Mozart – The Magic Flute

Scene 1

An earnest young prince, Tamino, is pursued by terrifying figures. He faints in terror, and when he regains consciousness finds Papageno, a bird-catcher, by his side. A moment later, three (perhaps familiar?) ladies appear. They present him with a portrait of Pamina (the daughter of their mistress, The Queen of the Night) and tell him of her abduction by the evil Sarastro. 

Tamino immediately falls in love, vowing to rescue his new beloved, and when The Queen of the Night arrives she promises her daughter to the young man if he can rescue her. For their quest, the ladies give Tamino a magic flute which has the power to turn sorrow to joy, and Papageno (sent along for the ride) receives a set of magic bells for protection.

Scene 2

In Sarastro’s temple, Monostatos is left alone with the captive Pamina. Papageno arrives (having lost Tamino), and startles Monostatos, who flees. He then announces to Pamina that her mother has sent Tamino to save her, and the two sing about the joys of love.

Scene 3

Meanwhile, Tamino too comes to Sarastro’s temple. A priest tells him that The Queen of the Night is not to be trusted – and that Tamino will understand all when he approaches the temple in the spirit of friendship. 

Tamino hears Papageno in the distance, and hurries off to find him, but just as he leaves Papageno and Pamina appear. They are recaptured for a moment, before distracting Monostatos with the Magic Bells and running... straight into Sarastro. Though receiving them kindly, he refuses to return Pamina to her mother.

Monostatos returns with Tamino, and the prince sees Pamina for the first time, the two immediately embracing. Sarastro punishes Monostatos for his lust before announcing that Tamino must undergo trials of wisdom to become worthy as Pamina’s husband. Amid hymns of praise to Sarastro, Tamino and Papageno are blindfolded and led away.

Scene 1

Monostatos goes to kiss the sleeping Pamina, but hides as The Queen of the Night appears and instructs her ladies to find and free Tamino. The Queen wakes her daughter but is enraged by her wavering loyalty, threatening to disown her unless she kills Sarastro.

As she leaves, Sarastro arrives and drives Monostatos away. Pamina begs Sarastro to forgive her mother and he reassures her that revenge has no place in his temple.

Scene 2

Tamino and Papageno begin their trials - the first of which is to be silent. The ladies try to encourage Tamino and Papageno to escape with them, but Sarastro’s Priests intervene and the trial continues. While Papageno gives in, speaking to an Old Woman, Tamino holds true - even when his flute summons Pamina. His silence leads her to believe that he no longer loves her.

Sarastro arrives and instructs the lovers to bid one another a “final farewell.”  Papageno is not eligible to continue the trials but the priests grant him one wish. Papageno asks for a glass of wine. The old lady returns, transforming into the beautiful young Papagena he could have had, but she is whisked away.

Scene 3

The ladies wonder if Enlightenment might not be such a bad thing after all, and when Pamina enters, distraught, they prevent her from doing anything rash, convincing her that Tamino truly loves her. Tamino enters and the two join together for his final trial, passing unscathed.

Papageno meanwhile, is desperate at having his lover snatched away from him. No one pays him any attention except the ladies, who remind him about his magic bells, and he uses them to summon Papagena to his side.

In one final attempt to conquer Sarastro, the Queen and Monostatos join forces to break into the temple, but they are foiled. Sarastro presents Tamino and Pamina as the new custodians of light.