Opera and Ballet Stories in Music    

Lesson 33: The Magic Flute - Act II. Scenes I-IV.

by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Performer: European Archive


DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

Astrofiammante, QUEEN OF THE NIGHT.

PAMINA, her daughter.

PAPAGENO, a bird-catcher.

TAMINO, a handsome Egyptian prince.

MONOSTATOS, chief slave of the temple.

SARASTRO, high priest of Isis.

PAPAGENA.

Three Ladies-in-Waiting to the QUEEN OF THE NIGHT; Three Youths of the Temple; Priests, Priestesses, Slaves, etc.



ACT II. SCENE I.

A Forest at night. Thunder, at a distance.

SARASTRO, and Chorus of Priests.

Music of a march, by several instruments.



SARASTRO.

You, in the Temple of Wisdom, initiated servants of the great gods. Osiris and Isis, with all truth I declare to you, that our meeting today is one of the utmost importance. Tamino is the son of a king, he waits at the northern door of our temple; in short, he wishes to tear off the veil of darkness, and gaze into the sanctuary of light. To guard this virtuous youth will today be one of our most important duties.



SPEAKER.

I now deem him worthy to follow the example of Sarastro.



SARASTRO.

Oh, happy conquest of souls, in vain will wrath conspire against our peace.



Air and Chorus.

Oh, Isis and Osiris, grant

The spirit of wisdom to the young couple!

You, that guide the steps of the wanderer.

Strengthen them with patience under dangers,

Let them see the fruits of their probation.

But should they go to the grave,

Then reward their struggle to be virtuous.

Receive them into your abodes.

[Exeunt.]



LOVE IN EV'RY HEART.

Air.



MONOSTATOS.

Love in ev'ry heart is reigning,

Joy may ev'ry creature crown.

But the wanton frowns disdaining,

Spurns, because my skin is brown.



Have I not a heart within me?

Am I not of flesh and blood?

Might not a woman's smile, then, win me,

Make me blessed, and brave, and good?



Therefore, will I. whilst I live,

Bill and kiss, and tender be.

Dear, good moon, forgive, forgive,

A fair white maid has charmed me.

White is lovely. I must kiss her.

Moon, oh hide thyself the while.

Or, if much it vexeth thee.

Close thine eyes, nor deign to see.

[Steals to Pamina.]



ACT II. SCENE II.

The QUEEN rises from beneath the earth. PAMINA asleep, and the above. It thunders.



QUEEN.

Back!



PAMINA.

(Awakes.) Ye gods! That voice!



MONOSTATOS.

Oh dear! that is the Goddess of Night. [Retiring alarmed.]



PAMINA.

Mother! my mother! [Recognizing her.]



MONOSTATOS.

(Aside.) Her mother! I shall listen. [Steals away and conceals himself.]



QUEEN.

Wretched daughter?



PAMINA.

Heavens, why call you me so?



QUEEN.

I will reveal to you a melancholy secret: my spouse, when dying, bestowed upon these ministers of horror and impiety the sacred symbol of the sun, which had conferred so much honor upon him. >in vain I entreated wept, and opposed the deed—and now in the bosom of Sarastro yon have enkindled that terrible flame. Here is a dagger. Go kill him. hasten my vengeance and thine. Take back from him the golden symbol, by whose power he prevails against us. then will I press you again to my bosom: under these conditions only can Tamino be yours.



PAMINA.

Ah! what horror chilis me!



QUEEN.

You have heard your mother's last command.



Air.

Of hell the vengeance boils within my heart,

Death and despair are flaming all around me.

If through thee Sarastro feels not death,

Then thou shalt never be my daughter more.

If through three Sarastro dies not now.

Rejected be forever and forlorn.

To pieces all the ties of nature torn.

Hear, gods of vengeance! Hear a mother's vow!



ACT II. SCENE III.

PAMINA, with Dagger, and MONOSTATOS.



PAMINA.

Oh law! Oh vow! I pierce his breast! No. it is not possible.



MONOSTATOS.

[Aside.] I heard all. I'll manage affairs well.



PAMINA.

And if my mother, incensed at my disobedience, forsakes me, what must I do?



MONOSTATOS.

Trust to the black. [Approaches her.]



PAMINA.

Oh, heavens! What would you?



MONOSTATOS.

Love.



PAMINA.

Oh Gods!



MONOSTATOS.

[Aside.] She begins to yield. [Aloud.] Well, do you consent?



PAMINA.

No.



ACT II. SCENE IV.

SARASTRO, and the above.



MONOSTATOS.

Then die. [In the act of striking PAMINA.]



SARASTRO.

Hold!



MONOSTATOS.

Sir, what would you do? [Throwing himself at Sarastro's feet.] You save a fury, who conspires against you with her mother. Know...



SARASTRO.

Wretch, begone! Nor dare again to venture into my sight.



PAMINA.

Ah, pardon, sir, the just sorrows of a wretched mother.



SARASTRO.

Ah, let remorse suffice to punish her! And if Tamino returns victorious. If you are married to the Prince, and happy, dear daughter, Sarastro will be amply revenged.



"WITHIN THESE SACRED BOWERS."

Air.



SARASTRO.

Within these sacred bowers.

Nor guilt nor crime we know,

No blighting vengeance lowers,

Soft pity heals each woe.

While friendship's band each heart entwines,

And bright the day of freedom shines.

