The Magic Flute

Location: Egypt
Era: Imaginary

A rocky landscape ... A temple.

INTRODUCTION
Pursued by a huge snake, Tamino asks for help. He faints by the temple gate. Three ladies arrive and fold strike down the snake.
They realize that the young man is charming and all three want to stay alone with him. As none of them manages to convince the other two, all three walk together away.
Tamino awakes, "Where am I?" Perceiving the presence of a strange man, he hides.

ARIA
The birdman Papageno comes in singing. Tamino asks: What country is this? Who rules here? Have you seen the Queen of the Night? Papageno is restless.
When Tamino thanks him for killing the serpent, Papageno does not set him right.
The three indignant fairies, punish him for his lie. Who are they? Papageno says that every day he changes his birds for wine, cakes and sweet figs.
For lying, they just give him water, stones and put a lock on his mouth preventing him to say a word.
They give a locket to Tamino from the Queen of the Night. It is the portrait of her daughter. Tamino falls in love with the beauty of the young girl and promises to release her.

ARIA
Pamina has been abducted by Sarastro. Her mother, the Queen of the Night, puts all her hope in Tamino.

RECITATIVE and ARIA
The Queen of the Night promises Tamino the hand of her daughter, if he can save her. Tamino just wonders if he is dreaming.

QUINTET
Papageno, mimicking, implores them to remove the lock. The three ladies return. The first one releases Papageno and makes him promise not to lie again. She gives Tamino a magic flute that has the power to change passions and increase happiness.
As for Papageno, he must accompany the prince and gets some bells. "Silver Bells! Magic Flute! They will protect you." Three children guide them to the castle of Sarastro.

A sumptuously furnished bedroom. Two slaves bring rich cushions and carpets.

TRIO
Monostatos brings Pamina in. He requests his slaves to chain her. Pamina faints, Monostatos dismisses the slaves.
Papageno looks through the window; he comes in and finds himself in front of Monostatos. Both shy away.
Papageno returns and recognizes Pamina. He explains that he is accompanying the prince who has come to free her.

DUO
Pamina and Papageno sing to love.

A sacred forrest. The Temples of Wisdom, Reason, and Nature.

FINAL
Three young children show the way to Tamino and recommend him: "Firmness, Patience and Silence".
Tamino tries to enter the Temple of Reason. A voice forbids him to. He tries the door of Nature. A voice intervenes again.
He then knocks of Wisdom. A priest replies: Yes, Sarastro reigns in this temple but not as the Queen of the Night has described. Voices inform him that Pamina is alive. Content, he begins to play the flute. From the inside Papageno’s flute replies.

Papageno and Pamina rush in. Tamino and Papageno dialogue with their flutes.
Monostatos overtakes the fugitives. Papageno test his bells. Monostatos and the slaves start singing and dancing away.
Suddenly the chorus announces the arrival of Sarastro. Pamina and Papageno tremble.
Sarastro arrives in his chariot drawn by six lions, accompanied by his entourage.
The choir sings the praises of Sarastro. Pamina kneels before him and confesses the truth. Sarastro not let her join her mother because it would jeopardize her happiness forever.

Monostatos leads Tamino before Sarastro. In the meanwhile Pamina and Tamino embrace each other, Sarastro sentences Monostatos to seventy-seven lashes, and asks to take Pamina and Tamino to the Temple of Tests.

ACT II

a palmar

MARCH OF THE PRIESTS
Sarastro, accompanied by priests, enters. "The Gods have destined Pamina, sweet and virtuous young woman, to this refined prince. For this reason I have taken her from her proud mother."

Tamino and Papageno confine to the priest kneeling before him: "Teach them how to recognize the divine power!"

ARIA WITH CHORUS
"O Isis und Osiris, schenket Weisheit Der Geist dem neuen Paar! ..."
"O Isis and Osiris, concede the spirit of wisdom to the new couple! ...".

Night. In the temple square.
 
Tamino and Papageno enter led by the priest that leaves them alone. They do not know where they are. Thunder. Papageno is terribly frightened.
The prists arrive. The first one asks to Tamino: "What do you seek here?". "Friendship and Love". "Do you accept to pass all tests?". "Yes, all of them".
Papageno is less courageous .The priest promises he will get the woman that destined for him, Papagena. But with the condition to remain silent, condition that is also imposed on Tamino: "It is the beginning of your tests."

