The Magic Flute is an opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It is a fairy tale with a prince, a princess, a bird catcher, a queen, a magic flute, and a set of magic bells. The characters sing, and between the songs they speak. Mozart wrote it in 1791, the last year of his life, for a theater in Vienna that put on shows for ordinary people. It is a common first opera for a child.
Start with the bird catcher’s song. It lasts about three minutes.
Quick facts
- Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- First performed: September 30, 1791, in Vienna
- Language: German, with spoken parts between the songs
- Length: about three hours on stage, with an intermission
- Words by: Emanuel Schikaneder, who also played the bird catcher
The story in short
A prince named Tamino is chased by a giant serpent and faints. Three ladies who serve the Queen of the Night kill the serpent.
Tamino wakes to find Papageno, a cheerful bird catcher dressed in feathers. Papageno brags that he killed the serpent himself. The three ladies put a padlock on his mouth for lying.
The Queen of the Night appears. She tells Tamino that her daughter, Pamina, has been taken by a man named Sarastro. She asks Tamino to rescue her. The ladies give Tamino a magic flute and give Papageno a set of magic bells. Three boys will guide them.
When Tamino reaches Sarastro’s temple, he learns that things are not as the Queen said. Sarastro is wise, and the Queen is the one who means harm. Tamino and Pamina fall in love. To be together, they must pass tests of silence, fire, and water. The magic flute keeps them safe.
Papageno has his own wish. He wants a wife. After a good deal of trouble, the magic bells bring him Papagena, who is dressed in feathers too.
The Queen of the Night tries to attack the temple and is driven off. Day wins over night.
The characters and their voices
Tamino, the prince. A tenor, which is a high male voice.
Pamina, the princess. A soprano, which is a high female voice.
Papageno, the bird catcher. A baritone, which is a middle male voice. He gets the funniest scenes.
The Queen of the Night. A soprano who sings some of the highest notes in all of opera.
Sarastro. A bass, the lowest male voice. His notes are as low as the Queen’s are high.
Five songs to hear first
The bird catcher’s song. Papageno introduces himself and plays a five-note call on his pan pipes between the lines.
The Queen of the Night’s second song. The Queen is furious. Her voice leaps to short, sharp notes far above the staff, like a flute.
Papageno’s song with the magic bells. He sings about wanting a wife, and a bell-like keyboard plays along.
The duet of Papageno and Papagena. The two meet at last and can only stammer “Pa, pa, pa” at each other before the words come tumbling out.
The overture. The orchestra alone, before the curtain rises. Three slow chords, and then a quick, busy tune.
Things to do together
High and low. Play the Queen’s song and then one of Sarastro’s. Ask your child to reach up for the high voice and touch the floor for the low one.
Be Papageno. Whistle or sing his five-note call between the lines of his song.
Tell it with toys. Act out the story with stuffed animals. You need a prince, a princess, a bird catcher, a queen, and a serpent.
Draw the serpent. The opera begins with a monster. Ask your child to draw it.
Good or bad? The Queen seems kind at first and Sarastro seems cruel. Talk about how the story turns that around.
Seeing it on stage or screen
The full opera is long for a young child. Many opera houses stage a shorter version for families, often in English. Ask your local company what it offers.
Filmed versions are easy to find. Watch one scene at a time. Choose a version with subtitles, and read them out loud for a child who cannot read yet.
Before you go, tell the story and play the five songs. A child who knows the tunes will wait for them.
Print and play
Read Mozart for kids. A listening journal page gives a child a place to draw a favorite character. For another fairy-tale opera, see Hansel and Gretel for kids.
More guides are listed in classical music listening guides for kids.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.