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Mozart's The Magic Flute
A comprehensive guide to Mozart's THE MAGIC FLUTE, featuring insightful and in depth Commentary and Analysis, a complete, newly translated Libretto with German/English side-by side, and over 30 music highlight examples.
128 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2000
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August 18, 2011Complete libretto of THE MAGIC FLUTE
My favorite character is Papageno, holy fool & sidekick to Tamino, a spiritually questing hero.
Papageno introduces himself:
"I'm the bird-catcher, who's always happy!
Hi ho!
I'm known all over by young and old.
I know how to whistle every sound,
and I know all the birdcalls.
That's why I can be merry and happy,
because all the birds are mine.
I'd like to have a net to catch girls by the dozens.
I would lock them safely at home so they'd all be mine.
When they'd be mine, I'd give them sugar,
but I'd give sugar right away to the one I love most.
Then if she would kiss me tenderly,
it would be as if we were husband and wife.
She would sleep beside me,
and I would rock her like a baby." (43-44)
From "Commentary and Analysis"
"The plot of THE MAGIC FLUTE evolved from a pseudo-oriental genie-type of tale, LULU, or THE MAGIC FLUTE, originating from a collection published by Wieland in 1789 under the title DSCHINNISTAN.
"Schikaneder, Mozart, and a flamboyant actor, Carl Ludwig Giesecke, the latter, the pseudonym for Johann Metzler, a versatile lawyer and sometime Professor of Mineralogy and Chemistry at the University of Dublin, were the collaborating librettists: coincidentally, all were members of the same Viennese Freemason lodge....
"....The simple fairy tale that originally dealt with a power struggle between the forces of good and evil and the ultimate triumph of love, was ultimately transformed into a highly complex allegory glorifying the ideals of Freemasonry....
"Many musicologists have hypothesized that many of the events in the opera derive logically from Masonic laws and rituals, all of which, Mozart and Schikaneder were very profoundly familiar with: in particular, the solemn choral scenes involving Sarastro and the Priests, and the impressive fire and water ordeals, all of which, are patterned after Masonic rituals and symbolism...." (15)
My favorite character is Papageno, holy fool & sidekick to Tamino, a spiritually questing hero.
Papageno introduces himself:
"I'm the bird-catcher, who's always happy!
Hi ho!
I'm known all over by young and old.
I know how to whistle every sound,
and I know all the birdcalls.
That's why I can be merry and happy,
because all the birds are mine.
I'd like to have a net to catch girls by the dozens.
I would lock them safely at home so they'd all be mine.
When they'd be mine, I'd give them sugar,
but I'd give sugar right away to the one I love most.
Then if she would kiss me tenderly,
it would be as if we were husband and wife.
She would sleep beside me,
and I would rock her like a baby." (43-44)
From "Commentary and Analysis"
"The plot of THE MAGIC FLUTE evolved from a pseudo-oriental genie-type of tale, LULU, or THE MAGIC FLUTE, originating from a collection published by Wieland in 1789 under the title DSCHINNISTAN.
"Schikaneder, Mozart, and a flamboyant actor, Carl Ludwig Giesecke, the latter, the pseudonym for Johann Metzler, a versatile lawyer and sometime Professor of Mineralogy and Chemistry at the University of Dublin, were the collaborating librettists: coincidentally, all were members of the same Viennese Freemason lodge....
"....The simple fairy tale that originally dealt with a power struggle between the forces of good and evil and the ultimate triumph of love, was ultimately transformed into a highly complex allegory glorifying the ideals of Freemasonry....
"Many musicologists have hypothesized that many of the events in the opera derive logically from Masonic laws and rituals, all of which, Mozart and Schikaneder were very profoundly familiar with: in particular, the solemn choral scenes involving Sarastro and the Priests, and the impressive fire and water ordeals, all of which, are patterned after Masonic rituals and symbolism...." (15)
November 24, 2022
This book was purely read for research purposes due to my project topic in college. And it actually turned out to be a very useful and good book. However - research aside , this isn’t the type of book I would choose to read.
May 24, 2017
I don't know how to feel about this libretto. Not particularly entertaining or interesting, so I'm curious to see if I will like the opera.
However, I really enjoyed this version of the libretto. The Opera Classics Library has a great and in depth commentary and analysis section.
However, I really enjoyed this version of the libretto. The Opera Classics Library has a great and in depth commentary and analysis section.
March 23, 2013
One of my absolute favorite operas. I fell in love with it even more after I read this for a university class that interpreted it in the context of the hero's journey.
March 24, 2016
Although a nice background work on Mozart's famous opera, this is probably better suited for specifically opera-oriented audiences.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews