvement in Freemasonry.

It is believed the Queen of the Night symbolizes Maria Theresa, the Empress of
the Holy Roman Empire who vehemently opposed Freemasonry and banned it in
Austria.

One of the symbols particularly prominent in The Magic Flute is three. Three is an
important symbol to the Freemasons that represents balance and order.

Three ladies, three trials, three spirits, three doors, and much of the music is
composed in E-flat major that has three flats in its key signature.

Last thoughts
The Magic Flute is an allegorical tale aligned with the free thinkers of
enlightenment.

And why a magic flute? A common Masonic theme is that music has the power to
transcend human fear and hatred. So, the moral of the story is that through the
Masonic Order and guided by the beauty of music, society is enlightened — men
and women equally.
The Magic Flute is not only Mozart's great piece of music but also has remained
synonymous with Masonic symbolism to this very day.

https://utahopera.org/explore/2019/02/symbolism-themes-and-criticisms/

SYMBOLISM, THEMES, AND CRITICISMS

by Luke Howard

It’s not easy to tease out the symbolism and themes of The Magic Flute in their
entirety because they will resonate differently with each viewer. They are
interconnected, complex, and dependent on context and individual experience
for their interpretations. But some overarching themes do rise easily to the
surface, including numerology, Masonic symbolism, and the praise of higher
virtues. And along, the way, The Magic Flute has attracted some notable criticism
as well.

Some of the symbolism invoked in The Magic Flute is overt, especially the use of
the number three as a Masonic symbol independent of its Christian
interpretation. There are, for instance, the groupings of the Three Genii, Three
Ladies, and three flats in the key (E-flat) of the opera, and other references to
multiples of three with direct numerological significance to Freemasory. A
knocking rhythm, three times in succession, is an integral part of Masonic ritual,
and it must have surprised Viennese Masons in the first audiences to hear, in the
middle of the overture, a three-fold repetition of three chords. (The rhythm of this
passage was peculiar to the ritual of the Vienna lodge.)

The issue of Sein vs. Schein, which would normally be a positive theme in an
operatic plot line, has also led to some critiques of The Magic Flute and charges of
racism and misogyny. The comments of the priests and Sarastro about the
weakness of women, and the character of Monostatos (who is dark-skinned)
might lead some to perceive underlying biases in the characterizations. From the
audience’s point of view, these might be part of the test between reality and
appearance. Is this what the priests actually believe, or are the positing the
commonly held assumptions of the day precisely so they can be challenged and
rejected by Mozart, through Tamino? Do Mozart and Schikaneder present a
despicable dark-skinned character not as a representation of their own racial
prejudices, but as a stereotype they can then contest?

Most of the claims of misogyny in the opera surround the Queen of the Night
(sometimes thought to be a parody of the Empress Maria Theresa, who was
vehemently opposed to Freemasonry). The portrayal of the Queen of the Night
and the Three Ladies is then generalized to refer to all women. So how does
Mozart challenge it? In one of the most endearing duets from the opera we hear
the words “Mann und Weib, Weib und Mann, Reichen an di Gottheit an”
(“Husband and Wife, Wife and Husband, Reach up to and attain godhood.”)
That this duet is sung by the “everyman” Papageno and the “princess” Pamina
shows that the sentiment cuts across social hierarchies and applies to all. Neither
man nor woman is superior to the other.

Significantly, it is Pamina who leads Tamino into the temple, not the other way
around. They are initiated into the mysteries of the female god Isis (not the male
Osiris). Together, Pamina and Tamino form a god-couple, modeled after Isis and
Osiris. In this regard, the name of Monostatos (meaning, “stands alone”) is
significant, since he has none of the traits that will qualify him for the kind of
godhood that Tamino and Pamina inherit. The Magic Flute suggests it is man and
woman together, not man alone, that qualify for the highest level of godhood.

Just like the claims of sexism, the racism in the opera at first seems to reinforce
racial stereotypes before subtly undermining them. The dark-skinned Monostatos
plays the race card himself when Pamina rejects his advances, asking her “Is it my
black skin that repulses you?” The “everyman” character of Papageno is also at
first frightened by the dark skin. But Papageno very quickly comes to terms with
it. Even Sarastro makes it clear that what is despicable about Monostatos is his
character and his actions, not the color of his skin. In fact, he shows Monostatos
more mercy than he deserves, and has already given him more authority within
the temple than Monostatos’s character warrants.

Just as the Queen of the Night is not evil because of her gender, Monostatos is
not evil because of his skin color. This is made explicit in the staging and
costuming for this production. By using tattoos to darken Monostato’s skin, the
designer has shown that Monostatos has brought his despicableness upon
himself, not inherited it. The design notes for this production include the
following observation: “Culture determines status, not some absolute
pre-ordained hierarchy. Monostatos once thrived in another society where his
complete body-markings were a sign a prestige and honor. Having been
defeated, his outer appearance now identifies him as someone to be loathed and
detested. In a vain attempt to distract from his indelible tatuage, he dresses in all
sorts of colorful indigenous fabrics. Ultimately, his “blackness” is not something
that he was born with, but something that he acquired in life, and he cannot find
peace.”

Why make the character of Monostatos dark-skinned in the first place, then?
Perhaps it was precisely to challenge the initial racist assumptions that people of
the day would have made. One of Mozart’s Masonic lodge brothers in Vienna was
a black African, and it is very unlikely the composer would’ve gone out of his way
to perpetuate racist stereotypes in a deeply Masonic opera when a lodge brother
was dark-skinned. Rather than making Monostatos merely a villain, he can be a
villain who also teaches the audience that they should judge character on
behavior, not skin color.
Sarastro, thought by some commentators to be misogynistic, is not the evil villain
the Queen made him out to be in Act I. But neither is he the model we are invited
to follow. He is the last in a long line of the celibate priests—a good man, but with
character flaws. He is an imperfect leader, one who (like Thomas Jefferson) owned
slaves and made mistakes. He admits to kidnapping Pamina (not usually
acceptable behavior), but it was to save her from the destructive influence of her
mother and allow her to reach her highest potential—he used a bad means to a
good end. But he will be replaced by the god-couple of Tamino and Pamina,
ushering in a new enlightened generation. What Mozart says with Sarastro and
the priests (all of whom are, like Monostatos, apparently unmarried) is that the
brotherhood of Freemasonry as it stood then was a good institution, but it was
not the ideal, and we should strive for a better way. Even Papageno, the
“everyman,” has a wife at the end of the opera, presumably granting him potential
to exceed Sarastro in power, should he so choose.

Viewing the story of The Magic Flute as a parable about separating appearance
from reality, truth from innuendo, and wisdom from bigotry and falsehood, will
help almost every aspect of the story make sense. It is not really a Masonic opera
as such. It is rather a moral opera that uses Masonic emblems and symbols in the
process of telling a story about achieving the highest potential within us. But the
end of the story, with both man and woman raised to godhood together, was
radical even for 18th-century Viennese Masons. And for the rest of that first
audience, it must have seemed like nothing more than a curious flight of fancy.

Dr. Howard began his formal music studies in Sydney, Australia, where he
received the Bachelor of Music Education degree with an emphasis in piano. He
then earned a Master of Arts in Musicology from BYU in 1994, and a Ph.D. in
Musicology from the University of Michigan in 1997. Dr. Howard has previously
served on the music faculties at Minnesota State University Moorhead and the
University of Missouri Kansas City. In 2002, he joined the faculty of the School of
Music at Brigham Young University where he teaches music history and Western
cultural history.