DUO
Second and third priest: "I Do not trust the perfidy of women.".
Tamino and Papageno, alone, are in total darkness.

QUINTET
The three ladies arrive. They try to make them talk. Tamino resists but struggles to silence Papageno. Lovelorn, they prepare to leave when the voices of the priests are heard: "The sacred threshold has been profaned!" the women disappear in hell. Papageno faints.
The priests come to find Tamino and Papageno. The first test is finished.

A garden.

Pamina sleeps. Monostatos approaches.

ARIA
Monostatos: "alles liebe der fühlt Freuden ... (" Everyone feels the happiness of love ... ").
The Queen of the Night appears; Monostatos hides. Since Tamino has joined the initiates, Pamina must kill Sarastro or her mother will repudiate her.

ARIA
The Queen of the Night "Der Hölle Rache in meinem Herzen Kocht.". ("An avenger hell beats in my heart.").
Pamina, once alone, thinks: she will never be able to kill.
Monostatos, coming out of hiding, wants to convince Pamina to love him, as the only way to save her and her mother. Pamina refuses.
Sarastro enters and throws Monostatos out.
Pamina begs Sarastro to forgive her mother.

ARIA
Sarastro: "In diesen heil'gen Hallen." ("In these sacred places revenge is unknown.").

A large room.

Tamino and Papageno enter led by two priests who remember the instructions: Silence.
Tamino silences Papageno.

An ugly old woman brings in a tray a cup of water. Papageno drinks and interrogates her. She has a lover; his name? Papageno. Horrified, he throws water in his face and asks her name. She has no time to answer as thunder makes her disappear.

TRIO
The three children bring a nicely trimmed table, the flute and bells that Sarastro had kept.
Tamino plays the flute and Papageno eats.
Pamina comes running. Tamino does not answer and gives her a signal to leave.

ARIA
Pamina "Ach, ich Fühl's, es ist verschwunden ..." ("Ah, I feel it is the end ...").

A vaulted room.

CHORUS OF PRIESTS
They sing the praises of Tamino.
Sarastro has joined the priests. They bring in Tamino and after him Pamina.

TRIO
Under the indulgent eye of Sarastro, Tamino and Pamina must say goodbye; Tamino has to move on.
Papageno is alone. He would like to join Tamino, but he can not pass. He begins to weep.
A priest arrives: you will never be an initiated. A glass of wine appears to respond to his desire. Do not you have any other desire?

ARIA
Papageno, alone, dreams: "Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen." ("Young lady or woman! That is Papageno’s desire").
The old woman appears. Papageno must swear his allegiance. He decides it even if he thinks otherwise. The old one becomes a young woman dressed in feathers as Papageno. He wants to kiss her.
The priest intervenes and takes Papagena away. Papageno refuses to walk away, "Swallow me Earth". And he becomes swallowed.

A garden.

FINAL
The three children want to comfort the poor Pamina.
Pamina enters with a knife in her hand given to her by her mother; she wants to end his days. The three children deter her: Tamino loves her; they will take her close to him.

Two high mountains. The first one throws flames, from the other one water growling is heard.

Two men in armor accompany Tamino. He is willing to confront the dangers. He hears the voice of Pamina. The men in armor confirm that he can now speak to her. She walks in the company of a priest. Tamino takes her in his arms. Now nothing can separate them. Pamina takes him by the hand; she will guide him and The Magic Flute will protect them.
They first face the fire, then the water and they find themselves are in front of a wonderful temple. They have won. The chorus of Priests welcomes them.

A garden

Papageno cannot console himself for having lost his Papagena. He seriously considers hanging himself. While he is preparing the three children propose: make your bells ring. Papageno obeys and Papagena appears.What a joy! They walk away.
Monostatos, the Queen of the Night and the three ladies appear. The Queen of the Night has promised the hand of his daughter to Monostatos once her revenge is fulfilled. Together with the three ladies, they want to take the righteous of the earth.
Thunder, lightning, tempest: they disappear into the endless night.

The Sun Temple

Sarastro dominates the assembly. Tamino and Pamina are next to the priests. The three boys are p Present.
Everyone celebrates the new initiates.