FUN FACTS ABOUT FLUTE

Papageno comes the German word Papagei (say “Papa Guy”), which means parrot. He’s the official Birdcatcher for the Queen of the Night, and his classic costume is covered in feathers. But Papageno also has the habit of chattering like a bird—a habit that gets him into trouble in the opera! The original Papageno, Emanuel Schikaneder, also wrote most of the words to the opera and was a Freemason, like Mozart. His daughter was one of the Three Spirits in the premiere.

Emanuel Schikaneder as Papageno Frontispiece to the first printed libretto, 1791

Mozart was a great practical joker, so at one of the performances he sneaked backstage during the part where Papageno plays his magic bells (somebody else really played them offstage). Mozart played the bells at the wrong time on purpose. Schikaneder, playing Papageno, kept going, so Mozart did it again. This time, Schikaneder yelled “Shut up!” to the bells, and the audience roared with laughter.

Anna Gottlieb, the original Pamina, was only 17 years old at the time of the premiere! She was also the first soprano to sing Barbarina in The Marriage of Figaro at age 12.

Maria Anna Gottlieb, the first Pamina

The first Tamino, Benedikt Schack, was also a Freemason and a good friend of Mozart’s. He was played the “magic” flute onstage in the opera.

Josefa Weber Hofer, Mozart’s sister-in-law, was the first Queen of the Night. She was the only one of the Weber sisters Mozart didn’t propose to.

Mozart conducted the premiere from the fortepiano, which means he would have played along with the orchestra—a practice we don’t follow today. In those days, conductors led from the keyboard or the first violin.

Imagine the pressure—Mozart wrote the Overture and the March of the Priests only two days before the premiere.

Antonio Salieri, Mozart’s alleged poisoner in the movie Amadeus, attended The Magic Flute with his dishy mistress, soprano Caterina Cavalieri, as Mozart’s guest. Mozart told his wife that Salieri called out “Bravo!” or “Bello!” after nearly every number.

The Magic Flute was Mozart’s greatest operatic success, but he died less than three months after the premiere. Some people thought he had been poisoned by other Freemasons for revealing their secrets in The Magic Flute, but he probably died from kidney failure brought on by a staph infection.

According to Operabase.com, this season there are 639 performances of The Magic Flute in 83 cities worldwide—and that’s only counting professional productions. That’s almost a million people enjoying this opera alone. Last season for Mozart’s 250th anniversary, there were 766 performances!

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