Classically Abby - July 24, 2019


OPERA SPOTLIGHT： THE MAGIC FLUTE ｜｜ Podcast!


Episode Stats

Length

15 minutes

Words per Minute

103.69826

Word Count

1,645

Sentence Count

157

Misogynist Sentences

8

Hate Speech Sentences

8


Summary


Transcript

00:00:00.480 Hello beautiful ladies and gents and welcome to Classically Abbey.
00:00:04.560 Today we will be doing an opera spotlight on Mozart's The Magic Flute, or Die Zauberflute.
00:00:10.560 Now the magic flute is actually a singspiele, which means that the dialogue is spoken.
00:00:16.160 It's more similar to a modern-day musical, but we'll call it an opera for ease of understanding.
00:00:22.320 I chose the magic flute because it's a great introduction to opera for children and adults
00:00:26.800 alike. The fairy tale is magical and follows a prince and princess, and the music is truly stunning.
00:00:34.480 Now, The Magic Flute was written right at the end of Mozart's life, and at this point he had truly
00:00:40.080 mastered his techniques and embraced the things that made him so unique as a composer.
00:00:45.360 If you've ever seen the movie Amadeus, you may remember that Mozart had to fight to compose in
00:00:50.240 German. Operatic composers of the time for the most part wrote in Italian and French,
00:00:55.200 since German was considered an inelegant language to sing in. Mozart embraced his mother tongue and
00:01:01.200 chose to write a few of his operas in German. This happens to be the most well-known. As well,
00:01:07.440 the story is filled with Masonic imagery. Mozart was a Mason, and the librettist was too.
00:01:13.520 Now, let's get to the crux of the opera, the music. The opera literally spans the vocal range by having
00:01:19.920 Zoroastro, a bass, which is the lowest voice type, and the Queen of the Night, a coloratura soprano,
00:01:25.920 the highest voice type, sing at the very edge of their ranges. It's very impressive to listen to.
00:01:32.160 We'll be listening to the 1990 recording of The Magic Flute featuring Kiri Takanoa,
00:01:37.280 Cheryl Studer, and Francisco Araiza, and conducted by Sir Neville Mariner.
00:01:43.280 I chose this recording for a few reasons. The first is that I grew up on this recording. I used to beg
00:01:48.960 my father to let me listen to it in the car. The second is that the performances by the singers are
00:01:54.400 truly masterful, and the conducting is fantastic. Kiri Takanoa is one of the most famous sopranos who
00:02:00.480 ever lived, and for good reason. She sings with a beautiful tone and sensitivity. Sir Neville Mariner
00:02:07.120 is acclaimed for his opera conducting, and he deserves it. The musicality he elicits from the
00:02:12.160 orchestra and the singers is second to none. So let's get into the plot and hear some excerpts.
00:02:18.000 To follow along and hear the full recording, head over to my Spotify and follow the Opera Spotlight,
00:02:22.800 the Magic Flute playlist. We begin with the overture. Mozart's overtures are some of the most beautiful
00:02:29.040 ever written, and this is no exception. Keep an ear out for the three chords at the beginning of the
00:02:34.080 overture that mimic the Masonic initiation ceremony, which begins with a person knocking three times
00:02:39.200 for admittance.
00:03:04.080 hereby bide, speaking with the
00:03:16.120 ton lots and every one of the твоiest grys but don't be a little bit free out of the
00:03:22.760 وتrof manufactures.
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00:08:17.960 In the next scene, Tamino is led by three spirits to Zarashtra's temple where he is denied entry
00:08:23.960 on the left and right sides but is allowed in by one of Zarashtra's priests through the middle door.
00:08:29.960 There he learns that Zarashtra is not evil.
00:08:31.960 In fact, the queen of the night is.
00:08:34.960 Pamina has been rescued from the clutches of her mother and all will be revealed if Tamino opens his mind and heart.
00:08:41.960 Meanwhile, Papageno and Pamina are recaptured by Monostatos and his men.
00:08:46.960 Papageno plays his bells and the men all dance happily away.
00:08:50.960 But Zarashtra and his retinue are close by and there's no way for Pamina and Papageno to escape.
00:08:56.960 Pamina asks Zarashtra's forgiveness and says she ran away because Monostatos was making sexual advances.
00:09:03.960 Zarashtra tells her he only wants her to be happy just as Tamino enters the stage having been captured by Monostatos.
00:09:10.960 Instead of getting the reward he had hoped for, Zarashtra sends Monostatos away for his lustful behavior.
00:09:16.960 He then tells Tamino that in order for him to be worthy of marrying Pamina, he must undergo several trials of wisdom.
00:09:24.960 Another reference to Masonic imagery perhaps?
00:09:28.960 We have now come to the second act.
00:09:30.960 It begins with a prayer.
00:09:32.960 Zarashtra prays to Isis and Osiris, in English Isis and Osiris, asking them to guide Tamino and Pamina along their trials.
00:09:42.960 I chose this excerpt just to show you how truly low bass's voices are, and this aria shows off those deep notes better than anything.
00:09:50.960 Zarashtra prays to the next part of this video.
00:10:06.960 Zarashtra prays to the next part.
00:10:10.960 Zarashtra prays to the next part.
