Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute)

Die Zauberflöte had its premiere at the Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna on 30th September 1791, less than ten weeks before Mozart''s death. It has proved to be one of the most enduringly popular ...

Die Zauberflöte had its premiere at the Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna on 30th September 1791, less than ten weeks before Mozart''s death. It has proved to be one of the most enduringly popular of all his works and has enchanted generations of opera-goers of all ages. In a fairy-tale allegory imbued with serious philosophical concerns, the opera combines ethereal music with earthy comedy to convey a message of hope for a better world.In this guide, Nicholas Till writes about the background and genesis of the opera, locating it on the cusp of the Enlightenment and the beginnings of German Rom