Here, 'neath a mask of smiling,

Hate lurks not to destroy.

But grief and pain beguiling.

We share each other's joy.

Thus shall our days with peace be blessed,

Till great Osiris calls us to his rest.

[Exeunt.]

    Opera and Ballet Stories in Music    

Lesson 33: The Magic Flute - Act II. Scenes I-IV.

by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Performer: European Archive

Directions

Study the musical selection for one week.

Over the week:

  • Read the synopsis.
  • Review any vocabulary terms.
  • Read about the composer.
  • Complete the enrichment activities.

Synopsis

In the Palm Grove, Sarastro informs the priests of the plans which he has laid. The gods have decided that Pamina shall become the wife of the noble youth Tamino. Tamino, however, must prove, by his own power, that he is worthy of admission to the Temple. Therefore, Sarastro has taken under his protection Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night, to whom is due all darkness and superstition. In a twist, the Queen of the Night has become the young lover's foe and Sarastro the savior. But the couple must go through severe ordeals in order to be worthy of entering the Temple of Light, and thus of thwarting the sinister machinations of the Queen.

Composer

  1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756 in Salzburg, Austria. Examine his picture.
  2. Zoom in and find Mozart's country of birth on the map of Europe below.
  3. Mozart's father was a teacher and composer, so Mozart was exposed to music from a young age.
  4. At the age of 3, Mozart watched his older sister, Nannerl, learn to play the clavier (a keyboard instrument).
  5. At age 4 or 5, Mozart wrote his first small compositions.
  6. As a youth, Mozart toured Europe with his family and performed as a child prodigy.
  7. Over his short life, Mozart composed many musical works including operas, symphonies, and sonatas.
  8. After suffering from an unknown illness, Mozart died at the age of 35 in 1791.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite the Opera Information

  • Recite the name of the composer, the name of the opera, and the act and scene(s) of the opera.

Activity 2: Recite the Dramatis Personae

Read aloud the Dramatis Personae.

  • Astrofiammante, QUEEN OF THE NIGHT.
  • PAMINA, her daughter.
  • PAPAGENO, a bird-catcher.
  • TAMINO, a handsome Egyptian prince.
  • MONOSTATOS, chief slave of the temple.
  • SARASTRO, high priest of Isis.
  • PAPAGENA.
  • Three Ladies-in-Waiting to the QUEEN OF THE NIGHT; Three Youths of the Temple; Priests, Priestesses, Slaves, etc.

Activity 3: Listen to the Opera While Reading the Text

  • Select roles to read as desired.
  • Play the opera music softly in the background.
  • Read aloud the scene according to your selected roles.

Activity 4: Narrate the Lesson

  • Narrate the lesson events aloud in your own words.

Activity 5: Follow Along with the Lyrics

Follow along with the German lyrics to the song, 'All feel the joys of love,' starting at 0:00 and sung by Monostatos in Act II.

Study the English translation in parentheses.

  • Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden, ----- (Everything enjoys the pleasure of love,)
  • Schnäbelt, tändelt, herzt und küsst, ----- (Bills and coos, dallies, hugs, and kisses,)
  • Und ich sollt' die Liebe meiden, ----- (And I should avoid love,)
  • Weil ein Schwarzer häßlich ist! ----- (because the world thinks I am ugly!)
  • Weil ein Schwarzer häßlich ist! ----- (because the world thinks I am ugly!)
  • ***
  • Ist mir denn kein Herz gegeben? ----- (Do I not have a heart?)
  • Bin ich nicht von Fleisch und Blut? ----- (Am I not of flesh and blood?)
  • Bin ich nicht von Fleisch und Blut? ----- (Am I not of flesh and blood?)
  • Immer ohne Weibchen leben, ----- (To live without a loving wife,)
  • Wäre wahrlich Höllenglut! ----- (Would be like living in the fires of hell!)
  • Wäre wahrlich Höllenglut! ----- (Would be like living in the fires of hell!)
  • Wäre wahrlich Höllenglut! ----- (Would be like living in the fires of hell!)
  • ***
  • Drum so will ich, weil ich lebe, ----- (That is why I want love, because I am alive,)
  • Schnäbeln, küssen, zärtlich sein! ----- (To coo, kiss, and be tender!)
  • Lieber guter Mond, vergebe, ----- (Dear good moon, forgive me,)
  • Eine Weisse nahm mich ein. ----- (A lovely woman has enraptured me.)
  • Eine Weisse nahm mich ein. ----- (A lovely woman has enraptured me.)
  • ***
  • Weiss ist schön! Ich muß sie küssen; ----- (She is so beautiful! I have to kiss her;)
  • Mond, verstecke dich dazu! ----- (Moon, hide yourself so you don't see this!)
  • Mond, verstecke dich dazu! ----- (Moon, hide yourself so you don't see this!)
  • Sollt' es dich zu sehr verdriessen, ----- (If it upsets you too much,)
  • O so mach' die Augen zu! ----- (Oh, then shut your eyes!)
  • O so mach' die Augen zu! ----- (Oh, then shut your eyes!)
  • O so mach' die Augen zu! ----- (Oh, then shut your eyes!)

References

  1. 'The Complete Opera Book' by Gustav Kobbé (CC0 1.0). Gutenberg.org. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40540/40540-h/40540-h.htm#THE_MAGIC_FLUTE. n.p.