00:10:14.960 Zarashtra prays to the next part.
00:10:15.960 We'll see you next time.
00:10:18.960 Tamino and Papageno are now led into the first trial, the trial of silence.
00:10:27.480 They are tested when the three young attendants of the Queen of the Night reappear and try
00:10:31.020 to make them speak, but Tamino will not budge.
00:10:34.400 Of course, Papageno, ever the comedic relief, gives in and begins speaking with them.
00:10:40.420 As this happens, Pamina sleeps while Monostatos creeps over her.
00:10:44.520 Just as he's about to make his move, the Queen of the Night appears.
00:10:48.180 He hides behind a curtain as the Queen of the Night asks Pamina what she's doing.
00:10:52.600 When Pamina reveals that Tamino is joining Zarastro's brotherhood, the Queen of the Night
00:10:56.760 is furious.
00:10:58.460 She gives Pamina a dagger with which to kill Zarastro and threatens to disown her if she
00:11:02.680 doesn't complete her mission.
00:11:04.540 This is probably the most well-known aria in the opera.
00:11:08.060 Why?
00:11:09.060 You may ask?
00:11:10.060 Because the Queen has to sing so high and so accurately.
00:11:13.520 It's truly astounding.
00:11:18.180 давeks capира.
00:11:19.180 Rightself.
00:11:20.180 Yeah.
00:11:20.600 I am glad you exemplified.
00:11:20.820 My gegenüber.
00:11:21.160 Backs.
00:11:22.440 Yeah.
00:11:23.180 All right.
00:11:23.480 In our people's бывает.
00:11:23.860 And the memory ofənimus bathкая song's birth.
00:11:24.360 In our two adults, the Queen of the Хberg perquè Wilde is the only ent lifestyle.
00:11:25.780 But even after the Queen of the Night shears fits himself again and reveals their children, we
00:11:27.800 know.
00:11:28.800 After the Queen leaves, Monostatatos reappears and threatens to tell Zarastro of Pamina Homer.
00:11:32.800 After the queen leaves, Monastatos reappears and threatens to tell Zoroastro of Pamina's
00:11:48.380 betrayal unless she gives in to his advances. Zoroastro enters in the nick of time and chases
00:11:54.040 Monastatos away. Pamina apologizes to Zoroastro for her mother's behavior and asks him not
00:11:59.260 to take revenge. Zoroastro responds by saying that anger and hatred have no place in his
00:12:04.440 temple. As we return to Tamino and Papageno, they are reminded that they must remain silent.
00:12:11.220 When Papageno complains that he is thirsty, an old lady appears and gives him water. He
00:12:15.820 teasingly asks if she has a boyfriend and she responds yes, and his name is Papageno,
00:12:21.160 then disappears. Tamino then plays his magic flute and Pamina appears. Since Pamina doesn't
00:12:27.340 know that Tamino has been sworn to silence, when Tamino won't speak to her, she believes
00:12:32.520 he loves her no longer. She then sings this next excerpt. The accompaniment is so sparse
00:12:38.820 and almost sounds like a heartbeat because she's alone and in pain.
00:12:45.820 Tamino then sings this next February show, the finaly song named
00:12:57.040 Tamino plays её at the time. Be its future, ya know in pain.
00:12:59.000 Tamino plays Willing be in the invitation of this song and receive the spirit.
00:13:12.800 Later, the old lady reappears to Papageno.
00:13:27.960 She makes him promise to marry her, and when he does, albeit reticently, she turns into
00:13:32.740 a beautiful young woman.
00:13:34.720 When he tries to embrace her, the priests of Zoroastro's Brotherhood hold him back,
00:13:38.900 telling him he's not yet worthy of her.
00:13:41.840 Now, do you remember the three spirits who led Tamino to the temple a while back?
00:13:46.780 They return and see Pamina suicidal as she believes that Tamino no longer loves her.
00:13:52.180 They reassure her of his love, and Pamina accompanies Tamino in the final trials of fire and water.
00:13:58.900 By playing his magic flute, the two are protected and pass the trials.
00:14:03.780 Meanwhile, Pamina is not the only one contemplating suicide.
00:14:07.940 Papageno can't find his young woman, and he wants to kill himself.
00:14:11.880 Fortunately, the three spirits stop him from accomplishing his goal and bring the young
00:14:15.840 woman to him, a woman who just so happens to be named Papagena.
00:14:21.200 The two sing this next duet, discussing the hundreds of kids they want to have and how they'll all
00:14:25.300 be named either Papageno or Papagena.
00:14:28.260 He's very cute and rather funny, too.
00:14:35.260 so
00:14:43.360 Pamina is so
00:14:59.080 But what about the Queen of the Night and Monastatos?
00:15:12.960 Well, they have returned to destroy Zoroastro's temple, and the Queen of the Night has promised
00:15:18.440 Pamina to Monastatos in return for his help.
00:15:21.560 But they are magically destroyed when they try to enter the temple.
00:15:25.020 As the sun rises, Zoroastro declares that light has won over darkness.
00:15:29.160 And that's the end of the opera.
00:15:31.660 Now you have some context before going to a production of The Magic Flute.
00:15:35.620 Did you enjoy this podcast-style opera spotlight?
00:15:38.800 Have you heard The Magic Flute before?
00:15:41.320 What's your favorite Mozart opera?
00:15:43.580 Let me know in the comments on my blog post.
00:15:46.040 You can always follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube at Classically Abbey.
00:15:50.800 And thanks for listening!